Determination of structure function feature correlation to thermal model element layers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10896279-B2
Application number	US-201715792158-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 24, 2017
Priority date	Apr 28, 2017
Publication date	Jan 19, 2021
Grant date	Jan 19, 2021

Abstract

A thermal transient response simulation is performed to determine a total thermal resistance value for a structure having a plurality of thermal model elements. A plurality of thermal transient response simulations are also performed for the structure to determine changed total thermal resistance values by varying one of thermal resistance values of the thermal model elements. Thermal resistance values for the thermal model elements are then determined based on the total thermal resistance value and the changed total thermal resistance values. The structure function is divided into portions associated with the thermal model elements based on the thermal resistance values for the thermal model elements.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, executed by at least one processor of a computer, comprising:
performing a thermal transient response simulation for a structure having a plurality of thermal model elements, the thermal transient response simulation determining a structure function and a total thermal resistance value, a heat flow path in the structure passing through layers of the plurality of thermal model elements;
performing a plurality of thermal transient response simulations for the structure to determine changed total thermal resistance values by varying one of thermal resistance values of the plurality of thermal model elements, each of the changed total thermal resistance values being associated with a particular thermal model element in the plurality of thermal model elements;
determining thermal resistance values for the plurality of thermal model elements based on the total thermal resistance value and the changed total thermal resistance values; and
associating portions of the structural function with the plurality of thermal model elements based on the thermal resistance values for the plurality of thermal model elements.

2. The method recited in claim 1 , wherein the varying one of thermal resistance values of the plurality of thermal model elements is doubling one of thermal resistance values of the plurality of thermal model elements, and wherein the determining thermal resistance values for the plurality of thermal model elements comprising subtracting the total thermal resistance value from each of the changed total thermal resistance values.

3. The method recited in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of thermal model elements and an order of the layers of the plurality of thermal model elements through which the heat flow passes are identified by analyzing design data of the structure.

4. The method recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
calibrating a thermal model of the structure used by the thermal transient response simulation based on analyzing the portions of the structural function and a structure function derived from an experimental measurement.

5. The method recited in claim 1 , wherein the associating comprises:
stacking the thermal resistance values for the plurality of thermal model elements along horizontal axis of the structure function.

6. The method recited in claim 1 , wherein the varying one of thermal resistance values of the plurality of thermal model elements comprises:
varying one of specific thermal resistance values of the plurality of thermal model elements.

7. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions for causing one or more processors to perform a method, the method comprising:
performing a thermal transient response simulation for a structure having a plurality of thermal model elements, the thermal transient response simulation determining a structure function and a total thermal resistance value, a heat flow path in the structure passing through layers of the plurality of thermal model elements;
performing a plurality of thermal transient response simulations for the structure to determine changed total thermal resistance values by varying one of thermal resistance values of the plurality of thermal model elements, each of the changed total thermal resistance values being associated with a particular thermal model element in the plurality of thermal model elements;
determining thermal resistance values for the plurality of thermal model elements based on the total thermal resistance value and the changed total thermal resistance values; and
associating portions of the structural function with the plurality of thermal model elements based on the thermal resistance values for the plurality of thermal model elements.

8. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media recited in claim 7 , wherein the varying one of thermal resistance values of the plurality of thermal model elements is doubling one of thermal resistance values of the plurality of thermal model elements, and wherein the determining thermal resistance values for the plurality of thermal model elements comprising subtracting the total thermal resistance value from each of the changed total thermal resistance values.

9. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media recited in claim 7 , wherein the plurality of thermal model elements and an order of the layers of the plurality of thermal model elements through which the heat flow passes are identified by analyzing design data of the structure.

10. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media recited in claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises:
calibrating a thermal model of the structure used by the thermal transient response simulation based on analyzing the portions of the structural function and a structure function derived from an experimental measurement.

11. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media recited in claim 7 , wherein the associating comprises:
stacking the thermal resistance values for the plurality of thermal model elements along horizontal axis of the structure function.

12. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media recited in claim 7 , wherein the varying one of thermal resistance values of the plurality of thermal model elements comprises:
varying one of specific thermal resistance values of the plurality of thermal model elements.

13. A system, comprising:
one or more processors, the one or more processors programmed to perform a method, the method comprising:
performing a thermal transient response simulation for a structure having a plurality of thermal model elements, the thermal transient response simulation determining a structure function and a total thermal resistance value, a heat flow path in the structure passing through layers of the plurality of thermal model elements;
performing a plurality of thermal transient response simulations for the structure to determine changed total thermal resistance values by varying one of thermal resistance values of the plurality of thermal model elements, each of the changed total thermal resistance values being associated with a particular thermal model element in the plurality of thermal model elements;
determining thermal resistance values for the plurality of thermal model elements based on the total thermal resistance value and the changed total thermal resistance values; and
associating portions of the structural function with the plurality of thermal model elements based on the thermal resistance values for the plurality of thermal model elements.

14. The system recited in claim 13 , wherein the varying one of thermal resistance values of the plurality of thermal model elements is doubling one of thermal resistance values of the plurality of thermal model elements, and wherein the determining thermal resistance values for the plurality of thermal model elements comprising subtracting the total thermal resistance value from each of the changed total thermal resistance values.

15. The system recited in claim 13 , wherein the plurality of thermal model elements and an order of the layers of the plurality of thermal model elements through which the heat flow passes are identified by analyzing design data of the structure.

16. The system recited in claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises:
calibrating a thermal model of the structure used by the thermal transient response simulation based on analyzing the portions of the structural function and a structure function derived from an experimental measurement.

17. The syste

Assignees

• Mentor Graphics Corp

Inventors

• Proulx Joseph Charles
• Blackmore Byron
• Bornoff Robin
• Vass-Varnai Andras

Classifications

• G06F30/20 Primary

  Design optimisation, verification or simulation (optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30) · CPC title

• G06F2119/08

  Thermal analysis or thermal optimisation · CPC title

• G01R31/318357

  Simulation (computer simulation of digital circuits G06F30/3308) · CPC title

• G06F30/367 Primary

  Design verification, e.g. using simulation, simulation program with integrated circuit emphasis [SPICE], direct methods or relaxation methods · CPC title