Power mesh arrangement method utilized in an integrated circuit having multiple power domains

• US 8,006,218 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2008
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
• Original Assignee: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
• Inventors: Chuang, Chia-Lin
• Primary Examiner(s): Levin; Naum
• Application Number:
  US12/271,534
• Publication Number:
  US 20090132988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 716/120, 716/126, 716/127, 716/133, 326/80
• US Class Current: 716/127
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2119/06 Power analysis or power optimisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/394 Routing G06F30/396 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention discloses a power mesh arrangement method utilized in an integrated circuit having multiple power domains. The arrangement method includes: forming a first partial local power mesh according to a position of a first power domain; forming a second partial local power mesh according to a position of a second power domain; forming a global power mesh, utilized for providing powers needed by the first and the second power domains; coupling the first partial local power mesh to the global power mesh and the first power domain; and coupling the second partial local power mesh to the global power mesh and the second power domain.

Claims

1. A power routing arrangement method applied in an integrated circuit having multiple power domains, the arrangement method comprising:

forming a first partial local power mesh according to the position of a first power domain of the integrated circuit by an automatic placement and routing (APR) tool;

forming a second partial local power mesh according to the position of a second power domain of the integrated circuit by the APR tool;

forming a global power mesh that is utilized to provide the power needed by the first and the second power domains by the APR tool;

coupling the first partial local power mesh to the global power mesh and the first power domain by the APR tool; and

coupling the second partial local power mesh to the global power mesh and the second power domain by the APR tool;

wherein the global power mesh includes a plurality of horizontal power supply wires placed on a first metal layer and a plurality of vertical power supply wires placed on a second metal layer; and

wherein the first metal layer and the second metal layer are different layers.

2. The arrangement method according to claim 1, wherein the first partial local power mesh and the second partial local power mesh are positioned on the same metal layer.

3. The arrangement method according to claim 2, wherein the global power mesh and the first local power mesh are positioned on different metal layers.

4. The arrangement method according to claim 3, wherein the global power mesh is positioned above the first local power mesh.

5. The arrangement method according to claim 2, wherein the first partial local power mesh and the second partial local power mesh are not electrically coupled.

6. The arrangement method according to claim 1, wherein the global power mesh comprises at least one ground wire, at least one first power wire that provides power to the first power domain, and at least one second power wire that provides power to the second power domain.

7. The arrangement method according to claim 6, wherein the first partial local power mesh comprises:

at least one first local ground wire that couples to the ground wire of the global power mesh; and

at least one third power wire that couples to the first power wire and the first power domain.

8. The arrangement method according to claim 7, wherein the second partial local power mesh comprises:

at least one second local ground wire that couples to the ground wire of the global power mesh; and

at least one fourth power wire that couples to the second power wire and the second power domain.

9. The arrangement method according to claim 8, wherein the first local ground wire and the second local ground wire share the same ground wire of the global power mesh.

10. The arrangement method according to claim 1, wherein the positions of the first partial local power mesh and the second partial local power mesh correspond to the first power domain and the second power domain, respectively.

11. The arrangement method according to claim 1, wherein the global power mesh is distributed evenly above the first local power mesh and the area of the second local power mesh.

12. A power routing structure applied in an integrated circuit having multiple power domains, comprising:

a first partial local power mesh having its position corresponding to the position of a first power domain and coupling to the first power domain;

a second partial local power mesh having its position corresponding to the position of a second power domain and coupling to the second power domain; and

a global power mesh, coupling to the first local power mesh and the second local power mesh, to provide the power needed by the first power domain and the second domain separately;

wherein the first partial local power mesh and the second partial local power mesh are positioned on the same metal layer while the global power mesh and the first local power mesh are positioned on different metal layers;

wherein the global power mesh includes a plurality of horizontal power supply wires placed on a first metal layer and a plurality of vertical power supply wires placed on a second metal layer; and

wherein the first metal layer and the second metal layer are different layers.

13. The power routing structure according to claim 12, wherein the global power mesh is positioned above the first local power mesh.

14. The power routing structure according to claim 13, wherein the first local power mesh and the second local power mesh are not electrically coupled.

15. The power routing structure according to claim 12, wherein the global power mesh comprises:

at least one ground wire;

at least one first power wire that provides the power needed by the first power domain; and

at least one second power wire that provides the power needed by the second power domain.

16. The power routing structure according to claim 15, wherein the first partial local power mesh comprises:

at least one first local ground wire that couples to the ground wire of the global power mesh; and

at least one third power wire that couples to the first power wire and the first power domain.

17. The power routing structure according to claim 16, wherein the second partial local power mesh comprises:

at least one second local ground wire that couples to the ground wire of the global power mesh; and

at least one fourth power wire that couples to the second power wire and the second power domain.

18. The power routing structure according to claim 17, wherein the first local ground wire and the second local ground wire share the same ground wire of the global power mesh.

19. A power routing arrangement method applied in an integrated circuit having multiple power domains, the arrangement method comprising:

providing a global power mesh, positioned above a first power domain and a second power domain, comprising at least one first power wire that provides the voltage needed by the first power domain, at least one second power wire that provides the voltage needed by the second power domain, and at least one ground wire that provides the ground potential needed by the first power domain and the second power domain by an automatic placement and routing (APR) tool;

coupling the first power wire and the ground wire of the global power mesh to the first power domain by the APR tool; and

coupling the second power wire and the ground wire of the global power mesh to the second power domain by the APR tool;

wherein the global power mesh includes a plurality of horizontal power supply wires placed on a first metal layer and a plurality of vertical power supply wires placed on a second metal layer; and

wherein the first metal layer and the second metal layer are different layers.

20. The arrangement method according to claim 19, wherein the first power domain and the second power domain share the same ground wire of the global power mesh.