ECO Process Optimization via Signoff Context Transfer
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The conventional engineering change order (ECO) process for integrated circuit (IC) design is hindered by the physical implementation tool's inability to detect and correct violations identified by the signoff tool, leading to a time-consuming and haphazard correction process due to less precise analysis.
Innovation Solution
Transferring context information along with violation location data from the signoff tool to the implementation tool, enabling the use of accurate violation context data for targeted layout modifications to efficiently achieve signoff requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the physical implementation tool performs analysis to detect violations, then the layout can be modified based on detected violations, but the analysis precision is insufficient compared to signoff tool leading to haphazard corrections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the signoff tool generates detailed violation context information (including root cause analysis, affected paths, and correction suggestions) that is transferred to the physical implementation tool. This intermediary data bridge allows the implementation tool to perform precise corrections without needing to develop its own high-precision signoff analysis capability, thus resolving the contradiction between detection precision and process complexity.
2Productivity
If manual user inputs are used to guide ECO process, then corrections can be made with user expertise, but the process becomes time-consuming and less efficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the physical implementation tool to perform self-service ECO corrections by automatically receiving and processing violation context information from the signoff tool. The implementation tool can autonomously identify violations, analyze root causes, generate correction suggestions, and implement layout modifications without requiring manual user intervention at each step, thereby significantly improving productivity while reducing the time loss associated with manual ECO cycles.
3Measurement precision
If the implementation tool performs comprehensive signoff-level analysis, then violation detection accuracy improves, but the analysis time and computational resources increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the ECO process into two distinct functional parts: (1) the signoff tool performs comprehensive high-precision violation detection and generates detailed context information, and (2) the physical implementation tool uses this pre-processed information to perform targeted layout modifications. This segmentation allows each tool to perform its specialized function efficiently without duplicating comprehensive analysis, thus maintaining high detection accuracy while minimizing analysis time.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for reaching signoff closure in an ECO (engineering change order) process involves the use of violation context data from the signoff tool as the basis for design layout modifications in an implementation tool. The violation context data includes violation information other than violation location/path information. Because the signoff tool, and more specifically, the signoff algorithm used by that tool is the most accurate model of actual IC behavior, the use of violation context data generated by the signoff tool to implement changes to the design layout will generally produce appropriate and effective results. By accessing this violation context data from the signoff tool, an implementation tool need not rely on its less accurate implementation analysis to determine the optimal design layout modifications for correcting violations detected by the signoff tool.