Patent ID: 7188325
Filing Date: 2007-03-06
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method of selecting transistor threshold voltages on an integrated circuit, the method comprising: assigning a first threshold voltage to selected groups of transistors; determining which of the selected groups of transistors to assign a second threshold voltage by iteratively performing a cost/benefit analysis and calculating a first priority for each group of the selected groups of transistors, wherein the second threshold voltage is lower than the first threshold voltage; assigning the second threshold voltage, based upon the first priority, to at least a portion of the selected groups of transistors in response to determining which of the selected groups of transistors to assign the second threshold voltage; assigning a third threshold voltage to all remaining selected groups of transistors not having the second threshold voltage, wherein the third threshold voltage is higher than the first threshold voltage; and determining which of the remaining selected groups of transistors having the third threshold voltage to assign the first threshold voltage by iteratively performing a cost/benefit analysis and calculating a second priority for each of the remaining selected groups of transistors; assigning the first threshold voltage, based upon the second priority, to at least a subset of the remaining portion of the selected groups of transistors having the third threshold voltage in response to determining which of the remaining selected groups of transistors having the third threshold voltage to assign the first threshold voltage; wherein performing a cost/benefit analysis includes: