Patent ID: 8255859

Claim:
A method for modifying a description of a multi-voltage circuit design, the method comprising: receiving a description of a multi-voltage circuit design, wherein the multi-voltage circuit design includes a plurality of design elements which are coupled to a plurality of voltage rails; segregating, by computer, the plurality of design elements into iso-voltage-rail blocks, wherein design elements in each iso-voltage-rail block are coupled to the same set of voltage rails, and wherein segregating the plurality of design elements into iso-voltage-rail blocks involves: identifying a first set of design elements in the description of the multi-voltage circuit design, wherein each design element in the first set of design elements is coupled to a first set of voltage rails; and identifying a second set of design elements in the description of the multi-voltage circuit design, wherein each design element in the second set of design elements is coupled to a second set of voltage rails which is different from the first set of voltage rails, and wherein at least one voltage rail in the second set of voltage rails is a non-power-supply rail; and creating a modified description of the multi-voltage circuit design which describes the multi-voltage circuit design in terms of iso-voltage-rail blocks.