Integrated Circuit Object Placement for Congestion and Pin Density
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current IC design tools face challenges in efficiently addressing congestion and pin density issues during the placement of cells, leading to computationally expensive and time-consuming design processes, with manual intervention often required to resolve congestion and pin density-related problems that are not adequately considered by existing solutions.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for improved object placement in IC design that involves estimating initial placement characteristics such as congestion and pin density, performing transformations like resizing, weighting, clustering, and re-routing to improve these characteristics, and iteratively refining the placement to achieve optimized results, utilizing a combination of techniques like global routing and detailed placement to automate the process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual intervention is used to resolve congestion and pin density issues, then placement quality improves, but design time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically detects congestion and pin density issues, performs transformations on placements, and iteratively refines the design without requiring manual intervention. The computer implemented method self-corrects placement problems by identifying problematic areas and applying appropriate transformations autonomously
Solution Approach 2:
The system estimates placement characteristics including congestion and pin density before finalizing the placement. By performing preliminary analysis and transformations, the system prevents congestion and density issues from developing, rather than correcting them after they occur
2Reliability
If existing placement methods are used without considering pin density, then computational resources are saved, but placement quality and reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the IC design into multiple placements and further segments the analysis into specific characteristics such as congestion and pin density. By processing placements in segments rather than as a whole, the system manages computational complexity while maintaining comprehensive quality assessment
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameters being monitored by explicitly estimating pin density and congestion levels in addition to standard placement metrics. This multi-parameter approach improves placement quality by considering previously neglected factors without requiring completely new computational methods
3Manufacturing precision
If transformations are applied to improve congestion and pin density, then placement characteristic improves, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies transformations selectively to only those placements that exhibit congestion or pin density problems, rather than transforming all placements uniformly. This partial action approach improves problematic areas while minimizing unnecessary processing time for already-acceptable placements
Solution Approach 2:
The system estimates placement characteristics, applies transformations, then re-estimates the characteristics to verify improvement. This feedback loop ensures that transformations are only performed when they will actually improve the placement, avoiding wasted processing time on ineffective transformations
Data Source
AI summary
A method, system, and computer usable program product for an improved object placement in integrated circuit design are provided in the illustrative embodiments. The IC design includes cells, the cells including electronic components, wires, and pins defined for interconnections of the IC. An initial placement corresponding to the design is received. A characteristic of the initial placement is estimated, which may include congestion, pin density, or both in an area of the initial placement. A transformation is performed on a part of the initial placement including the area to improve the characteristic. If the characteristic has improved in the transformed placement, a final placement corresponding to the transformed placement is produced. The transformation may be any combination of resizing an object, weighting a connection, clustering a plurality of objects, shortening of a route taken by a wire, and straightening a bend in a wire in the initial placement.