Renesas Technology Adopts Sequence CoolTime For Dynamic Voltage Drop Analysis

Following an extensive nine-month evaluation of power-analysis tools from multiple EDA vendors, Renesas Technology Corp. has adopted Sequence Design's CoolTime as its standard for dynamic voltage drop analysis on next-generation SoC designs.
CoolTime performs fast transient current analysis to incorporate dynamic effects resulting from RLC parasitics of power-grid, package, decoupling capacitors, and non-switching cells. For designs under 130nm, these dynamic effects can contribute to as much as 30 percent to 50 percent of the total voltage drop.

During its review, Renesas Technology ran the tools through 19 separate test circuits and found CoolTime achieved top accuracy in most of the test cases versus reference circuit simulation results. CoolTime also proved to be the speed and performance leader, handling a multi-million gate design in less than overnight, including data load, layout parasitic extraction, power calculation, and voltage drop calculation. In addition, Sequence demonstrated a clear ease-of-use advantage with its vectorless analysis. The tool fit well with Renesas' design implementation flows.

Renesas Technology engineering, according to Teruaki Harada, department manager of DFM & EDA Technology Development Dept. at Renesas Technology Corp., was enthusiastic about CoolTime, calling it "the most attractive among all the tools in the market today... it supports concurrent analysis of multiple power and ground rails and convergent analysis of accurate switching events, current profiles, and voltage waveforms."

Mr. Harada added, "Dynamic voltage drop is a key signoff criterion for our next-generation designs. We were looking for the tool that meets our accuracy, capacity, performance, and flow-integration requirements. CoolTime met our stringent performance target and some functions were beyond our expectations."

"We value our relationship with Renesas Technology, particularly because of their expertise in low-power design and their continued support and endorsement of Sequence technology," said Vic Kulkarni, Sequence president and CEO. "The adoption of CoolTime makes them an ideal partner in strengthening our roadmap on power-aware SoC design."

"The technical expertise of the Renesas Technology engineering team is quite impressive," said Piyush Sancheti, Sequence vice president, product management. "We have gained valuable insight into modeling electrical effects for accurate dynamic voltage drop, and are collaborating on a roadmap to address the next set of challenges for power integrity of nanometer designs."

CoolTime Highlights

-- Simulation-based and vectorless analysis modes for voltage
drop

-- Highest accuracy, capacity and performance SoC tool for
dynamic voltage drop analysis

-- Accurate RLC model includes power grid, decap, package,
signal and intrinsic cell parasitics

-- High-speed embedded extractor uses silicon-proven
Columbus-NTX(TM) technology

-- Cell characterization for transient current waveforms,
Accuwave(TM)

-- Accurate memory and macro current modeling

-- Power grid IR-drop and EM analysis

-- Event-based timing and SI analysis for crosstalk and voltage
drop effects

-- Pre-route analysis and post-route verification

-- Hierarchical analysis for SoC designs

-- Cell characterization for voltage-aware timing and SI modeling

-- Easy-to-use graphical interface and detailed reports

-- Shared platform with PhysicalStudio optimization

-- Correlated with silicon and industry standard circuit
simulators

-- Available on 32-bit and 64-bit Solaris and Linux (Opteron)
platforms

-- For more information and data sheet:
http://www.sequencedesign.com/2_solutions/2b_cooltime.html

About Sequence

Sequence Design, Inc. enables system-on-chip designers to bring higher-performance and power-aware nanometer integrated circuits quickly to fabrication. Sequence's power and signal- integrity software give its more than 125 customers the competitive advantage necessary to excel in aggressive technology markets, despite demanding complexity and time-to-market issues of nanometer design.

Sequence has worldwide development and field service operations. The company was recently named by Reed Electronics as one of the top 10 companies to watch in the electronics industry. Sequence is privately held. Sequence is a member of Cadence Design Systems' Connections(TM) and Mentor Graphics' Open Door(TM) partnership programs. Additional information is available at sequencedesign.com.

All trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.



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Contact:
for Sequence Design
Jim Lochmiller, 541-821-3438
lochpr@yahoo.com



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Source: Sequence Design, Inc.