Patent ID: 7895029

Claim:
A computer-implemented method comprising: retrieving a simulation model and timing results that correspond to the simulation model, the simulation model synthesized from a physical design file and the timing results generated from a physical design model that corresponds to the physical design file; identifying a critical path that resides between two components included in the simulation model based upon the timing results; inserting critical path measurement logic between the two components that is visible after synthesis, the critical path measurement logic including critical path logic and a critical path counter, the critical path logic corresponding to the identified critical path and the critical path counter including a critical path counter value that indicates a number of times that an application program exercises the critical path logic; re-synthesizing the simulation model using the simulator after inserting the critical path measurement logic, resulting in a modified simulation model; simulating the modified simulation model, which produces simulator-identified operating conditions based upon the critical path; and modifying the simulator based upon the simulator-identified operating conditions.