Multi-cycle path detection for sequential circuits and its application to real designs

This paper proposes a fast multi-cycle path detection method for large sequential circuits. The proposed method is based on ATPG techniques, especially on implication techniques, to use circuit structures and multi-cycle path conditions directly. The method also checks whether or not a multi-cycle path may be invalidated by static hazards at the inputs of flip-flops. Then we explain how to apply the proposed algorithm to real industrial designs. Experimental results show that our method is much faster than conventional ones and that it is efficient enough to handle large industrial designs.