Patent ID: 9037446
Filing Date: 2015-05-19
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method, operable on a digital computer coupled to a user interface, for simulating electrical characteristics and temperature characteristics in an electronic circuit, comprising the steps of: (a) executing on the digital computer a routine for generating a three-dimensional mesh, wherein the three-dimensional mesh comprises a selected one of: a rectangular prismatic mesh and a tetrahedral mesh, that includes a plurality of cells and a plurality of nodes, wherein each cell represents a heat conducting volume within the circuit and wherein each node represents an electrically conducting point within the circuit; (b) initializing each of: a previous iteration temperature variable associated with each cell; a current iteration temperature variable associated with each cell; a previous iteration resistance variable associated with each node; and a current iteration resistance variable associated with each node; (c) until the previous iteration temperature variable associated with each cell is within a first predetermined tolerance of the current iteration temperature variable associated with each cell and the previous iteration resistance variable associated with each node is with a second predetermined tolerance of the current iteration resistance variable associated with each node, performing the following steps: (d) once the previous iteration temperature variable associated with each cell is within the first predetermined tolerance of the current iteration temperature variable associated with each cell and when the previous iteration resistance variable associated with each node is within the second predetermined tolerance of the current iteration resistance variable associated with each node, then generating an output that indicates an average temperature associated each cell.