Clock Tree Design Tool for Multi-Frequency Requirements
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Designing a clock tree with multiple frequency requirements is time-consuming due to the complexity of finding the right combination of clock parts and configuring them effectively, as existing methods lack efficient tools for generating and evaluating suitable solutions.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented tool that uses a graphical user interface to receive user inputs for clock tree requirements, generates and evaluates multiple clock tree solutions by determining the fitness score of each part in a database, and iteratively modifies partial solutions to meet the requirements, displaying the most favorable solutions graphically.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual methods are used to find the right combination of clock parts and configure them, then design flexibility and control are maintained, but the design process becomes time-consuming and overwhelming
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs automatic evaluation and optimization of clock tree configurations without requiring manual intervention. The processor automatically evaluates multiple clock parts against requirements, computes fitness scores, and generates optimized configurations, allowing the system to serve itself in the design process.
Solution Approach 2:
The software acts as an intermediary between the designer and the complex clock part configuration space. It provides a simplified interface where users can input high-level requirements, and the software handles the complex intermediate steps of evaluating parts, computing fitness scores, and generating configurations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple clock sources and configurations are evaluated manually, then comprehensive solution exploration is possible, but the process becomes overwhelming and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically evaluates and ranks multiple clock tree configurations based on fitness scores. Instead of static manual evaluation, the processor dynamically computes scores for different configurations and adapts the search based on requirements, enabling comprehensive exploration without manual overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes evaluation parameters by computing fitness scores that quantify how well each configuration meets the requirements. This parameter-based evaluation allows systematic comparison of multiple configurations and automatic identification of optimal solutions.
Data Source
AI summary
A clock tree design tool is described which receives input from a user via a graphical user interface (GUI) through a first window, the input including an indication of an output clock frequency. The tool also detects selection by the user of a soft control and, as a result of detecting selection of the soft control, generates a plurality of clock tree solutions. The tool further causes a graphical form of a highlighted one of the clock tree solutions to be displayed in a second window of the GUI. An algorithm for generating the various clock tree solutions is also disclosed.