Method and apparatus for organizing and analyzing timing information

Patent 5353433 Issued on October 4, 1994. Estimated Expiration Date:

October 4, 2011. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

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Inventor

Sherman, Steven K.

Assignee

Digital Equipment Corporation

Application

No. 578723 filed on 09/06/1990

US Classes:

713/600CLOCK CONTROL OF DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM, COMPONENT, OR DATA TRANSMISSION

Examiners

Primary: Shaw, Dale M.
Assistant: Dinh, D.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Cesari and Mckenna

International Class

G06F 015/60

Abstract

A method and apparatus for analyzing signal timing requirements in complex electronic systems. The invention accepts from the user a set of specifications that express timing constraints, and generates therefrom a set of self-consistent "dependences" that relate signal locations to one another in terms of the minimum or maximum time that must elapse between such locations. The invention also generates signal pattern information that establishes the states of the various signals involved at different relevant times, and can be used to produce a signal profile.

Other References

Kara et al., "Antonate Timing Design", IEEE Design & Text of Computers, 1988 pp. 28-40
Sherman, Steven, "Algorithms for Timing Requirement Analysis and Generation", ACM/IEEE paper 43.6, 1988 pp. 724-727
McWilliams, Verification Of Timing Constraints On Large Digital Systems (Ph.D. Thesis submitted May 1980)
Jahanian & Mok, A Graph-Theoretic Approach For Timing Analysis And Its Implementation (1987)
Dasarathy, Timing Constraints Of Real-Time Systems: Constructs For Expressing Them, Methods Of Validating Them (1985)
Bartlett, Cohen, DeGeus & Hachtel, Synthesis And Optimization Of Multi-Level Logic Under Timing Constraints (1985)
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Alali & Landrault, SIMFLO: A Symbolic Simulation For Timing Constraints Verification (publication date unknown