Parameterized cells for generating dense layouts of VLSI circuits
First Claim
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1. A method for automatically generating a layout of a VLSI circuit, comprising the computer implemented steps of:
- inputting a data file describing the circuit;
computing one or more parameters of the layout;
responsive to the computation of one or more parameters, generating a substantially limitless number of shapes representing components of the circuit, said components include multifinger devices, shared devices, and tapered devices having technology dependent spacing;
placing the shapes in the appropriate configuration;
computing the shapes in the appropriate configuration;
if stacked devices are present in the circuit;
computing the shape and position of the stacked devices;
computing an overlay position for the stacked devices;
generating wiring connections and configuration to connect the devices in the layout in the desired fashion; and
outputting a layout of the circuit.
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Abstract
The invention provides a technique, given a netlist containing a description of the terminal connections and the length and width of each device in a circuit, for automatically producing a layout for each device in that circuit.
155 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for automatically generating a layout of a VLSI circuit, comprising the computer implemented steps of:
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inputting a data file describing the circuit; computing one or more parameters of the layout; responsive to the computation of one or more parameters, generating a substantially limitless number of shapes representing components of the circuit, said components include multifinger devices, shared devices, and tapered devices having technology dependent spacing; placing the shapes in the appropriate configuration; computing the shapes in the appropriate configuration; if stacked devices are present in the circuit; computing the shape and position of the stacked devices; computing an overlay position for the stacked devices; generating wiring connections and configuration to connect the devices in the layout in the desired fashion; and outputting a layout of the circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for automatically generating a layout of a VLSI circuit, comprising the computer implemented steps of:
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inputting a data file containing a gate level description of the circuit; generating a substantially limitless number of shapes, programmable library book set containing programmable layouts for each type of gate in the data file; providing ground rule and layer information for the technology in which the circuit is to be fabricated; inputting desired row height, area, vdd and ground information for the circuit; using the programmable layout in the programmable library book, the ground rule and layer information and the input information, generating a second library representing all cells in the circuit; generating schematic and symbolic representations of the circuit using the contents of the second library; placing symbols representing the elements of the circuit in an appropriate configuration wherein said configuration can be user modifiable or placed automatically; and outputting a layout of the circuit containing the appropriately configured shapes.
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21. A method for automatically generating a layout of VLSI circuit, comprising the computer implemented steps of:
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inputting a data file describing the circuit, the elements of the circuit being represented at the device level, the device level data comprising the width (W), length (L) and number of fingers (M) of each device; inputting data describing technology rules associated with a technology in which the layout will be generated; computing one or more parameters of the layout; responsive to the computation of one or more parameters, generating a substantially limitless number of shapes, said shapes representing components of the circuit; automatically placing the shapes in a appropriate configuration; automatically checking the layout for technology design rule violations; cross-checking the layout against the data file describing the circuit to determine whether the entire circuit has been represented in the layout; if stacked devices are present in the circuit; computing the shape and position of the stacked devices; computing an overlay position for the stacked devices; generating the wiring connections and configuration to connect the devices in the layout in the desired fashion; modifying the wiring connections and configuration in response to user input for reducing wiring parasites; compacting the layout to occupy as small an area as possible prior to outputting the layout; and outputting a layout of the circuit.
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Specification