Akhilesh, Now I think I've got it - you're talking about instantiating an IBIS input buffer in your simulation, and looking at the signal at the input buffer's output pin? I've always considered IBIS to be a pad to pad spec (with the exception of [External Model]) and as such, I haven't paid much attention to what comes out of the far end of the input buffer. You can propose a BIRD to define that behavior more clearly, although I'm concerned that people will believe the result is more meaningful than it is. Input buffers have characteristics that IBIS has no current ability to model - propagation delay, for instance. I still believe the issue at the root of this discussion is a timing issue. Why do we perform signal integrity simulations? To ensure our designs will work before we build them. How do we prove that? We demonstrate that the design has adequate timing and voltage margin under all anticipated operating conditions. My point is that timing and signal integrity go hand in hand. One of the fundamental goals of signal integrity is derivation of interconnect delays that can be used to assess whether a system will achieve target timing margins. The way you need to perform signal integrity simulations and measure interconnect delays is critically dependent on the way component timing is specified, which is driven by the way that parts are tested and qualified in production. I don't believe you can establish voltage thresholds for your IBIS models without understanding how your components are tested in production. Datasheet setup and hold specs are predicated on testing the device under specific conditions, with specific edge rates on the clock and data inputs, and measuring delays based on specific voltage levels. Signal integrity analysis derives interconnect delays that are combined with data sheet timing numbers during timing analysis. If you don't "normalize" interconnect delays properly based on component timing specs, then you're not going to correctly predict the system's actual timing margins. Spice studies will tell you a lot about how an input buffer actually behaves, but you still need to normalize simulation results based on datasheet timing ... which leads into a discussion of simulation timing thresholds, waveform quality thresholds, the difference between the two, and IBIS. That's a much longer discussion, but the bottom line is that you need a lot more than just Vinl and Vinh to get the whole timing/SI job done for high performance components. The process of normalizing interconnect delays gets pretty involved, and is difficult to communicate through text-based email. SiSoft is presenting a Webinar on DDR3 later this month that talks to the concept of interconnect delay normalization and the errors that can result from improper analysis. SiSoft will also be presenting a paper at Designcon (Feb 6, Session 6-WP1) that talks to the subject in more detail. You can find more information on both these presentations at www.sisoft.com if you're interested. Hope that helps, Todd. Todd Westerhoff VP, Software Products SiSoft 6 Clock Tower Place, Suite 250 Maynard, MA 01754 (978) 461-0449 x24 twesterh@sisoft.com www.sisoft.com -----Original Message----- From: Akhilesh CHANDRA [mailto:akhilesh.chandra@st.com] Sent: Sunday, January 06, 2008 7:45 AM To: 'Todd Westerhoff'; ibis@eda-stds.org; owner-ibis-users@eda.org; ibis-users@eda.org Cc: Akhilesh CHANDRA Subject: RE: [IBIS-Users] RE: [IBIS] RE: IBIS model behavior between Vinh and Vinl input I am talking about receiver of a design. I don't have issue with switching point I have doubt about the IBIS models behavior between Vinh and VINL values of receiver. Our receiver model have vinh and vinl values that we extract from spice simulation. When we run simulation with our IBIS models then till Vinl output is 0V and above Vinh it's 1V. Most of the simulator show this behavior. What about the output when input is between Vinh and Vinl. IBIS spec say output should be X but what is X. Different simulator interpreted it by different way, some show 0.5V other show a smooth transition of output between Vinh and vinl. In my view we will need to define IBIS behavior between vinh and Vinl. Regards Akhilesh -----Original Message----- From: owner-ibis@server.eda.org [mailto:owner-ibis@server.eda.org] On Behalf Of Todd Westerhoff Sent: Friday, January 04, 2008 11:57 PM To: