HIERARCHICAL ANALOG IC PLACEMENT SUBJECT TO SYMMETRY, MATCHING AND PROXIMITY CONSTRAINTS
First Claim
1. Computer-readable media containing instructions, which when read and executed by a computer, causes the computer to execute a method for selecting a placement for device modules that are to form an integrated circuit (IC) described by an IC design, wherein the selected placement satisfies a set of placement constraints, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
- a. processing the IC design to define a multiple-level hierarchy of groups, wherein each group consists of elements that are subject to one of the placement constraints, and wherein each element of each group at each level of the hierarchy consists of either one of the device modules or another one of the groups residing at a lower level of the hierarchy;
b. generating a hierarchal representation of a trial placement for the IC comprising a separate group representation for each group of the hierarchy and a separate device representation for each of the device modules not included in any of the groups, wherein each group representation defines relative positions within the IC of the elements of the group that are consistent with the placement constraint on the elements of the group and each device representation defines a relative position of the device module it represents,c. iteratively perturbing the hierarchical representation to generate a sequence of hierarchical representations of trial placements for the IC design;
d. separately evaluating a cost function for each trial placement that is a measure of placement quality, ande. based on cost function evaluations carried out at step d, selecting a best one of the trial placements generated at step c as the selected placement.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
A placement tool generates an optimal placement for a plurality of device modules within an analog integrated circuit (IC) subject to device matching, symmetry, and proximity constraints by first defining a multiple-level hierarchy of constraint groups, wherein each constraint group consists of elements that are subject to one of the placement constraints. Each element of each constraint group consists of either of one of the device modules or another one of the constraint groups residing at a lower level of the hierarchy. The tool then generates a hierarchical B*-tree representation of a trial placement for the IC including a separate node representing each constraint group of the hierarchy and a separate node for each of device module not included in any of the constraint groups. Each node representing a constraint group defines relative positions within the IC of each the device modules or lower level constraint groups forming the constraint group that are consistent with the placement constraint on the constraint group. The placement tool iteratively perturbs the hierarchical B*-tree to generate a sequence of trial placements for the IC design and then evaluates a cost function for each trial placement to select a best one of the trial placements as the optimal trial placement.
21 Citations
15 Claims
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1. Computer-readable media containing instructions, which when read and executed by a computer, causes the computer to execute a method for selecting a placement for device modules that are to form an integrated circuit (IC) described by an IC design, wherein the selected placement satisfies a set of placement constraints, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
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a. processing the IC design to define a multiple-level hierarchy of groups, wherein each group consists of elements that are subject to one of the placement constraints, and wherein each element of each group at each level of the hierarchy consists of either one of the device modules or another one of the groups residing at a lower level of the hierarchy; b. generating a hierarchal representation of a trial placement for the IC comprising a separate group representation for each group of the hierarchy and a separate device representation for each of the device modules not included in any of the groups, wherein each group representation defines relative positions within the IC of the elements of the group that are consistent with the placement constraint on the elements of the group and each device representation defines a relative position of the device module it represents, c. iteratively perturbing the hierarchical representation to generate a sequence of hierarchical representations of trial placements for the IC design; d. separately evaluating a cost function for each trial placement that is a measure of placement quality, and e. based on cost function evaluations carried out at step d, selecting a best one of the trial placements generated at step c as the selected placement. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification