Patent ID: 7949976
Filing Date: 2011-05-24
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A machine implemented method, comprising: accessing, by a computer processor, a set of information that defines a circuit, wherein the circuit comprises a signal source, a plurality of sinks, one or more cells, and a plurality of paths coupling the signal source to each of the sinks, and wherein at least a subset of the paths comprises one or more of the cells; constructing, by a computer processor, a tree structure based at least partially upon the circuit, wherein the tree structure has the signal source represented as a root, has each sink represented as a leaf node, has a branch connecting each leaf node to the root such that each branch represents a path, and has each cell in a path represented as an intervening node in a branch, wherein a plurality of the leaf nodes have a corresponding timing adjustment requirement (TAR) associated therewith; propagating, for at least a particular leaf node having a particular TAR associated therewith, the particular TAR from the particular leaf node towards the root along a particular branch connecting the particular leaf node to the root, assigning at least a portion of the particular TAR to one or more intervening nodes on the particular branch; and replacing, for at least a certain intervening node on the particular branch to which at least a portion of the particular TAR has been assigned, a certain cell in the circuit represented by the certain intervening node with a replacement cell having timing characteristics that satisfy all or part of the at least a portion of the particular TAR that was assigned to the certain intervening node,