Patent · US Expired

Method for logic optimization for improving timing and congestion during placement in integrated circuit design

US6192508A · kind A · utility

13Cited by
5References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 12, 1998
Grant dateFeb 20, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 12, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F30/392
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

This invention recognizes the ability of logic optimization to help placement relieve congestion. Different types of logic optimizations are used to help placement relieve congestion. In one type of optimization, the speed of parts of the circuit is improved by selecting faster cells. In another type of optimization, the topology of the circuit is changed such that placement can now move cells, which could not have been moved before, to reduce congestion and thus enable routing. A distinguishing feature of this methodology is that it not only uses the placement information for interconnection delay/area estimates during logic optimization, but also uses logic optimization to aid the physical placement steps by providing support to placement so that the congestion of the circuit is improved. The aim is to avoid getting into a situation where the placed circuit cannot be routed.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.