Efficient Rectification Signal Validation for Optimal Functional ECO Patch Generation

Synthesis-based functional Engineering Change Order (ECO) algorithms, as classified in [1], are particularly effective for addressing functional bugs. These algorithms typically involve two primary steps: (1) identifying rectification signals to address functional mismatches, and (2) generating patch circuits based on these signals. While much of the existing research focuses on enhancing step (2), step (1) often remains somewhat ad hoc and inefficient.In this paper, we propose a novel approach for systematically collecting and validating all possible sets of rectification signals from a given set of candidates. Leveraging a heuristic for grouping and ranking rectification signals, our ECO flow efficiently identifies minimal patches while achieving a highly competitive runtime. Our contributions include three key innovations: a heuristic for identifying high-quality rectification candidates, an efficient algorithm for validating all feasible sets of rectification signals, and a signal grouping and ranking technique that ensures minimal patch size. When integrated with an open-source patch generation tool, our method demonstrates an average reduction of 44% in patch sizes compared to a leading commercial ECO tool on benchmark circuits.