Patent ID: 6625785
Filing Date: 2003-09-23
Classification: G06F,H01L

Abstract:
A method for determining device parameters of an analog integrated circuit based on circuit performance metrics, comprising:constructing a model of the analog integrated circuit having an input and an output; applying a candidate signal to said input of said analog integrated circuit so as to produce an output signal; measuring circuit performance metrics from said output signal; performing a sensitivity-based heuristic analysis to determine whether said device parameters can be uniquely determined from said performance metrics in response to said candidate signal and, where said device parameters can be uniquely determined from said performance metrics, accepting said candidate signal as a test signal; and where said device parameters cannot be uniquely determined from said performance metrics, performing an optimization procedure to find the optimum test signal, said optimization procedure comprising defining a test cost function based on said performance metrics and acceptable accuracy in determining said device parameters, and successively applying different new candidate signals until said test cost function reaches an acceptable value, then accepting the most recent new candidate signal as the test signal.