Device Recognition Engine for Integrated Circuit Design
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current design and layout tools for large integrated circuits (ICs) face challenges in correlating devices with their corresponding artwork, are time-consuming, error-prone, and fail to efficiently identify compound devices and interactions between structures, such as couplers, due to lack of accessible databases and complex device definitions.
Innovation Solution
A method using a data processing system to create a device instance database and type definition library, which instantiates devices by searching for compound devices and updating the database recursively, and generates rules files for semiconductor design rule checking systems to identify shapes and relationships between structures, facilitating the detection of devices within ICs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a flat device definition method is used where compound devices are specified by manually defining all elementary devices, then device definition completeness is achieved, but device definition complexity and error rate increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments device definitions into hierarchical levels: elementary devices (basic geometric shapes) and compound devices (compositions of elementary devices). This segmentation allows compound devices to be defined by referencing elementary device types rather than manually specifying all constituent elements, reducing definition complexity while maintaining completeness through the hierarchical structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a nested hierarchical structure where compound devices contain references to elementary devices, which themselves may contain geometric shapes. This nesting allows multi-level abstraction where high-level device definitions can reference lower-level standardized definitions, reducing errors by ensuring consistency across the entire device hierarchy through centralized type definitions.
2Loss of information
If existing design tools are used to correlate devices with artwork in complex ICs, then basic device identification is possible, but accessibility to device information and identification of compound devices is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary device database that stores structured device instances with references to both artwork and electrical properties. This intermediary structure enables efficient querying and correlation between schematic devices and layout artwork, while also facilitating the detection of compound devices by providing a centralized repository where hierarchical device relationships can be systematically analyzed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual device correlation methods with automated computational processes. The system uses algorithms to automatically match devices between schematic and layout representations, and to identify compound devices by analyzing geometric relationships and pattern recognition, substituting manual mechanical processes with automated electronic computation.
3Manufacturing precision
If manual device definition methods are used for each compound device, then complete device specifications are achieved, but time consumption and error rate increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-defining standardized elementary device types with complete geometric and electrical property specifications. These pre-defined types serve as templates that can be referenced when creating compound devices, eliminating the need to manually specify all properties each time a device is defined. The system performs preliminary validation and consistency checks during the type definition phase, ensuring specification completeness while reducing subsequent definition time.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of operating a data processing system to extract instances of devices contained in a description of an integrated circuit and data processing systems implementing that method are disclosed. A device instance database includes a plurality of instances of devices contained in the integrated circuit, each device instance identifying corresponding structures in the integrated circuit that are part of the device instance. A device type definition library is used to search for instances of devices and includes a plurality of device type definitions, one of the type definitions defining a compound device includes two devices included in the device instance database. The data processing system searches the device instance database for compound devices defined in device type definition library, and updates the device instance database when a new device is found.