Kevin M McIlvain

Title: Kevin M McIlvain: Innovator in Computer Chip Design

Introduction

Kevin M McIlvain is a notable inventor based in Cold Spring, NY (US). He has made significant contributions to the field of computer chip design, holding a total of 3 patents. His innovative work focuses on enhancing timing closure behavior in electronic designs.

Latest Patents

One of McIlvain's latest patents is titled "Genie: a method for classification and graphical display of negative slack timing test failures." This invention is a computer chip design tool that analyzes data from endpoint reports, computes relationships between paths based on shared segments, and graphically displays this information to designers. The tool groups failing paths into what are known as Timing Islands, where each island contains at least one shared segment. The most frequently shared segment is prioritized and labeled as the Hub, which serves as the central point for addressing timing failures.

Another significant patent is related to the "Negative Slack Recoverability Factor," which introduces a net weight to improve timing closure behavior. This innovation enhances Timing Driven Placements by implementing a new net weight for negative slack paths. The NSRF (Negative Slack Recover Factor) is calculated based on the proportion of the path's total net delay that must be recovered to achieve timing closure. This method allows for more efficient placements by creating a list of paths with timing violations and assigning a default NSRF value to paths without violations.

Career Highlights

Kevin M McIlvain is currently employed at International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), where he continues to develop innovative solutions in the field of computer engineering. His work has had a profound impact on the efficiency and effectiveness of electronic design automation.

Collaborations

Throughout his career, McIlvain has collaborated with notable colleagues, including James J Curtin and Ray Raphy. These partnerships have contributed to the advancement of technology in the industry.

Conclusion

Kevin M McIlvain is a distinguished inventor whose work in computer chip design has led to significant advancements in timing closure behavior. His innovative patents and contributions to IBM highlight his commitment to enhancing electronic design processes.