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AOCV

The document discusses advanced on-chip variation (AOCV) analysis, which is an improvement over traditional global OCV analysis. AOCV applies statistical derating factors to timing paths based on their depth and distance, rather than using fixed worst-case derating. This reduces pessimism compared to global OCV. The document outlines how to configure and enable AOCV analysis in PrimeTime and provides examples of AOCV commands. It also introduces parametric OCV (POCV) as the next generation variation analysis technique.

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Roshan Raju
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106 views21 pages

AOCV

The document discusses advanced on-chip variation (AOCV) analysis, which is an improvement over traditional global OCV analysis. AOCV applies statistical derating factors to timing paths based on their depth and distance, rather than using fixed worst-case derating. This reduces pessimism compared to global OCV. The document outlines how to configure and enable AOCV analysis in PrimeTime and provides examples of AOCV commands. It also introduces parametric OCV (POCV) as the next generation variation analysis technique.

Uploaded by

Roshan Raju
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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com, a Technology Content Platform

OCV
• Compared to single operating condition and best case/worst case
two timing analysis methods, traditional or global OCV (On-Chip
Variation) method has the following advantages:

o Applies max/min delays on data/clock paths for setup check and


min/max delays on data/clock paths for hold check
o Applies derating to accommodate on chip variation

• Derating setting example:

o Set_timing_derate –early 0.95


o Set_timing_derate –late 1.05
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Global OCV Shortcoming


• However, traditional/Global OCV derating uses worst-case early/late
bounds which is too pessimistic
• Real silicon timing is statistical
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Fixed Derating with GOCV


• Global OCV applies a fixed % derating to path delay
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Statistical Derating I
• In reality random variation is less for deeper timing paths since not
all cells are simultaneously fast or slow.
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Statistical Derating II
• Derating factor should be a function of cell depth
• Models on-die random variation
• Deeper paths exhibit less variation than short paths
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2-D Derating Table


• Derating factor should also be a function of distance/location
• Paths comprised of cells in close proximity exhibit less variation
• Therefore 2-D AOCV derating table
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AOCV Analysis Modes


• AOCV supports clock-only and clock&data AOCV analysis

• AOCV on clock only, Global OCV on data path objects


o Reduces efforts to generate derating tables

• AOCV on both clock and data


o AOCV on full design
o Requires AOCV tables for all design objects
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Depth Computation I
• AOCV on clock network only
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Depth Computation II

AOCV analysis on both clock and data


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Distance Computation I
• AOCV on clock only
• Bounding box includes non-common launch & capture clock path
objects
• Capturing cell is in cell bounding box
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Distance Computation II
• AOCV on both clock and data
• Bounding box includes non-common launch & capture clock path
and data path objects
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AOCV Benefits
• Jarvis’ slides shows setup/hold violations are dramatically reduced
with AOCV

OCV Method #violatio OCV Method #violatio


ns ns
Global OCV 1778 Global OCV 1704
AOCV on clock only 1551 AOCV on clock only 850
AOCV on clock & Data 595 AOCV on clock & Data 176
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Example OCV and AOCV Flow


OCV Flow AOCV Flow
#read & link design #read & link design
Read_verilog … Read_verilog …
link_design
link_design
#back-annotate parasitics
#back-annotate parasitics Set read_parasitics_load_locations true
Read_parasitics … Read_parasitics …

#apply design constraints #apply design constraints


Read_sdc …
Read_sdc …
Create_clock …
Create_clock … Set_timing_derate –early 0.80
Set_timing_derate –early 0.80 Set_timing_derate –late 1.20
Set_timing_derate –late 1.20
Read_aocvm …
set_ timing_aocvm_enable_analysis true
#Calculate delay & analyze timing
Update_timing
#Calculate delay & analyze timing
Update_timing
#reports
Report_clock_timing … #reports
Report_timing … Report_clock_timing …
Report_timing –derate …
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Configure AOCV

