iPNP

Core capabilities

Hotspot identification: Consume iIR IR-drop results and locate supply weak regions exceeding voltage-drop thresholds.
Local P/G reinforcement: Auto-add power straps, widen existing metal, or add vias in hotspots to reduce local resistance.
Incremental repair: Modify weak regions only—preserve completed PDN topology and routing resource allocation.
Works with iPDN: Post-processing step after full PDN synthesis for local fine patching.
Agent-ready: Python API accepts IR-drop hotspot lists and returns reinforced design snapshots with improvement metrics.

Agent calling patterns

result = client.call("iPNP.reinforce",
    design_ref="snap_7f3a",
    hot_spots=ir_result.hot_spots
)

# result.reinforced_design_ref   → str (reinforced design snapshot)
# result.patch_count             → int (P/G structures added/modified)
# result.ir_improvement          → dict (IR-drop improvement per hotspot)

Input / output contract

Direction	Parameter	Type	Description
Input	`design_ref`	str	Current design snapshot (includes full PDN)
Input	`hot_spots`	list[dict]	IR-drop hotspots: x, y, layer, drop_mv, margin
Input	`strategy`	str (optional)	Reinforcement strategy: add_strap \| widen_metal \| add_via \| auto
Output	`reinforced_design_ref`	str	Reinforced design snapshot reference
Output	`patch_count`	int	Number of P/G structures added/modified
Output	`ir_improvement`	dict	Per-hotspot improvement: hotspot_id → {before_mV, after_mV, improvement_pct}

Role in the flow

01 PDN synthesis

iPDN

Global power network planning

02 IR analysis

iIR · iPA

IR-drop and power analysis

03 P/G reinforcement

Local supply network patching

04 Signoff

iSTA · iEM

Voltage-aware timing and reliability signoff

iPNP closes the PDN loop: iPDN builds the global network, iIR analyzes IR-drop, iPNP reinforces hotspots locally. Currently integrated in the iPDN module as a post-processing subsystem.

iPDN — Power network planning: Full PDN synthesis; iPNP is its incremental reinforcement subsystem.
iPA/iIR — Power & IR-drop analysis: IR-drop hotspot source for iPNP input.
EDA tools overview: Map of all 22 point tools.

iPNP · Power network reinforcement

# Core capabilities

# Agent calling patterns

# Input / output contract

# Role in the flow