Dynamic rule checking in electronic design automation

• US 8,984,458 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2009
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synopsys Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synopsys Incorporated
• Inventors: Giffel, Barry A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Siek, Vuthe
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lin, Aric
• Application Number:
  US12/579,309
• Publication Number:
  US 20110023001A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,980 Days
• Field of Search: 716100-139
• US Class Current: 716/112
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/33 Design verification, e.g. functional simulation or model checking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/398 Design verification or optimisation, e.g. using design rule check [DRC], layout versus schematics [LVS] or finite element methods [FEM] optical proximity correction [OPC] design processes G03F1/36

Abstract

Some embodiments provide a system that provides design rule checking in an electronic design automation (EDA) application. During operation, the system detects a change to a schematic by a user of the EDA application. Next, the system automatically applies a set of dynamic design rules to the schematic upon detecting the change. Finally, the system notifies the user of a rule violation if the schematic violates one or more of the dynamic design rules. The system allows the user to specify which dynamic rules to apply when the user is modifying the schematic.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing design rule checking in an electronic design automation (EDA) application, comprising:

obtaining, through a graphical user interface (GUI), a set of design rules and, for each design rule in the set of design rules, a dynamic rule setting that indicates whether or not the design rule is a dynamic design rule;

obtaining a dynamic rule preference that indicates whether or not dynamic rule checking is to be performed; and

in response to a computer determining that the dynamic rule preference indicates that dynamic rule checking is to be performed and that a schematic was switched from a read-only mode to a read/write mode, the computer automatically applying each design rule whose dynamic rule setting indicates that the design rule is a dynamic design rule to the schematic by;

destroying non-signed-off markers in the schematic;

creating new markers based on applying each design rule whose dynamic rule setting indicates that the design rule is a dynamic design rule;

adding only those new markers to the schematic that do not match an existing signed-off marker.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the set of design rules correspond to semantic rules or electrical rules.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

in response to determining that the dynamic rule preference was changed from indicating that dynamic rule checking is not to be performed to indicating that dynamic rule checking is to be performed, the computer applying each design rule whose dynamic rule setting indicates that the design rule is a dynamic design rule to the schematic.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

in response to determining that the dynamic rule preference indicates that dynamic rule checking is not to be performed, the computer not applying design rules to the schematic regardless of the dynamic rule settings.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method for providing design rule checking in an electronic design automation (EDA) application, the method comprising:

obtaining, through a graphical user interface (GUI), a set of design rules and, for each design rule in the set of design rules, a dynamic rule setting that indicates whether or not the design rule is a dynamic design rule;

obtaining a dynamic rule preference that indicates whether or not dynamic rule checking is to be performed; and

in response to the computer determining that the dynamic rule preference indicates that dynamic rule checking is to be performed and that a schematic was switched from a read-only mode to a read/write mode, the computer automatically applying each design rule whose dynamic rule setting indicates that the design rule is a dynamic design rule to the schematic by;

destroying non-signed-off markers in the schematic;

creating new markers based on applying each design rule whose dynamic rule setting indicates that the design rule is a dynamic design rule;

adding only those new markers to the schematic that do not match an existing signed-off marker.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the set of design rules correspond to semantic rules or electrical rules.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the method further comprises:

in response to determining that the dynamic rule preference was changed from indicating that dynamic rule checking is not to be performed to indicating that dynamic rule checking is to be performed, applying each design rule whose dynamic rule setting indicates that the design rule is a dynamic design rule to the schematic.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the method further comprises:

in response to determining that the dynamic rule preference indicates that dynamic rule checking is not to be performed, not applying design rules to the schematic regardless of the dynamic rule settings.

9. A computer system, comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computer system to perform a method for providing design rule checking in an electronic design automation (EDA) application, the method comprising;

obtaining, through a graphical user interface (GUI), a set of design rules and, for each design rule in the set of design rules, a dynamic rule setting that indicates whether or not the design rule is a dynamic design rule;

obtaining a dynamic rule preference that indicates whether or not dynamic rule checking is to be performed; and

in response to the computer system determining that the dynamic rule preference indicates that dynamic rule checking is to be performed and that a schematic was switched from a read-only mode to a read/write mode, the computer system automatically applying each design rule whose dynamic rule setting indicates that the design rule is a dynamic design rule to the schematic by;

destroying non-signed-off markers in the schematic;

creating new markers based on applying each design rule whose dynamic rule setting indicates that the design rule is a dynamic design rule;

adding only those new markers to the schematic that do not match an existing signed-off marker.

10. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the set of design rules correspond to semantic rules or electrical rules.

11. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

in response to determining that the dynamic rule preference was changed from indicating that dynamic rule checking is not to be performed to indicating that dynamic rule checking is to be performed, applying each design rule whose dynamic rule setting indicates that the design rule is a dynamic design rule to the schematic.

12. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

in response to determining that the dynamic rule preference indicates that dynamic rule checking is not to be performed, not applying design rules to the schematic regardless of the dynamic rule settings.