Method and mechanism for verifying and simulating power aware mixed-signal electronic designs

摘要

Disclosed are methods, systems, and structures for implementing an improved approach for simulating mixed-signal electronic circuits with specialized power management requirements, such as low power designs. Some approaches provide an improved method and system for providing a highly reliable, usable and scalable solution to allow for designers to use their power information files in a mixed-signal simulation and carry the impact of power intents defined on the digital blocks onto the analog blocks without needing any manual changes to models/designs.

主权项

1. A computer implemented method using a computer processor for simulating a mixed signal electronic design, comprising:
using at least the computer processor to perform a process, the process comprising: receiving the mixed signal electronic design for simulation, wherein
the mixed signal electronic design is associated with power state information that includes a plurality of states of a power domain of at least a portion of the mixed signal electronic design; inserting a power aware interface element, which is made aware of information or data about power management for the mixed signal electronic design, between a digital design portion and an analog design portion based at least in part upon the power state information of a driving part or a driven part of the digital design portion and the analog design portion, rather than based on whether or not a net transitions between the digital design portion and the analog design portion, wherein
the power aware interface element performs conversion of an electrical signal between a digital domain and an analog domain based at least in part upon the power state information; and using the power aware interface element to simulate the mixed signal electronic design.