Electronic Design Electrical Data Set Automation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electronic design processes are cumbersome and inefficient, particularly in analog/mixed-signal designs, as they rely on manual methods for electrical analysis, making it difficult to communicate and analyze simulation results across different abstraction levels effectively.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for creating and manipulating electrical data sets across multiple abstraction levels, allowing for the identification, storage, and transformation of simulation results to facilitate communication and analysis between different design levels, using temporary and persistent storage, and employing an electrical assistant module for data manipulation and visualization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual methods are used for electrical analysis and communication between abstraction levels, then design flexibility is maintained, but productivity is reduced and errors increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service by allowing simulation results to automatically populate electrical data sets and transfer between abstraction levels without manual intervention. The electrical assistant module automatically identifies relevant data, creates data sets, and hands them off to layout designers, eliminating the need for manual copying and annotation of simulation results.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of copying simulation results with automated electronic data processing. The system uses software modules to automatically extract, transform, and transfer electrical data between different design abstraction levels, substituting the manual mechanical workflow with an automated computational system.
2Measurement precision
If multiple simulation results are analyzed manually, then comprehensive design analysis is possible, but loss of time increases and measurement precision decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains continuity by automatically processing simulation results as they become available and continuously populating electrical data sets. The electrical assistant module operates continuously to monitor simulation outputs, extract relevant data, and update data sets without interruption, ensuring comprehensive analysis is completed efficiently.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrical assistant module serves as an intermediary between simulation tools and layout design tools. It automatically receives simulation results, processes them to create electrical data sets, and transfers them to the layout designer, eliminating the need for manual intervention and reducing time loss while maintaining analysis precision.
3Productivity
If electrical data is manually communicated between abstraction levels, then design control is maintained, but device complexity increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical data set structure serves multiple functions: it stores simulation results, maintains design intent annotations, provides electrical analysis data, and enables automatic transfer between abstraction levels. This universal data structure eliminates the need for separate manual communication channels for different types of design information, reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrical assistant module acts as an intermediary that manages the complexity of data transformation and transfer between abstraction levels. It handles the complex tasks of identifying relevant simulation data, creating properly formatted electrical data sets, and coordinating with both simulation and layout tools, thereby reducing the perceived complexity for individual designers.
4Reliability
If comprehensive simulation analysis is performed, then design robustness is improved, but loss of information increases due to difficulty in communicating results
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by automatically capturing simulation results and feeding them into electrical data sets that are then used by layout designers. The electrical assistant module ensures that comprehensive simulation analysis results are preserved and accurately communicated back through the design workflow, maintaining design robustness while preventing information loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrical assistant module creates accurate copies of simulation results in the form of structured electrical data sets. Instead of manually summarizing or annotating simulation outputs, the system automatically copies and transforms the complete simulation data into a format suitable for layout design, preserving all relevant information without loss.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are method(s), system(s), and article(s) of manufacture for creating or manipulating electrical data sets for an electronic design across multiple abstraction levels. The method identifies simulation result(s) obtained from simulation run(s) for an electronic circuit or at least a portion thereof, identifies at least a part of one or more sets of simulation results, each of which is obtained from a simulation run for the electronic circuit or at least a portion thereof at the first abstraction level, identify relevant electrical data or information for design under test instance(s) of a master library or a master cell and creates electrical data set(s), generates a view for at least some of the electrical data set(s), and hand-off the electrical data set(s) to second abstraction level. The method may further identify preexisting electrical data set(s). The method may further compare the electrical data set(s) and preexisting electrical data set(s).