Concurrent path sensitization in timing analysis

摘要

The authors describe a new two-step approach for determining thendelay of the longest statically sensitizable path(s) in a combinationalncircuit. In the first step, the conditions for sensitizing all pathsnwith the same path delay, D, are derived. In the second step, thesenconditions are checked for consistency by a Boolean satisfiabilitynalgorithm. This approach is unique in that it enumerates pathsnimplicitly, giving it a decided performance edge over explicit pathnenumeration methods. The authors describe an implementation of thisnapproach in an experimental timing analysis program, STA, and presentnpreliminary results of its application to a representative set ofnbenchmarks