Flip-Flop Clustering via Load-Balanced Clock Gater Assignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional nearest neighbor approaches in electronic circuit design lead to inefficient power distribution in clock distribution networks, causing imbalance in flip-flop assignments and increasing power consumption due to excessive cloning of clock-gaters.
Innovation Solution
A method that calculates multi-factor force values for associating flops and tapping-points, considering both distance and the number of flops wired, to optimize clustering and reduce the number of clock-gaters, thereby improving power efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the nearest neighbor approach is used to assign flip-flops to clock buffers, then the assignment process is simple, but the power consumption increases due to load imbalance and excessive clock-gater cloning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the assignment parameters from simple geometric distance to a composite quality metric that incorporates both distance and clock buffer load capacity. This allows the system to optimize power consumption by balancing the distribution of flip-flops across clock buffers rather than simply assigning each flop to the nearest buffer, thereby reducing the need for excessive clock-gater cloning and improving overall power efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a dynamic load balancing mechanism where clock buffer assignments are adjusted based on real-time load conditions. The system dynamically determines which clock buffer should serve which flip-flops by evaluating quality metrics that reflect current buffer capacity and flip-flop requirements, enabling adaptive optimization of power consumption rather than static nearest-neighbor assignment
2Productivity
If clock buffers are assigned based on proximity to high-density flip-flop clusters, then more flip-flops can be served, but the clock buffer requires more wiring and sub-buffers increasing power consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by allowing different clock buffers to have different service capacities and characteristics. Instead of treating all clock buffers uniformly, the system evaluates each buffer's ability to serve flip-flops based on local conditions including distance to flip-flops, existing load, and available capacity. This enables high-density clusters to be served efficiently by appropriately sized buffers without forcing all buffers to handle maximum loads, reducing the need for excessive wiring and sub-buffers
3Manufacturing precision
If the nearest neighbor approach is used, then flip-flops are assigned to closest clock buffers, but clock-gaters must be cloned to maintain design integrity, increasing power consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by creating a unified quality-based assignment framework that works across diverse clock buffer configurations and flip-flop distributions. The quality metric approach is universally applicable regardless of the specific layout or density patterns, eliminating the need for special-case clock-gater cloning while maintaining design integrity. The same assignment mechanism adapts to different scenarios without requiring duplicate clock-gaters
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems of optimization of and Integrated Circuit (IC) design disclosed herein result in a power efficient clustering of circuit devices. The methods may depart from the conventional geometric clustering using a nearest neighbor approach when wiring flops to local clock buffers. To reduce the number of clock-gaters, the methods in one embodiment use a grouping of flops wired to a common clock-gater to form nodes, which are then wired to the local clock buffers based on a load-balancing process. In another embodiment, the methods use a local cleanup process to rewire the nodes between neighboring clock buffers to further reduce the amount of clock-gaters.