ibis@server.eda-stds.org; owner-ibis-users@server.eda.org; ibis-users@server.eda.org Subject: RE: [IBIS-Users] RE: [IBIS] RE: IBIS model behavior between Vinh and Vinl input All, I'm going to jump in the middle here, even though I didn't have the time to read this thread as thoroughly as I would have like. I'm confused by what Akhilesh is describing. Akhilesh, are you saying your driver can't drive the receiver's input pin beyond the VIL and VIH thresholds? If that is truly the case, then you need to consider the datasheet specifications for your receiving device very carefully. It's not a matter of what thresholds you have in an IBIS models you received (they may not be correct), nor is it a matter of what behavior a HSPICE model of the input buffer might exhibit. It's a matter of how the part's performance is specified and guaranteed, and that's in the datasheet. There can be a difference between the thresholds a signal is timed to, and the thresholds that a switching signal must ultimately attain to ensure a valid switching event. Distinguishing between "signal quality" and "signal timing" thresholds in IBIS models can get pretty tricky, even for those of us who've been at it a while. What caught my eye was your initial description of the buffer as a "hysteresis buffer", although I don't know if you meant the driving or receiving device. If you meant the receiving device, it could well be the case that the part is _timed_ to a voltage between the VIL and VIH thresholds, but chances are, the signal still has to _attain_ VIL and VIH thresholds to be valid. The device timing specifications are key to understanding what simulations to perform and how to interpret the results. Hope that helps, Todd. Todd Westerhoff VP, Software Products SiSoft 6 Clock Tower Place, Suite 250 Maynard, MA 01754 (978) 461-0449 x24 twesterh@sisoft.com www.sisoft.com -----Original Message----- From: owner-ibis@eda.org [mailto:owner-ibis@eda.org] On Behalf Of Tom Dagostino Sent: Friday, January 04, 2008 1:02 PM To: 'Muranyi, Arpad'; 'Akhilesh CHANDRA'; ibis@eda-stds.org; owner-ibis-users@eda.org; ibis-users@eda.org Subject: RE: [IBIS-Users] RE: [IBIS] RE: IBIS model behavior between Vinh and Vinl input Arpad I think we are in agreement. I took Akhilesh's comment: IBIS specs don't define that how logic X represent in IBIS simulation, Due to this different simulator give different behavior for X. In my view we will need to define how logic X represent in IBIS model simulation. It will help to align all the simulator results. To mean that he wanted to define X as a 1 or 0. Tom Dagostino Teraspeed(R) Labs 13610 SW Harness Lane Beaverton, OR 97008 503-430-1065 503-430-1285 FAX tom@teraspeed.com www.teraspeed.com Teraspeed Consulting Group LLC 121 North River Drive Narragansett, RI 02882 401-284-1827 -----Original Message----- From: owner-ibis@server.eda.org [mailto:owner-ibis@server.eda.org] On Behalf Of Muranyi, Arpad Sent: Friday, January 04, 2008 9:41 AM To: tom@teraspeed.com; Akhilesh CHANDRA; ibis@server.eda-stds.org; owner-ibis-users@server.eda.org; ibis-users@server.eda.org Subject: RE: [IBIS-Users] RE: [IBIS] RE: IBIS model behavior between Vinh and Vinl input Tom, I may disagree with you on this one. The 1 volt and 0 volt representation of "true" and "false" is just as "unreal" as an "X". None of these are actual waveforms. These are indicators which tells you whether the input signal was below, above, or between Vinh and Vinl. I think it is plain wrong to have a "1" or a "0" on the output of the receiver when the signal is between Vinh and Vinl and it misleads the user of these tools thinking that they have good signal integrity while they have problems. I fully agree that digital parts are not made to operate with waveforms between Vinh and Vinl. Ant that is exactly the reason we should have an output value of "X" to find out when the waveforms are in that region. And that fact that you described that the "actual output ... will change" is exactly the reason for the "X", because we simply don't know what it will be. It is not guaranteed that it will be a "1" or a "0". How do you describe that if not with an "X"? Arpad ======================================================================== ======= -----Original Message----- From: Tom Dagostino [mailto:tom@teraspeed.com] Sent: Friday, January 04, 2008 1:34 AM To: 'Akhilesh