Novel Verification Method for Timing Optimization Based on DPSO

Timing optimization for logic circuits is one of the key steps in logic synthesis. Extant research data are mainly proposed based on various intelligence algorithms. Hence, they are neither comparable with timing optimization data collected by the mainstream electronic design automation (EDA) tool nor able to verify the superiority of intelligence algorithms to the EDA tool in terms of optimization ability. To address these shortcomings, a novel verification method is proposed in this study. First, a discrete particle swarm optimization (DPSO) algorithm was applied to optimize the timing of the mixed polarity Reed-Muller (MPRM) logic circuit. Second, the Design Compiler (DC) algorithm was used to optimize the timing of the same MPRM logic circuit through special settings and constraints. Finally, the timing optimization results of the two algorithms were compared based on MCNC benchmark circuits. The timing optimization results obtained using DPSO are compared with those obtained from DC, and DPSO demonstrates an average reduction of 9.7% in the timing delays of critical paths for a number of MCNC benchmark circuits. The proposed verification method directly ascertains whether the intelligence algorithm has a better timing optimization ability than DC.