Clustering-Based Cell Library Pruning for Leakage Power Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cell library pruning methods fail to consider leakage power effectively, often removing cells with good leakage power performance, which can negatively impact the final power consumption of circuit designs, as they group cells based on voltage threshold rather than leakage power characteristics.
Innovation Solution
A clustering-based approach is used to group cells in a cell library based on a criterion such as leakage power, allowing for the creation of custom metrics and 2D mapping to facilitate pruning, thereby preserving cells with good speed and leakage power, reducing the impact of traditional pruning methods on leakage power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If cells are grouped based on voltage threshold (conventional method), then the cell library organization is simplified, but cells with good leakage power performance are removed, increasing leakage power consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the grouping parameter from voltage threshold to leakage power characteristics. By using leakage power as the primary criterion for cell grouping and pruning, the method preserves cells with good leakage power performance while still organizing the cell library systematically, thus resolving the contradiction between simplified organization and energy loss
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the conventional voltage-threshold-based pruning mechanism with a leakage power-based clustering mechanism. This substitution allows the system to identify and retain cells with superior leakage power characteristics, preventing the loss of energy-efficient cells that occurs in traditional pruning methods
2Quantity of substance
If conventional pruning methods are applied, then the cell library size is reduced, but cells with good speed and leakage power are removed, impacting circuit design quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating distinct cell groups based on specific characteristics (leakage power, speed, area) and applying targeted pruning strategies to each group. This allows the retention of high-quality cells (those with good speed and leakage power) within each characteristic category while still reducing the overall cell library size, thus maintaining circuit design quality
3Ease of operation
If cells are grouped by voltage threshold families, then the organization is straightforward, but leakage power characteristics are not considered, leading to suboptimal power consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cell library into multiple groups based on leakage power characteristics rather than single voltage threshold families. This segmentation allows for finer-grained control over power consumption characteristics while maintaining organized structure, enabling the selection of cells that optimize both organization and power efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments provide for clustering-based grouping of cells in a cell library, which can be used for pruning the cell library. In particular, various embodiments provide for a clustering-based grouping of cells in a cell library based on a criterion (or cell attribute), and for pruning of the cell library based on the grouping of cells, which can optimize the cell library for the criterion. For instance, some embodiments provide for a clustering-based grouping of cells based on leakage power and then applying cell library pruning to optimize for cell leakage power.