Patent ID: 7131089

Claim:
A computer embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to specify a circuit design the instructions comprising the steps of: determining a set of voltage and delay characteristics for a plurality of data paths, each data path comprising a plurality of logic functions to be performed by a first number of logic gates; simulating the voltage and delay characteristics for at least two of the plurality of data paths; selecting at least one of the plurality of data paths to be the most restrictive; specifying a second number of logic gates to be included in the circuit design for indicating a potential speed capability, wherein the second number is less than the first number and provides voltage and delay characteristics comparable to the selected data path; and specifying additional circuitry to be included in the circuit design for indicating a potential speed capability, wherein the additional circuitry is for representing parasitic characteristics in the selected data path; wherein the two specifying steps combine to specify a ring oscillator schematic for the design.