Automatic Via Creation for Integrated Circuit Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manual creation of via connections between conducting traces in integrated circuit design is time-consuming and error-prone, especially in complex circuits, as it requires visual inspection and tedious interaction in graphical layout editors, and existing automation tools are limited in their ability to automatically insert vias without user intervention.
Innovation Solution
An automatic via creation tool that detects overlapping conductive traces on different layers of an integrated circuit and automatically places via connections between them, following user-defined rules to ensure correct connectivity and prevent short circuits, eliminating the need for manual intervention and reducing design cycle times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual visual inspection and interaction is used to create via connections, then connectivity correctness can be ensured through designer judgment, but the process becomes time-consuming and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically detects overlapping conductive traces and creates via connections without requiring manual intervention. The via creation tool performs self-service by autonomously identifying connection needs and executing via insertion based on predefined design rules, eliminating the time-consuming manual inspection process while maintaining connectivity correctness through rule-based validation
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring trace overlaps and net associations, using this information to determine appropriate via placement. The feedback loop ensures that via connections are created only when appropriate conditions are met (overlapping traces on the same net), preventing erroneous connections while automating the process
2Extent of automation
If existing automation tools are used to insert vias, then user intervention is reduced, but the tools require continuous path description and explicit user requests
Solution Approach 1:
The via creation tool automatically detects when via connections are needed by monitoring for overlapping conductive traces on different layers belonging to the same net. The system performs self-service by autonomously initiating via insertion without requiring users to provide continuous path descriptions or explicit requests, thereby increasing automation while simplifying user interaction to simple rule configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring via creation rules and criteria before the design process begins. These preliminary settings enable the automated tool to independently determine when and where to create vias based on trace overlaps and net associations, eliminating the need for ongoing user direction while maintaining ease of operation through straightforward rule-based logic
3Productivity
If automatic via creation is implemented without net verification, then productivity increases, but short circuits to unrelated nets may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by continuously verifying net associations of overlapping traces before creating via connections. This feedback mechanism ensures that vias are only inserted when the overlapping traces belong to the same net, preventing short circuits to unrelated nets while maintaining high productivity through automated verification processes that operate rapidly without manual intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The net association verification acts as an intermediary check between trace overlap detection and via creation. This intermediary step validates that the overlapping traces are electrically connected through the same net before permitting via insertion, thereby preventing erroneous short circuits while maintaining automated high-speed via creation through rule-based filtering
Data Source
AI summary
Creating and detecting crossings of conductive traces on different layers of an integrated circuit or a conducting trace over a device contact in a system. Values are stored by a system simulator corresponding to a galvanic potential or same “net”. According to a set of rule based instructions vias are automatically displayed, correct-by-construction, and via connections between the traces, or the trace and device contact, to short circuit the paths. The via structure will not be created if it will short-circuit a conducting trace not associated with the net in question. By connecting traces on different layers using automatically created via structures so as not to short circuit other net traces, errors are eliminated and design cycles reduced when compared to a manual design scheme of inserting via connections. There is an interactive mode which allows the via to be easily resized by the use of familiar control handles.