Variable Description
timing_aocvm_analysis_ Specifies the calculation of depth metrics
mode
timing_aocvm_enable_ Applies AOCV analysis to the clock network
clock_network_only only
timing_aocvm_enable_ Specifies whether AOCV analysis uses separate
single_path_metrics depth and
distance values for nets and cells
timing_ocvm_enable_ Specifies whether advanced or parametric on-
distance_analysis chip variation
analysis performs distance-based analysis
timing_ocvm_precedence_ Controls the fallback to on-chip variation
compatibility (OCV) deratings for
advanced or parametric OCV
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Enable AOCV
• In summary, to use AOCV, you need to

• set the timing_aocvm_enable_analysis variable to true


• Use read_ocvm to provide tables of derating factors
• Then you perform timing analysis in the usual manner using
commands such as update_timing and report_timing. The analysis
results reflect the application of varying derating factors based on
the logic depths and physical spans of the paths.
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Graph and Path based AOCV


• Two AOCV analysis modes:
o Graph-based AOCV
o Path-based AOCV

• Graph-based AOCV
o Fast, design-wide analysis performed during “update_timing”.
o Provides a conservative analysis compared t path-based AOCV
o Prerequisite for further margin reduction using Path-based AOCV
o For most designs, sufficient for sign-off

• Path-based AOCV
o Used to reduce pessimism and improve accuracy for violations
after Graph-based AOCV
o To do so, use “report_timing” with “-pba_mode” set to “path”
o pt_shell> report_timing -pba_mode path
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Some AOCV Commands


• Use read_ocvm to read AOCV derating tables from a disk file.
Derating tables are annotated onto one or more design objects and
are applied directly to timing arc delays.
• Use the write_binary_aocvm to create binary encoded AOCV files
from ASCII-format AOCV files. This command is used to protect
sensitive process-related information.
• Use report_timing –derate to show calculated AOCV derating factors
in timing report

• Use report_aocvm to display AOCV derating table.


• In a graph-based AOCV analysis, specify a timing arc to show its
dpeth and distance metrics and AOCV derating factors.
o pt_shell> report_aocvm [get_timing_arcs -of_objects [get_cells
U1]]
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Multiple AOCV Tables


• AOCV file format supports multiple AOCV derating tables:
o 1D tables in either depth or distance
o 2D tables in both depth and distance

• Associate an AOCV table with a group of objects


o “object_type design | lib_cell | cell” or
o “object_spec [patterns]”, patterns can use regular expression
• Cell arc derating precedence, from highest to lowest
o Lib cell, hierarchical cell, design
• Net ac derating precedence, from high to low
o Hierarchical cell, design
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Incremental Timing Derating


• Incremental timing derating enables you to fine-tune the timing
derating factors on objects such as cells or nets

• For example, you might have a u1/u252 cell that has a regular late
derating of 1.082 and early derating of 0.924. The final late derating
factor on cell u1/u252 = 1.082 + 0.03 = 1.112, and the final early
derating factor on cell u1/u252 = 0.924 + (-0.03) = 0.894.

o set_app_var timing_aocvm_enable_analysis true


o set_timing_derate -increment -late 0.03 [get_cells u1/u252]
o set_timing_derate -increment -early -0.03 [get_cells u1/u252]
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POCV
• Parametric OCV (POCV) is the next generation of variation analysis
targeted at 14/16nm and below processes. It provides a lightweight
statistical margining approach to variation margining. It offers Graph-
based Analysis(GBA) pessimism reduction, improved PrimeTime
ECO turnaround time, and simpler library characterization than the
Advanced OCV approach.

• POCV models the delay of an instance as a function of a variable


that is specific to the instance. That is, the instance delay is
parameterized as a function of the unique delay variable for the
instance.
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POCV
• Compared with AOCV, POCV
o Reduced pessimism gap between graph-based analysis and
path-based analysis
o Less overhead for incremental timing analysis

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