CHANDRA'; Muranyi, Arpad; ibis@server.eda-stds.org; owner-ibis-users@server.eda.org; ibis-users@server.eda.org Subject: RE: [IBIS-Users] RE: [IBIS] RE: IBIS model behavior between Vinh and Vinl input ... ... ... But having all simulators default to some arbitrary state when the input is between the reference levels is setting the user up for failure. People tend to assume if the simulator says X, X is real. If they don't see X in the real circuit then there is something wrong. Not all parts will conform to some arbitrarily designated state. Digital parts are not made to operate with their inputs between Vinh and Vinl. Most parts have specifications that state the minimum slew rate (input risetime/falltime) as the input to the part transitions between the two reference levels. The actual output of an input buffer for a given input voltage between Vinl and Vinh will change depending on the internal noise of the IC, the noise on the input, process, temperature, voltage, phase of the moon, crosstalk, etc. Tom Dagostino Teraspeed(R) Labs 13610 SW Harness Lane Beaverton, OR 97008 503-430-1065 503-430-1285 FAX tom@teraspeed.com www.teraspeed.com Teraspeed Consulting Group LLC 121 North River Drive Narragansett, RI 02882 401-284-1827 -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. -------------------------------------------------------------------- |For help or to subscribe/unsubscribe, e-mail majordomo@eda-stds.org |with the appropriate command message(s) in the body: | | help | subscribe ibis <optional e-mail address, if different> | subscribe ibis-users <optional e-mail address, if different> | unsubscribe ibis <optional e-mail address, if different> | unsubscribe ibis-users <optional e-mail address, if different> | |or e-mail a request to ibis-request@eda-stds.org. | |IBIS reflector archives exist under: | | http://www.eda-stds.org/pub/ibis/email_archive/ Recent | http://www.eda-stds.org/pub/ibis/users_archive/ Recent | http://www.eda-stds.org/pub/ibis/email/ E-mail since 1993 -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. -------------------------------------------------------------------- |For help or to subscribe/unsubscribe, e-mail majordomo@eda-stds.org |with the appropriate command message(s) in the body: | | help | subscribe ibis <optional e-mail address, if different> | subscribe ibis-users <optional e-mail address, if different> | unsubscribe ibis <optional e-mail address, if different> | unsubscribe ibis-users <optional e-mail address, if different> | |or e-mail a request to ibis-request@eda-stds.org. | |IBIS reflector archives exist under: | | http://www.eda-stds.org/pub/ibis/email_archive/ Recent | http://www.eda-stds.org/pub/ibis/users_archive/ Recent | http://www.eda-stds.org/pub/ibis/email/ E-mail since 1993 -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. -------------------------------------------------------------------- |For help or to subscribe/unsubscribe, e-mail majordomo@eda-stds.org |with the appropriate command message(s) in the body: | | help | subscribe ibis <optional e-mail address, if different> | subscribe ibis-users <optional e-mail address, if different> | unsubscribe ibis <optional e-mail address, if different> | unsubscribe ibis-users <optional e-mail address, if different> | |or e-mail a request to ibis-request@eda-stds.org. | |IBIS reflector archives exist under: | | http://www.eda-stds.org/pub/ibis/email_archive/ Recent | http://www.eda-stds.org/pub/ibis/users_archive/ Recent | http://www.eda-stds.org/pub/ibis/email/ E-mail since 1993 -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. -------------------------------------------------------------------- |For help or to subscribe/unsubscribe, e-mail majordomo@eda-stds.org |with the appropriate command message(s) in the body: | | help | subscribe ibis <optional e-mail address, if different> | subscribe ibis-users <optional e-mail address, if different> | unsubscribe ibis <optional e-mail address, if different> | unsubscribe ibis-users <optional e-mail address, if different> | |or e-mail a request to ibis-request@eda-stds.org. | |IBIS reflector archives exist under: | | http://www.eda-stds.org/pub/ibis/email_archive/ Recent | http://www.eda-stds.org/pub/ibis/users_archive/ Recent | http://www.eda-stds.org/pub/ibis/email/ E-mail since 1993Received on Mon Jan 7 07:46:24 2008
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