Going beyond worst-case specs with TEAtime

Virtually all engineers use worst-case component specifications for new system designs, thereby ensuring that the resulting product will operate under worst-case conditions. However, given that most systems operate under typical operating conditions that rarely approach the demands of worst-case conditions, building such robust systems incurs a significant performance cost. Further, classic worst-case designs do not adapt to variations in either manufacturing or operating conditions. A timing-error-avoidance prototype provides a circuit and system solution to these problems for synchronous digital systems. TEAtime has demonstrated much better performance than classically designed systems and also adapts well to varying temperature and supply-voltage conditions.