Automatic routing system for circuit layout
First Claim
1. A method for planning the routing of circuit paths on at least one routing surface, comprising the steps of:
- defining a topology of the circuit paths on the routing surface according to input data for connections to be routed and respective routing constraints associated with the connections to be routed;
creating the circuit paths for connections to be routed having associated routing constraints, iteratively within each one of a plurality of predetermined unit zones of the at least one routing surface wherein the plurality of predetermined unit zones are processed in a predetermined sequence, the circuit paths being created according to the defined topology of the circuit paths within each unit zone;
verifying the circuit paths created, by evaluating the circuit paths for compliance with the respective routing constraints associated with the connections to be routed, during the step of creating the circuit paths; and
saving data describing the circuit paths created for the at least one routing surface.
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Abstract
A method is disclosed for automatically planning the routing of circuit paths on a routing surface by defining a topology of the circuit paths according to input data for connections to be routed and respective routing constraints associated with the connections to be routed; creating the circuit paths for connections to be routed having associated routing constraints iteratively according to the defined topology of the circuit paths within each unit zone; evaluating the circuit paths for compliance with the respective routing constraints during the step of creating the circuit paths; and saving data describing the circuit paths. In an alternate embodiment, a method is disclosed for planning the routing of circuit paths on at least one routing surface by creating a pattern of traces on a routing surface from input data for connections in accordance with the trace creating algorithm; after creating less than all of the pattern of traces, analyzing an operational characteristic of traces subject to predetermined routing constraints of the created portion of the pattern of traces in the operating environment of the trace; comparing results of the analyzing step to a specification for the operational characteristic of the created portion of the pattern of traces; modifying the trace creating algorithm if the operational characteristic fails to satisfy the specification; and repeating the foregoing steps until the operational characteristic satisfies the specification.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for planning the routing of circuit paths on at least one routing surface, comprising the steps of:
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defining a topology of the circuit paths on the routing surface according to input data for connections to be routed and respective routing constraints associated with the connections to be routed;
creating the circuit paths for connections to be routed having associated routing constraints, iteratively within each one of a plurality of predetermined unit zones of the at least one routing surface wherein the plurality of predetermined unit zones are processed in a predetermined sequence, the circuit paths being created according to the defined topology of the circuit paths within each unit zone;
verifying the circuit paths created, by evaluating the circuit paths for compliance with the respective routing constraints associated with the connections to be routed, during the step of creating the circuit paths; and
saving data describing the circuit paths created for the at least one routing surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for automatically routing circuit paths on at least one routing surface, comprising the steps of:
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planning the routing of the circuit paths on the at least one routing surface to produce a routing plan;
activating a routing engine to begin processing circuit path data retrieved from a routable segments file from an origin to an ultimate location and in incremental steps within each of a plurality of unit zones in sequence defined for the at least one routing surface to define an expanding virtual map of the routing plan such that all of the circuit paths defined by the routing plan between the origin and the extremities of the expanding virtual map are created;
verifying, upon the completion of routing the circuit paths of each unit zone, that any routing constraint associated with a connection to be routed in the present unit zone in the routing plan satisfies the associated routing constraint;
modifying the circuit path routing in the present unit zone if a routing constraint associated with a connection being verified in the previous step in the present unit zone does not satisfy the associated routing constraint; and
advancing to the next unit zone. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for planning the routing of circuit paths on at least one defined routing surface to accommodate a predetermined circuit parameter affecting the routing, comprising the steps of:
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converting the predetermined circuit parameter affecting the routing of circuit paths to a spatial parameter of the at least one defined routing surface to be routed;
estimating the spatial parameter value required to satisfy the predetermined circuit parameter;
performing an iterative routing path analysis within each one of a plurality of predetermined unit zones of the at least one routing surface, wherein the plurality of predetermined unit zones are analyzed in a predetermined sequence to create a routable circuit path according to a defined topology of the circuit paths with each unit zone, and according to the estimated spatial parameter value;
evaluating the routable circuit path in a processing module, the processing module being configured to determine the correct circuit parameter value for the routable circuit path in a present unit zone, and expressing it in terms o the spatial parameter, the processing module further being accessible via an interface manager;
feeding back information indicating whether the circuit path as created satisfies the required circuit parameter value; and
iterating the routing path analysis until the circuit parameter value is met.
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17. A method for planning the routing of circuit paths on at least one routing surface, comprising the steps of:
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creating a pattern of traces on a routing surface from input data for connections in accordance with a trace creating algorithm;
after creating less than all of the pattern of traces, analyzing an operational characteristic of the created portion of the pattern of traces in the operating environment of the trace including traces subject to predetermined routing constraints;
comparing results of the analyzing step to a specification for the 10 operational characteristic of the created portion of the pattern of traces;
modifying the trace creating algorithm if the operational characteristic fails to satisfy the specification; and
repeating the foregoing steps until the operational characteristic for the created traces in the portion of the pattern of traces created satisfies the specification. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification