Adaptive Clock Mesh Wiring for Local Skew Reduction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Clock mesh designs face challenges in reducing local skew, which can lead to functional errors and data corruption due to variations in clock signal arrival times between loads, especially within short distances, as traditional methods like slowing down clock frequency are insufficient to mitigate these issues.
Innovation Solution
The approach involves identifying pairs of loads with impermissible skew in a clock mesh and modifying the mesh network area partition by increasing wire thickness or adding wires between them to reduce skew, while also considering power consumption by restricting modifications to non-critical areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If wire width is increased to reduce skew, then timing precision is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by selectively increasing wire width only in specific regions where skew exceeds thresholds, rather than uniformly across the entire clock mesh. This targeted approach reduces skew in critical areas while minimizing power consumption increases in non-critical areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The clock mesh is segmented into multiple regions based on skew characteristics, with different wire width adjustments applied to different segments. This allows independent optimization of each region, balancing skew reduction with power consumption management.
2Reliability
If wire width is increased to reduce skew, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic wire width adjustment based on measured skew conditions. The system continuously monitors skew and adaptively modifies wire widths, allowing the mesh structure to evolve from a static to a dynamic configuration that optimizes timing accuracy while managing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from skew measurements to drive wire width adjustments. Skew is measured between load pairs, and this information feeds back into the wire width adjustment process, creating a closed-loop control system that improves timing accuracy while maintaining manageable complexity through automated adjustment.
3Reliability
If clock frequency is reduced to mitigate skew, then timing errors are reduced, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of changing the clock frequency parameter, the patent changes the physical parameter of wire width to affect signal propagation characteristics. This allows the system to maintain high clock frequencies for productivity while reducing skew through physical structure modification rather than operational parameter adjustment.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the present disclosure relate to adaptive mesh wiring. A clock signal is provided to a clock mesh area, wherein the clock mesh area includes a plurality of wires configured in a grid. A pair of loads with impermissible skew within the clock mesh area is identified based on a threshold value. A mesh network area partition enclosing the pair of loads with impermissible skew is determined. Modifications are then made to the mesh network area partition to attempt to reduce skew. In some embodiments, a wire width of a portion of wires included in the mesh network area partition is increased. In some embodiments, a wire is added in between two wires present in the mesh network area partition.