Automated Metal Pattern Generation for Integrated Circuits

• US 20100070942A1
• Filed: 09/14/2008
• Published: 03/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callahan Cellular LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Callahan Cellular LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Madurawe, Raminda Udaya
• Granted Patent: US 8,230,375 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 716/128
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2115/06 Structured ASICs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/39 Circuit design at the physical level physical level design for reconfigurable circuits G06F30/347

Abstract

An integrated circuit fabricated by a mask set including a mask to generate a metal pattern defined by CAD software, the metal pattern generation method including: reading a binary data set, the data points in the set uniquely matched to a plurality of fixed metal tabs; and selecting a metal tab from a first set of selectable metal tabs for a first data value, or a second set of selectable metal tabs for a second data value for each of the fixed metal tabs; wherein a first set metal tab and a second set metal tab couples each said fixed metal tab to first and second voltages respectively.

Claims

1. A metal pattern generated by a computer aided design (CAD) software tool, the metal pattern comprising:

a first group of metal lines capable of coupling to a first voltage; and

a second group of metal lines capable of coupling to a second voltage; and

a set of fixed metal tabs at predetermined positions; and

a first subset of metal tabs selected from a first set of selectable metal tabs at predetermined positions, each first set metal tab coupling a said fixed metal tab to a said first group metal line; and

a second subset of metal tabs selected from a second set of selectable metal tabs at predetermined positions, each second set metal tab coupling a said fixed metal tab to a said second group metal line;

wherein, the first and second subsets are selected by computer readable code having instructions to;

read a binary data set, each data point in the set uniquely matched to a said fixed metal tab; and

select a first or second set metal tab based on a first or second data value respectively for each fixed metal tab.

2. The pattern of claim 1, wherein a said fixed metal tab overlaps a via connection to an underneath metal layer.

3. The pattern of claim 1, wherein a said fixed metal tab is coupled to one of said first and second voltages.

4. The pattern of claim 1, wherein the fixed metal tabs coupling to a non functional integrated circuit at the fixed metal tabs to make the integrated circuit fully functional according to a customer specification.

5. The pattern of claim 4, wherein the binary data set is extracted by a computer based on a placement and routing result of the customer specification on a software model of the integrated circuit.

6. The pattern of claim 1, further comprising a set of predetermined metal pads.

7. The pattern of claim 1, further comprising metal lines to carry one or more of power, ground and any other signal.

8. The pattern of claim 1, wherein the fixed metal tabs coupling to a non programmed programmable logic circuit included in an integrated circuit, the programmable logic circuit configured by the metal pattern according to a customer specification.

9. A method for defining a metal pattern for an integrated circuit, comprising:

positioning fixed metal tabs at predetermined positions; and

positioning fixed metal lines at predetermined positions, a first portion of the metal lines capable of coupling to a first voltage and a second portion of the metal lines capable of coupling to a second voltage; and

positioning selectable metal tabs, a first portion of selectable tabs coupling the fixed metal tabs to the first portion of metal lines, and the second portion of metal tabs coupling the fixed metal tabs to the second portion of metal lines, wherein each said fixed metal tab has selectable metal tabs to couple it to said first voltage and said second voltage; and

selecting a subset of the selectable metal tabs with a computer by;

reading a binary data set, each data point in the set uniquely matched to a said fixed metal tab; and

selecting a first or second portion of selectable metal tabs based on a first or second data value respectively for each said fixed metal tab, whereby each said fixed metal tab is either coupled to said first voltage or said second voltage by the selected metal tab.

10. The method of claim 9, whereby the metal pattern is used to fabricate an integrated circuit.

11. The method of claim 9, whereby each said fixed metal tab is coupled to a via further coupled to an underneath metal layer.

12. The method of claim 9, comprising positioning fixed metal pads at predetermined positions.

13. The method of claim 9, comprising positioning fixed metal lines to carry one or more of power, ground and signal lines at predetermined positions.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein each binary data set defines a unique metal pattern.

15. The method of claim 9, whereby the fixed metal tabs couple to a programmable logic circuit to configure the logic circuit by the selected metal tabs to a user specification.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the binary data set is extracted by a software tool based on a placement and routing result of a user design on a software model of the integrated circuit.

17. An integrated circuit fabricated by a mask set including a mask to generate a metal pattern defined by computer aided design (CAD) software, the device comprising:

a plurality of circuit blocks including a programmable logic block;

a plurality of via nodes coupled to the programmable logic block to program the logic block; and

a metal pattern comprising;

a plurality of fixed metal tabs, each fixed tab covering a said via node to couple to the via node; and

a first subset of metal tabs selected from a first set of metal tabs at predetermined positions, each first set metal tab coupling a said fixed metal tab to a first voltage; and

a second subset of metal tabs selected from a second set of metal tabs at predetermined positions, each second set metal tab coupling a said fixed metal tab to a second voltage;

wherein, the first and second subsets of metal tabs are selected by the CAD software, and wherein the CAD software includes computer readable instructions for;

reading a binary data set, each data point in the set uniquely matched to a said via node; and

selecting a first set selectable metal tab for a first data value, or a second set selectable metal tab for a second data value at each said via node.

18. The device in claim 17, wherein the metal pattern further comprises fixed metal lines at predetermined positions to carry one or more of power, ground, first voltage, second voltage and signal lines.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the binary data set is extracted by a software tool based on a placement and routing result of a user design on a software model of the programmable logic circuit.

20. The device in claim 17, comprising a plurality of pads, a said pad coupled to a system.