Cycle-Tapping Object Selection in EDA Software

Solution Overview

Problem

Users of electronic-design-automation (EDA) software face difficulties in selecting and manipulating objects in complex integrated circuit designs due to overlapping objects across multiple layers, leading to time-consuming manual processes and decreased user experience.

Innovation Solution

A computer system that automatically selects an object in an EDA environment based on cursor location and design command, determining proximate objects and their distances, and allowing selection without explicit user input, using techniques like cycle tapping to improve user interaction and productivity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If manual selection process is used to select objects in EDA software, then user can accurately select specific objects, but selection time and effort increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveobject selection accuracyVSAvoidselection time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically performs object selection based on cursor position and design command without requiring manual user input. The computer system determines which object should be selected by analyzing cursor location and command context, thereby eliminating the time-consuming manual selection process while maintaining accurate object identification

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-determines the selected object before the user completes their intended action. By analyzing the cursor position and active design command in advance, the system identifies and selects the appropriate object automatically, so that when the user executes the command, the correct object is already selected and ready for operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If manual selection process is used to select objects in EDA software, then user can control selection precisely, but user experience degrades and productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveselection controlVSAvoiddesign productivity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically performs object selection based on cursor position and design command without requiring manual user input. The computer system determines which object should be selected by analyzing cursor location and command context, thereby eliminating the time-consuming manual selection process while maintaining accurate object identification

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-determines the selected object before the user completes their intended action. By analyzing the cursor position and active design command in advance, the system identifies and selects the appropriate object automatically, so that when the user executes the command, the correct object is already selected and ready for operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Loss of information

If objects are displayed in multiple layers in EDA software, then complete circuit design information is visible, but object selection becomes difficult due to overlapping objects

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedesign information visibilityVSAvoidobject selection ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically performs object selection based on cursor position and design command without requiring manual user input. The computer system determines which object should be selected by analyzing cursor location and command context, thereby eliminating the time-consuming manual selection process while maintaining accurate object identification

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system resolves the two-dimensional display limitation by introducing a new selection dimension based on cursor position and command context. Instead of requiring users to manually navigate through overlapping objects in the display plane, the system uses cursor location and command analysis to automatically identify the intended object, effectively adding a computational dimension to the selection process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS9342226B2Cycle-tapping technique for selecting objects

Publication Date: 2016.05.17 SYNOPSYS INC

AI summary

A technique for selecting an object is described. During this technique, a computer system selects an object from multiple objects associated with a circuit design in an electronic-design-automation (EDA) environment based at least on a current cursor location and a current design command. For example, the computer system may select the object by determining distances between the cursor location and objects in at least a subset of the multiple objects, and then identifying the minimum distance in the distances. Furthermore, the object may be selected either with or without a user first providing an object-selection input. If the object-selection input is provided, the user may do so by performing one or more mouse clicks or a keyboard shortcut, as opposed to using a window (such as a dialog box or a drop-down menu) that can be displayed in the EDA environment.