Digital circuit sizing for an inverter chain (GP)

% Boyd, Kim, Patil, and Horowitz, "Digital circuit optimization
% via geometric programming"
% Written for CVX by Almir Mutapcic 02/08/06
%
% We consider a chain of N inverters driving a load capacitance CL.
% The problem is to find optimal scale factors for the inverter
% that minimize the sum of them (area), while obeying constraints
% on the maximum delay through the circuit, and minimum and maximum
% limits on scale factors. There are no limits on the total power.
% (For more details about the inverter chain see sec. 2.1.11 in the paper.)
%
%   minimize   sum(x)
%       s.t.   T_j <= Dmax          for j an output gate
%              T_j + d_i <= T_i     for j in FI(i)
%              x_min <= x <= x_max
%
% where variables are x and T.
% Here we use data structures and digital circuit models from the
% referenced paper.

%********************************************************************
% problem data
%********************************************************************
N  = 8;      % number of inverters
CL = 20;     % capacitance load
Dmax = 20;   % maximum delay through the circuit
x_min = 1;   % minimum scale factor
x_max = 20;  % maximum scale factor

% circuit labeling convention:
% label primary input (input to the first inverter in the chain) with N+1
% label primary output (output of the last inverter in the chain) with N+2
% label inverters in the chain with 1,2,...,N based on their location

% primary input and primary output labels (start with N+1)
primary_inputs  = [N+1];
primary_outputs = [N+2];
M = N + length( primary_inputs ) + length( primary_outputs );

% fan-in cell array for a straight chain of inverters
FI{1} = [N+1];   % fan-in of the first inverter is the primary input
for k = 2:N
  FI{k} = [k-1]; % fan-in of other inverters is the inverter feeding into them
end
FI{N+2} = [N];   % fan-in of the primary output is the last inverter in the chain

% fan-out cell array
% (will be computed from the fan-in cell array, no need to modify)
FO = cell(M,1);
for gate = [1:N primary_outputs]
  preds = FI{gate};
  for k = 1:length(preds)
    FO{preds(k)}(end+1) = gate;
  end
end

% input and internal capacitance of gates and the driving resistance
Cin_norm  = ones(N,1);
Cint_norm = ones(N,1);
Rdrv_norm = ones(N,1);

% place extra capacitance before the input of the 5th inverter
Cin_norm(5) = 80;

% primary output has Cin capacitance (but has no Cload)
Cin_po = sparse(M,1);
Cin_po(primary_outputs) = CL;

% primary input has Cload capacitance (but has no Cin)
Cload_pi = sparse(M,1);
Cload_pi(primary_inputs) = 1;

%********************************************************************
% optimization
%********************************************************************
cvx_begin gp
  % optimization variables
  variable x(N)                 % sizes
  variable T(N)                 % arrival times

  % minimize the sum of scale factors subject to above constraints
  minimize( sum(x) )
  subject to

    % input capacitance is an affine function of sizes
    Cin  = Cin_norm.*x;
    Cint = Cint_norm.*x;

    % driving resistance is inversily proportional to sizes
    R = Rdrv_norm./x;

    % gate delay is the product of its driving resistance and load cap.
    Cload = cvx( zeros(N,1) );
    for gate = 1:N
      if ~ismember( FO{gate}, primary_outputs )
        Cload(gate) = sum( Cin(FO{gate}) );
      else
        Cload(gate) = Cin_po( FO{gate} );
      end
    end

    % delay
    D = 0.69*ones(N,1).*R.*( Cint + Cload );

    % create timing constraints
    for gate = 1:N
      if ~ismember( FI{gate}, primary_inputs )
        for j = FI{gate}
          % enforce T_j + D_j <= T_i over all gates j that drive i
          D(gate) + T(j) <= T(gate);
        end
      else
        % enforce D_i <= T_i for gates i connected to primary inputs
        D(gate) <= T(gate);
      end
    end

    % circuit delay is the max of arrival times for output gates
    output_gates = [FI{primary_outputs}];
    circuit_delay = max( T(output_gates) );

    % collect all the constraints
    circuit_delay <= Dmax;
    x >= x_min;
    x <= x_max;
cvx_end

% message about extra capacitance and result display
disp(' ')
disp(['Note: there is an extra capacitance between the 4th and 5th inverter'...
     ' in the chain.'])
fprintf(1,'\nOptimal scale factors are: \n'), x

% plot scale factors and maximum delay for inverter i
close all;
subplot(2,1,1); plot([1:N],T,'g--',[1:N],T,'bo');
ylabel('maximum delay T')
subplot(2,1,2); stem([1:N],x);
ylabel('scale factor x')
xlabel('inverter stage')
 
Successive approximation method to be employed.
   SDPT3 will be called several times to refine the solution.
   Original size: 130 variables, 45 equality constraints
   For improved efficiency, SDPT3 is solving the dual problem.
   Approximation size: 435 variables, 235 equality constraints
-----------------------------------------------------------------
 Target     Conic    Solver
Precision   Error    Status
---------------------------
1.221e-04  6.789e-01  Unbounded
1.221e-04  2.660e-01  Solved
1.221e-04  4.391e-04  Solved
1.221e-04  0.000e+00  Solved
1.490e-08  1.518e-08  Solved
1.490e-08  0.000e+00  Solved
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Status: Solved
Optimal value (cvx_optval): +32.2496
 
Note: there is an extra capacitance between the 4th and 5th inverter in the chain.

Optimal scale factors are: 

x =

    3.0461
    2.6553
    4.3323
   12.4395
    1.0000
    1.3185
    2.2359
    5.2220