Method and program for processing design pattern of semiconductor integrated circuit
First Claim
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1. A method for processing design pattern data of a semiconductor integrated circuit, comprising:
- determining whether there are lower-level cells whose individual size is equal to or below a threshold;
if there are such lower-level cells whose individual size is equal to or below the threshold, pairing a first lower-level cell with a second lower-level cell, that is adjacent to the first lower-level cell, to define a new cell whose size is greater than the threshold; and
replacing the first and second lower-level cells with the new cell.
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Abstract
A method for processing design pattern data of a semiconductor integrated circuit includes determining whether or not there are lower-level cells whose individual size is equal to or below a threshold, and if there are such lower-level cells whose individual size is equal to or below the threshold, collecting the lower-level cells to define a higher-level cell whose size is greater than the threshold and replacing the lower-level cells with the higher-level cell.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method for processing design pattern data of a semiconductor integrated circuit, comprising:
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determining whether there are lower-level cells whose individual size is equal to or below a threshold;
if there are such lower-level cells whose individual size is equal to or below the threshold, pairing a first lower-level cell with a second lower-level cell, that is adjacent to the first lower-level cell, to define a new cell whose size is greater than the threshold; and
replacing the first and second lower-level cells with the new cell. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
counting the number of times of appearance of the pair of the first and second lower-level cells; and
defining the pair of the first and second lower-level cells as the new cell if the number of times of appearance of the pair is equal to two or greater.
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3. The method of claim 2, including:
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counting the number of times of appearance of a first pair made of the first and second lower-level cells;
counting the number of times of appearance of a second pair made of third and fourth lower-level cells;
comparing the numbers of times of appearance of the first and second pairs with each other to find a greater number between them; and
defining one of the first and second pairs corresponding to the greater number as the higher-level cell.
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4. The method of claim 3, including, if the numbers of times of appearance of the first and second pairs are equal to each other:
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summing data quantities of the first and second lower-level cells in the first pair, to provide a first total;
summing data quantities of the third and fourth lower-level cells in the second pair, to provide a second total;
comparing the first and second totals with each other to find a larger total between them; and
defining one of the first and second pairs having the larger total as the higher-level cell.
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5. The method of claim 3, including, if the numbers of times of appearance of the first and second pairs are equal to each other:
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summing number of objects contained in the first and second lower-level cells in the first pair, to provide a first total;
summing number of objects contained in the third and fourth lower-level cells in the second pair, to provide a second total;
comparing the first and second totals with each other to find a larger total between them; and
defining one of the first and second pairs having the larger total as the higher-level cell.
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6. The method of claim 3, including, if the numbers of times of appearance of the first and second pairs are equal to each other:
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totaling dimensions in a given direction of the first and second lower-level cells in the first pair, to provide a first total;
totaling dimensions in the given direction of the third and fourth lower-level cells in the second pair, to provide a second total;
comparing the first and second totals with each other to find a larger total between them; and
defining one of the first and second pairs having the larger total as the higher-level cell.
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7. A method for processing design pattern data of a semiconductor integrated circuit, comprising:
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determining whether there are lower-level cells whose individual size is equal to or below a threshold; and
if there are such lower-level cells whose individual size is equal to or below the threshold, combining the lower-level cells to define a new cell whose size is greater than the threshold; and
replacing the lower-level cells with the new cell;
wherein the threshold is twice as large as the frame width which is a distance to be referred to when carrying out pattern data processing. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. A computer program product for processing design pattern data of a semiconductor integrated circuit, comprising:
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instructions which determine whether there are lower-level cells whose individual size is equal to or below a threshold;
instructions which pair, if there are such lower-level cells whose individual size is equal to or below the threshold, a first lower-level cell with a second lower-level cell that is adjacent to the first lower-level cell, to define a new cell whose size is greater than the threshold; and
instructions which replace the first and second lower-level cells with the new cell. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
instructions which count the number of times of appearance of the pair of the first and second lower-level cells; and
instructions which define the pair of the first and second lower-level cells as the new cell if the number of times of appearance of the pair is equal to two or greater.
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11. The computer program product of claim 10, including:
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instructions which count the number of times of appearance of a first pair made of the first and second lower-level cells;
instructions which count the number of times of appearance of a second pair made of third and fourth lower-level cells;
instructions which compare the numbers of times of appearance of the first and second pairs with each other to find a greater number between them; and
instructions which define one of the first and second pairs corresponding to the greater number as the higher-level cell.
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12. The computer program product of claim 11, including, if the numbers of times of appearance of the first and second pairs are equal to each other:
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instructions which sum data quantities of the first and second lower-level cells in the first pair and provide a first total;
instructions which sum data quantities of the third and fourth lower-level cells in the second pair and provide a second total;
instructions which compare the first and second totals with each other to find a larger total between them; and
instructions which define one of the first and second pairs having the larger total as the higher-level cell.
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13. The computer program product of claim 11, including, if the numbers of times of appearance of the first and second pairs are equal to each other:
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instructions which sum number of objects contained in the first and second lower-level cells in the first pair and provide a first total;
instructions which sum number of objects contained in the third and fourth lower-level cells in the second pair and provide a second total;
instructions which compare the first and second totals with each other to find a larger total between them; and
instructions which define one of the first and second pairs having the larger total as the higher-level cell.
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14. The computer program product of claim 11, including, if the numbers of times of appearance of the first and second pairs are equal to each other:
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instructions which total dimensions in a given direction of the first and second lower-level cells in the first pair and provide a first total;
instructions which total dimensions in the given direction of the third and fourth lower-level cells in the second pair and provide a second total;
instructions which compare the first and second totals with each other to find a larger total between them; and
instructions which define one of the first and second pairs having the larger total as the higher-level cell.
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Specification