Method for generating a skew schedule for a clock distribution network containing gating elements

Abstract

A method for generating a skew schedule for a clock distribution network generates a schedule that accounts for both the timing requirements of the memory elements at the endpoints of the clock distribution network and the timing requirements of the gating signals that feed clock gates and other clock control elements within the clock distribution network. The method provides a total solution to the skew scheduling problem by way of a two-phase iterative process. The two phases of the process alternately keep track of the schedule generated by first taking the gating elements of the clock distribution network into account, followed by balancing any remaining skew that may exist on the memory elements of the same clock distribution network. Finally, the method describes a procedure to post-process the skew schedule to ensure that it can be implemented using a clock tree generation tool.