Method for predicting whether a failure of an electrical device may occur

1. A method of predicting whether a failure of an electrical device may occur if a receiver within the electrical device is subjected to a noise pulse, the receiver having a circuit type and a beta-ratio, the noise pulse having an amplitude and a width, the method comprising:

a) locating an integrated circuit that drives the receiver, the integrated circuit that drives the receiver having a circuit type;

b) locating an integrated circuit that is driven by the receiver, the integrated circuit that is driven by the receiver having a circuit type and a capacitance;

c) selecting, based at least in part upon the circuit type of the receiver, a plurality of noise-tolerance curves;

d) selecting, based at least in part upon the capacitance of the integrated circuit that is driven by the receiver, the circuit type of the integrated circuit driven by the receiver, and the beta-ratio of the receiver, one of the plurality of noise-tolerance curves;

e) selecting a set of noise-propagation constants based at least in part upon the circuit type of the integrated circuit that drives the receiver;

f) selecting a noise-propagation constant from the set of noise-propagation constants based at least in part upon the receiver circuit type;

g) generating an offset noise-tolerance curve by offsetting the selected one of the plurality of noise-tolerance curves by the noise-propagation constant;

h) detennining, based at least in part upon the offset noise-tolerance curve and the width of the noise pulse, a noise-tolerance; and

i) comparing the noise-tolerance to the amplitude of the noise pulse.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein locating the integrated circuit that drives the receiver includes identifying an input port of the receiver.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein locating the integrated circuit that drives the receiver includes locating all integrated circuits that are electrically connected to the input port via an electrical trace.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein locating the integrated circuit that drives the receiver includes identifying an input port of the receiver and includes locating all integrated circuits that are electrically connected to the input port via an electrical trace.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting a plurality of noise-tolerance curves includes selecting the plurality of noise-tolerance curves based upon whether the receiver has a circuit type that is selected from a set of circuit types including: static and dynamic.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting a plurality of noise-tolerance curves includes selecting the plurality of noise-tolerance curves based upon whether the receiver has a circuit type that is selected from a set of circuit types including: static, dynamic, static push-pull, transmission gate, sense amp, and flip-flop.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting a plurality of noise-tolerance curves includes selecting the plurality of noise-tolerance curves based upon whether the receiver has a circuit type that is selected from a set of circuit types including: static, dynamic, static push-pull, transmission gate, sense amp, flip-flop, and unknown.

8. A method of predicting whether a failure of an electrical device may occur if a receiver within the electrical device is subjected to a noise pulse, the receiver having a circuit type and a beta-ratio, the noise pulse having an amplitude and a width, the method comprising:

a) locating an integrated circuit that drives the receiver, the integrated circuit that drives the receiver having a circuit type;

b) locating an integrated circuit that is driven by the receiver, the integrated circuit that is driven by the receiver having a circuit type and a capacitance;

c) selecting, based at least in part upon the circuit type of the receiver, a plurality of noise-tolerance curves;

d) selecting, based at least in part upon the capacitance of the integrated circuit that is driven by the receiver, the circuit type of the integrated circuit driven by the receiver, and the beta-ratio of the receiver, one of the plurality of noise-tolerance curves;

e) selecting a noise-propagation constant based at least in part upon the circuit type of the integrated circuit that drives the receiver;

f) determining, based upon the noise-tolerance curve and the width of the noise pulse, a noise-tolerance; and

g) comparing the noise-tolerance to the amplitude of the noise pulse.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein locating the integrated circuit that drives the receiver includes identifying an input port of the receiver.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein locating the integrated circuit that drives the receiver includes locating all integrated circuits that are electrically connected to the input port via an electrical trace.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein locating the integrated circuit that drives the receiver includes identifying an input port of the receiver and includes locating all integrated circuits that are electrically connected to the input port via an electrical trace.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein selecting a plurality of noise-tolerance curves includes selecting the plurality of noise-tolerance curves based upon whether the receiver has a circuit type that is selected from a set of circuit types including: static and dynamic.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein selecting a plurality of noise-tolerance curves includes selecting the plurality of noise-tolerance curves based upon whether the receiver has a circuit type that is selected from a set of circuit types including: static, dynamic, static push-pull, transmission gate, sense amp, and flip-flop.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein selecting a plurality of noise-tolerance curves includes selecting the plurality of noise-tolerance curves based upon whether the receiver has a circuit type that is selected from a set of circuit types including: static, dynamic, static push-pull, transmission gate, sense amp, flip-flop, and unknown.

