Analog RF Simulation Speed via Segmented Circuit Models
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing analog and RF simulation techniques face a trade-off between increasing simulation speed and maintaining accuracy, as methods to enhance speed often sacrifice accuracy, and those that improve accuracy significantly slow down the process.
Innovation Solution
The use of two different circuit descriptions: one that includes parasitic information for accuracy and another with reduced parasitic information for speed, allowing for simultaneous simulation with minimal loss of accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If parasitic information is included in the simulation to increase accuracy, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The circuit description is segmented into two versions: a full circuit description containing all parasitic information for accuracy-critical calculations, and a reduced circuit description with minimal parasitic information for speed-critical calculations. This segmentation allows the simulation to selectively use the appropriate level of detail for different computational tasks, resolving the contradiction between accuracy and speed.
Solution Approach 2:
Different levels of circuit description quality are applied locally to different parts of the simulation process. The full circuit description is used locally in Newton-Raphson iterations where accuracy is critical, while the reduced circuit description is used locally in matrix factorization steps where speed is prioritized. This local quality differentiation enables the system to optimize both accuracy and productivity simultaneously.
2Measurement precision
If parasitic information is included in the simulation to increase accuracy, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The circuit description is divided into two segments: a complete version with all parasitic elements and a simplified version with reduced parasitic information. This segmentation allows the simulation engine to switch between different levels of complexity as needed, maintaining accuracy when necessary while reducing complexity for computational efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The simulation employs local quality by applying different levels of circuit description detail to different computational operations. Full-quality circuit descriptions are used where they matter most (accuracy-critical sections), while reduced-quality descriptions are used where they suffice (speed-critical sections), thereby managing overall system complexity while preserving necessary accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for performing analog and RF simulation is disclosed that balances the need for accuracy with the desire for increased simulation speed by using two different circuit descriptions, one description is used during the simulation where needed for accuracy and the other circuit description is used where needed to speed the simulation. For example, one circuit description may include parasitic information and is used where necessary to maintain accuracy and, whereas a reduced circuit description (with at least some parasitic information removed) can be used to enhance speed. This combined solution that uses two different, but related, circuit descriptions has substantially increased the speed of simulation with minimal sacrifice of accuracy.