Sliding window scheme (sws) for determining clock timing in a mesh-based clock architecture

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes accessing a description of a chip including multiple sequential elements and a clock mesh, information for modeling the sequential elements and interconnections, and a set of parameters of the clock mesh. The method also includes, using the description of the chip, the information for modeling the sequential elements and interconnections, and the set of parameters of the clock mesh, determining multiple window locations covering the clock mesh. Each window location includes one or more of the sequential elements on the chip. The method also includes, for each window location, generating a mesh simulation model including a detailed model inside the window location and an approximate model outside the window location, simulating the mesh simulation model, and measuring clock timing for the sequential elements in the window location based on the mesh simulation model. The method also includes collecting timing information on the sequential elements on the chip based on the measured clock timing for the sequential elements in the window locations.