15. A method of predicting whether a failure of an electrical device may occur if a receiver within the electrical device is subjected to a noise pulse, the receiver having a beta-ratio, the noise pulse having an amplitude and a width, the method comprising:

a) locating an integrated circuit that drives the receiver;

b) locating an integrated circuit that is driven by the receiver;

c) selecting, based at least in part upon the beta-ratio of the receiver, a noise-tolerance curve;

d) determining, based at least in part upon the noise-tolerance curve and the width of the noise pulse, a noise-tolerance; and

e) comparing the noise-tolerance to the amplitude of the noise pulse.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein locating the integrated circuit that drives the receiver includes identifying an input port of the receiver.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein locating the integrated circuit that drives the receiver includes locating all integrated circuits that are electrically connected to the input port via an electrical trace.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein locating the integrated circuit that drives the receiver includes identifying an input port of the receiver and includes locating all integrated circuits that are electrically connected to the input port via an electrical trace.

19. A program storage device containing computer readable instructions, that when executed by a computer perform a method of predicting whether a failure of an electrical device may occur if a receiver within the electrical device is subjected to a noise pulse, the receiver having a circuit type and a beta-ratio, the noise pulse having an amplitude and a width, the method comprising:

a) locating an integrated circuit that drives the receiver, the integrated circuit that drives the receiver having a circuit type;

b) locating an integrated circuit that is driven by the receiver, the integrated circuit that is driven by the receiver having a circuit type and a capacitance;

c) selecting, based at least in part upon the circuit type of the receiver, a plurality of noise-tolerance curves;

d) selecting, based at least in part upon the capacitance of the integrated circuit that is driven by the receiver, the circuit type of the integrated circuit driven by the receiver, and the beta-ratio of the receiver, one of the plurality of noise-tolerance curves;

e) selecting a noise-propagation constant based at least in part upon the circuit type of the integrated circuit that drives the receiver;

f) determining, based upon the noise-tolerance curve and the width of the noise pulse, a noise-tolerance; and

g) comparing the noise-tolerance to the amplitude of the noise pulse.

20. A method of fabricating an electrical device that contains a receiver, the receiver having a circuit type and a beta-ratio, the noise pulse having an amplitude and a width, the method comprising:

a) locating an integrated circuit that drives the receiver, the integrated circuit that drives the receiver having a circuit type;

b) locating an integrated circuit that is driven by the receiver, the integrated circuit that is driven by the receiver having a circuit type and a capacitance;

c) selecting, based at least in part upon the circuit type of the receiver, a plurality of noise-tolerance curves;

d) selecting, based at least in part upon the capacitance of the integrated circuit that is driven by the receiver, the circuit type of the integrated circuit driven by the receiver, and the beta-ratio of the receiver, one of the plurality of noise-tolerance curves;

e) selecting a noise-propagation constant based at least in part upon the circuit type of the integrated circuit that drives the receiver;

f) determining, based upon the noise-tolerance curve and the width of the noise pulse, a noise-tolerance;

g) comparing the noise-tolerance to the amplitude of the noise pulse; and

h) fabricating the electrical device.

21. An electrical device designed by a process that includes a method of predicting whether a failure of an electrical device may occur if a receiver within the electrical device is subjected to a noise pulse, the receiver having a circuit type and a beta-ratio, the noise pulse having an amplitude and a width, the method comprising:

a) locating an integrated circuit that drives the receiver, the integrated circuit that drives the receiver having a circuit type;

b) locating an integrated circuit that is driven by the receiver, the integrated circuit that is driven by the receiver having a circuit type and a capacitance;

c) selecting, based at least in part upon the circuit type of the receiver, a plurality of noise-tolerance curves;

d) selecting, based at least in part upon the capacitance of the integrated circuit that is driven by the receiver, the circuit type of the integrated circuit driven by the receiver, and the beta-ratio of the receiver, one of the plurality of noise-tolerance curves;

e) selecting a noise-propagation constant based at least in part upon the circuit type of the integrated circuit that drives the receiver;

f) determining, based upon the noise-tolerance curve and the width of the noise pulse, a noise-tolerance;

g) comparing the noise-tolerance to the amplitude of the noise pulse; and

h) fabricating the electrical device.