Patent ID: 7475366
Filing Date: 2009-01-06
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. An integrated circuit production method comprising: developing a design for an integrated circuit comprising parameters, wherein performance of said integrated circuit is dependent upon said parameters; determining a probability distribution for said parameters based upon manufacturing process variations, said probability distribution ranging from a probability of manufacturing said integrated circuit with a combination of said parameters resulting in a worst-case hardware configuration for performance to a probability of manufacturing said integrated circuit with a combination of said parameters resulting in a best-case hardware configuration for performance; dividing said probability distribution into a first interval and a second interval; assigning a first voltage to said first interval, wherein said first voltage is necessary to achieve a first performance goal; assigning a second voltage to said second interval, wherein said second voltage is necessary to achieve a second performance goal and wherein said first voltage and said second voltage are different; closing timing for said design at said first voltage for said first interval and at said second voltage for said second interval forming multiple integrated circuits according to said design; determining performance measurements for said multiple integrated circuits; based on said performance measurements, sorting said multiple integrated circuits into a first group corresponding to said first interval and a second group corresponding to said second interval; and indicating at least one of said first group should operate at said first voltage and said second group should operate at said second voltage, and a first maximum expected operating temperature for said first group and a second maximum expected operating temperature for said second group.