FAST AND ACCURATE CAPACITANCE CHECKER

摘要

Switching cells and decoupling capacitors in an integrated circuit design may be assessed to ensure voltage stability during high-speed switching events. Assessment of the switching cells and decoupling capacitors may include identifying the locations of the switching cells and the decoupling capacitors and dividing the integrated circuit design into a number of equally sized bins. Selected bins for each switching cell may be identified. The selected bin for each switching cell may be assessed, along with one or more bins neighboring the selected bin, to determine if a sufficient number of decoupling capacitors are available in these bins to provide voltage stability for each switching cell in the integrated circuit design.

主权项

1. A method, comprising:
identifying, using a computer processor, x- and y-coordinates of switching cells and decoupling capacitors in a design for an integrated circuit; dividing, using the computer processor, the design into a selected number of equally sized bins of selected x- and y-dimensions; associating each decoupling capacitor of the decoupling capacitors with one of the bins that includes the x- and y-coordinates of that decoupling capacitor; identifying for each switching cell in the design, using the computer processor, a selected bin containing the switching cell; identifying, using the computer processor, the bins neighboring the selected bin in the design; identifying, using the computer processor, available decoupling capacitors in both the selected bin and the neighboring bins, wherein the available decoupling capacitors are within a selected distance from the switching cell in the selected bin, and wherein the available decoupling capacitors comprise decoupling capacitors that are not used for another switching cell in the design; and assessing, using the computer processor, if there are a sufficient number of the available decoupling capacitors in both the selected bin and the neighboring bins to provide voltage stability for the switching cell in the selected bin.