IP Library Granted Patent US 12,596,862
Granted Patent B1
US 12,596,862 · App. 18/604,353 · Granted Apr 7, 2026

Method and system to implement a composite, multi-domain model for electro-optical modeling and simulation

Inventors: Gilles Simon Claude Lamant (Sunnyvale, CA); James Frederick Pond (Vancouver, CA); Jackson Klein (North Vancouver, CA); Zeqin Lu (Vancouver, CA); Ahmadreza Farsaei (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: ANSYS, INC.
G06F30/367G06F21/62
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,596,862
App. No.
18/604,353
Granted
Apr 7, 2026
Kind
B1
Abstract

Provided is an improved method, system, and computer program product to implement simulation for photonic devices. A composite, multi-domain simulation model is disclosed, with connected domain-specific representations that allow the use of the most relevant simulator technology for a given domain. The model has external connection points either expressed as actual ports or virtual ones, embodied by simulator API calls in the model.

Claims (32)

1 . A method implemented with a processor, comprising:

generating a multi-domain simulation model for a photonic device, the multi-domain simulation model comprising a netlist of elements with connections, the netlist including a first element of a first domain of the model and a second element of a second domain of the model, wherein a same component of the photonic device is represented according to the first element of the first domain and the second element of the second domain, the first element and the second element associated with different physical characteristics of the photonic device;

performing simulation on the multi-domain simulation model via one or more connections connecting the first element and the second element of different domains, wherein the first domain is simulated with a first simulation tool, wherein the second domain is simulated with a second simulation tool, wherein simulation in the first domain and simulation in the second domain are coupled via the first element and the second element, and wherein the first simulation tool is a different domain simulator from the second simulation tool; and

generating physical effects for the photonic device based on the simulation of the multi-domain simulation model.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein data exchange between the first domain and the second domain during simulation is realized using an API implementing an observer function and an actuating function.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein one simulation tool corresponds to a master that coordinates simulation activities, and additional one or more simulation tools correspond to slaves.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the multi-domain simulation model further comprises a domain pertaining to a thermal model or a mechanical stress model.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the multi-domain simulation model includes a plurality of domain specific views, wherein the plurality of domain specific views are connected together through a top-level of a hierarchy in the netlist.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a domain view is encrypted.

7 . A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, the non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a sequence of instructions which, when executed by a processor causes the processor to execute a method for performing an analysis of a circuit design comprising:

generating a multi-domain simulation model for a photonic device, the multi-domain simulation model comprising a netlist of elements with connections, the netlist including a first element of a first domain of the model and a second element of a second domain of the model, the first domain and the second domain representing different physical characteristics of the device, wherein a same component of the photonic device is represented according to the first element of the first domain and the second element of the second domain, the first element and the second element associated with different physical characteristics of the photonic device;

performing simulation on the multi-domain simulation model by simulating the first domain with a first simulation tool and simulating the second domain with a second simulation tool, wherein the first simulation tool is a different domain simulator from the second simulation tool, wherein simulation in the first domain and simulation in the second domain are coupled via the first element and the second element, and wherein the simulation of the first domain and the simulation of the second domain are coupled via one or more connections connecting the first element and the second element; and

generating physical effects for the photonic device based on the simulation of the multi-domain simulation model.

8 . The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein data exchange between the first domain and the second domain during simulation is realized using an API implementing an observer function and an actuating function.

9 . The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein one simulation tool corresponds to a master that coordinates simulation activities, and additional one or more simulation tools correspond to slaves.

10 . The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the multi-domain simulation model further comprises a domain pertaining to a thermal model or a mechanical stress model.

11 . The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the multi-domain simulation model includes a plurality of domain specific views, wherein the plurality of domain specific views are connected together through a top-level of a hierarchy in the netlist.

12 . The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein a domain view is encrypted.

13 . A system for analyzing a circuit design, comprising:

a processor;

a memory for holding programmable code; and

wherein the programmable code includes instructions for

generating a multi-domain simulation model for a photonic device, the multi-domain simulation model comprising a netlist of elements with connections, the netlist including a first element of a first domain of the model and a second element of a second domain of the model, wherein a same component of the photonic device is represented according to the first element of the first domain and the second element of the second domain, the first element and the second element associated with different physical characteristics of the photonic device;

performing simulation on the multi-domain simulation model via one or more connections connecting the first element and the second element, wherein the first domain is simulated with a first simulation tool, wherein the second domain is simulated with a second simulation tool, wherein simulation in the first domain and simulation in the second domain are coupled via the first element and the second element, and wherein the first simulation tool is a different domain simulator from the second simulation tool; and

generating physical effects for the photonic device based on the simulation of the multi-domain simulation model.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein data exchange between the first domain and the second domain during simulation is realized using an API implementing an observer function and an actuating function.

15 . The system of claim 13 , wherein one simulation tool corresponds to a master that coordinates simulation activities, and additional one or more simulation tools correspond to slaves.

16 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the multi-domain simulation model further comprises a domain pertaining to a thermal model or a mechanical stress model.

17 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the multi-domain simulation model includes a plurality of domain specific views, wherein the plurality of domain specific views are connected together through a top-level of a hierarchy in the netlist.

18 . The system of claim 13 , wherein a domain view is encrypted.

19 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the netlist includes multiple elements corresponding to a plurality of domain specific parts of a component of the photonic device.

20 . The system of claim 13 , wherein schematic instances are stored in a database for the photonic device, and wherein the netlist is partitioned based on signal types of associated ports of the instances, wherein a multi-domain instance includes a port of electrical signal type and a port of optical signal type.

Continuity (3)
Continuation 17572454 · Jan 10, 2022
Continuation 16231477 · Dec 22, 2018
Provisional Application 62639469 · Mar 6, 2018
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