Method and apparatus for determining transistor sizes

1. A method of determining at least one ratio of transistor sizes, the method comprising:

a) creating a sizing model by replacing at least one logic element in a circuit description with a sizing element that includes a piece-wise-linear current source, wherein the act of creating a sizing model includes creating a sizing model that includes a piece-wise-linear current source configured to (1) select a first current if the voltage at the piece-wise-linear current source is less than or equal to a first voltage, and (2) select a second current if the voltage at the piece-wise-linear current source is greater than the first voltage and less than or equal to a second voltage;

b) determining a steady state solution to the sizing model; and

c) determining at least one ratio of transistor sizes from the steady state solution.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

d) determining at least one dimension of a transistor based at least in part upon the ratio of transistor sizes.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the act of creating a sizing model includes creating a sizing model that includes a piece-wise-linear current source configured to (1) select a first current if the voltage at the piece-wise-linear current source is less than or equal to a first voltage, and (2) select a second current if the voltage at the piece-wise-linear current source is greater than the first voltage and less than or equal to a second voltage, the second current being greater than the first current, and the second voltage being greater than the first voltage.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the act of creating a sizing model includes creating a sizing model that includes a piece-wise-linear current source configured to (1) select a first current if the voltage at the piece-wise-linear current source is less than or equal to a first voltage, and (2) select a second current if the voltage at the piece-wise-linear current source is greater than the first voltage and less than or equal to a second voltage, the first current corresponding to the input capacitance of a first logic element, the second current corresponding to the input capacitance of a second logic element.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the act of creating a sizing model includes creating a sizing model that includes a piece-wise-linear current source configured to (1) select a first current if the voltage at the piece-wise-linear current source is less than or equal to a first voltage, and (2) select a second current if the voltage at the piece-wise-linear current source is greater than the first voltage and less than or equal to a second voltage, the first current being proportional to the input capacitance of a first logic element, the second current being proportional to the input capacitance of a second logic element.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the act of creating a sizing model includes creating a sizing model that includes a piece-wise-linear current source configured to (1) select a first current if the voltage at the piece-wise-linear current source is less than or equal to a first voltage, and (2) select a second current if the voltage at the piece-wise-linear current source is greater than the first voltage and less than or equal to a second voltage, the first current corresponding to the input capacitance of a first logic element, the second current corresponding to the input capacitance a second logic element, both the first logic element and the second logic element being of the same type and selected from the group of types: inverter, AND, NAND, OR, NOR, XOR, and multiplexer.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the act of creating a sizing model includes creating a sizing model that includes a piece-wise-linear current source configured to (1) select a first current if the voltage at the piece-wise-linear current source is less than or equal to a first voltage, and (2) select a second current if the voltage at the piece-wise-linear current source is greater than the first voltage and less than or equal to a second voltage, the first current being proportional to the input capacitance of a first logic element, the second current being proportional to the input capacitance of a second logic element, both the first logic element and the second logic element being of the same type and selected from the group of types: inverter, AND, NAND, OR, NOR, XOR, and multiplexer.

8. A device containing machine readable instructions, that when executed perform a method of determining at least one ratio of transistor sizes, the method comprising:

a) creating a sizing model by replacing at least one logic element in a circuit description with a sizing element that includes a piece-wise-linear current source, wherein creating a sizing model includes a piece-wise-linear current source configured to (1) select a first current if the voltage at the piece-wise-linear current source is less than or equal to a first voltage and (2) select a second current if the voltage at the piece-wise-linear current source is greater than the first voltage and less than or equal to a second voltage;

b) determining a steady state solution to the sizing model; and

c) determining at least one ratio of transistor sizes from the steady state solution.

9. The device of claim 8 , further containing computer readable instructions for:

d) determining at least one dimension of a transistor based at least in part upon the ratio of transistor sizes.

10. The device of claim 8 , further containing computer readable instructions for creating a sizing model that includes a piece-wise-linear current source configured to (1) select a first current if the voltage at the piece-wise-linear current source is less than or equal to a first voltage, and (2) select a second current if the voltage at the piece-wise-linear current source is greater than the first voltage and less than or equal to a second voltage, the second current being greater than the first current, and the second voltage being greater than the first voltage.

11. The device of claim 8 , further containing computer readable instructions for creating a sizing model that includes a piece-wise-linear current source configured to (1) select a first current if the voltage at the piece-wise-linear current source is less than or equal to a first voltage, and (2) select a second current if the voltage at the piece-wise-linear current source is greater than the first voltage and less than or equal to a second voltage, the first current corresponding to the input capacitance of a first logic element, the second current corresponding to the input capacitance of a second logic element.

12. The device of claim 8 , further containing computer readable instructions for creating a sizing model that includes a piece-wise-linear current source configured to (1) select a first current if the voltage at the piece-wise-linear current source is less than or equal to a first voltage, and (2) select a second current if the voltage at the piece-wise-linear current source is greater than the first voltage and less than or equal to a second voltage, the first current being proportional to the input capacitance of a first logic element, the second current being proportional to the input capacitance of a second logic element.

13. The device of claim 9 , further containing computer readable instructions for creating a sizing model that includes a piece-wise-linear current source configured to (1) select a first current if the voltage at the piece-wise-linear current source is less than or equal to a first voltage, and (2) select a second current if the voltage at the piece-wise-linear current source is greater than the first voltage and less than or equal to a second voltage, the first current corresponding to the input capacitance of a first logic element, the second current corresponding to the input capacitance of a second logic element, both the first logic element and the second logic element being of the same type and selected from the group of types: inverter, AND, NAND, OR, NOR, XOR, and multiplexer.

14. The device of claim 8 , further containing computer readable instructions for creating a sizing model that includes a piece-wise-linear current source configured to (1) select a first current if the voltage at the piece-wise-linear current source is less than or equal to a first voltage, and (2) select a second current if the voltage at the piece-wise-linear current source is greater than the first voltage and less than or equal to a second voltage, the first current being proportional to the input capacitance of a first logic element, the second current being proportional to the input capacitance of a second logic element, both the first logic element and the second logic element being of the same type and selected from the group of types: inverter, AND, NAND, OR, NOR, XOR, and multiplexer.

15. An integrated circuit created at least in part by a method of determining at least one ratio of transistor sizes, the method comprising:

a) creating a sizing model by replacing at least one logic element in a circuit description with a sizing element that includes a piece-wise-linear current source, wherein the sizing model includes a piece-wise-linear current source configured to (1) select a first current if the voltage at the piece-wise-linear current source is less than or equal to a first voltage and (2) select a second current if the voltage at the piece-wise-linear current source is greater than the first voltage and less than or equal to a second voltage;

b) determining a steady state solution to the sizing model; and

c) determining at least one ratio of transistor sizes from the steady state solution.

16. The integrated circuit of claim 15 , wherein the integrated circuit was created at least in part by determining at least one dimension of a transistor based at least in part upon the ratio of transistor sizes.

17. The integrated circuit of claim 15 , wherein the integrated circuit was created at least in part by creating a sizing model that includes a piece-wise-linear current source configured to (1) select a first current if the voltage at the piece-wise-linear current source is less than or equal to a first voltage, and (2) select a second current if the voltage at the piece-wise-linear current source is greater than the first voltage and less than or equal to a second voltage, the second current being greater than the first current, and the second voltage being greater than the first voltage.