Patent ID: 7698674

Claim:
A method for conducting a static timing analysis on a circuit having at least one point-to-point delay constraint between a first and second point of the circuit, the method comprising: a) computing at least one of forward propagated arrival times along paths not originating at said first point, and backward propagated required arrival times along paths not terminating at said second point; b) computing at least one bound on said point-to-point delay constraint as at least one of a difference between one of said forward propagated arrival times at said first point and another of said forward propagated arrival times at said second point, and a difference between one of said backward propagated required arrival times at said first point and another of said backward propagated required times at said second point; and c) based on said bound, classifying said point-to-point delay constraint as exactly one of: satisfied, not satisfied, and inconclusive; and if said classification of said point-to-point delay constraint determines that it is not satisfied, modifying said circuit until said point-to-point delay constraint is satisfied, wherein said steps of computing and classifying being executed by a computer.