Simulation apparatus and method of designing semiconductor integrated circuit

Abstract

A simulation apparatus of a semiconductor integrated circuit, capable of measuring power consumption in a higher abstract degree than an RT level and in a high speed, is realized, so that a low power consumption designing operation can be carried out by employing a simulation result. While a cycle base model of a designing subject circuit is arranged by a state control module model, a calculation module model, and a memory model, in the calculation module model, an algorithm description is made; a detailed structure such as a pipeline of hardware is shortcircuited to a calculation to be processed in a unit clock; and a timing shift is absorbed in a wait state of the state control module model, so that a high-speed simulation can be realized. Since such information as an area and a wiring capacitance is added to an activating ratio measurement of a simulation model, power consumption can be measured. A priority arraigning / wiring operation of a function module is carried out based upon this measurement result, and then, a simulation is repeatedly performed so as to execute optimum arranging / wiring operations, so that low power consumption designing can be realized.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to a design method of a system LSI. More specifically, the present invention relates to an analog model design method in an analog device of an LSI, a power consumption estimation method using the model, and also relates to a low power consumption design method in a layout step and a layout based on a result of the estimation / wiring step. Background technique [0002] Recently, in semiconductor integrated circuits manufactured on a large scale such as system LSIs, reduction in power consumption is strongly required. In particular, with regard to semiconductor integrated circuits used in portable terminals, the field of use of which is extended to the field of multimedia, such as Internet connection, TV phone, there is a limit to the reproduction of moving pictures within the condition of their battery life. Therefore, designing for low power consumption constitutes the most important aspect. [0003] Conventionally, us...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Namely, if such an entire LST arranged by hardware and software including installed software and application software is simulated, the lower level of simulation speed cannot be ignored when increasing the scale of integrated circuits

There is another problem that, in such a case where the specification cannot be met when predicting the power consumption, a simulation-returning-backprocess operation is added

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