Method for power estimation for virtual prototyping models for semiconductors

摘要

The present invention may comprise an apparatus and method for calculating power consumption, including a unit for generating a clock-level analysis without synthesis of an algorithm description and calculating operating ratios of storage elements and arithmetic units. The invention may also comprise a method for estimating the power to be consumed by a SystemC model. By estimating this value, a user may gauge the amount of power a specific semiconductor design might consume, once manufactured into a chip.

主权项

1. A method for measuring power in a virtual prototype for a model semiconductor design, the method comprising:
identifying, within a netlist representing an integrated circuit, one or more transistors coupled to a voltage supply for which to estimate power as applied to a virtual prototype representing the integrated circuit; generating a respective measurement statement for each of the one or more transistors, wherein the respective measurement statement is usable by a circuit simulation tool to measure the power consumed within the virtual prototype of a design block during a simulation of the virtual prototype representing the integrated circuit, without synthesizing the model; and, creating a measurement file and placing respective measurement statements within the measurement file, wherein the measurement file is usable by the circuit simulation tool for performing the simulation of the integrated circuit.