IC Polygon Sizing via Vertex Replacement and Projection Paths
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional polygon-sizing techniques often modify the shape of polygons significantly, especially when resizing polygons with acute angles, leading to self-intersection or excessive projection, which changes the original geometry and is unacceptable in many applications.
Innovation Solution
A system that pre-processes polygons by selecting and replacing vertices with replacement vertices, assigning customized projection paths and speeds, and performing a modified wave-front sizing operation to maintain the topology and limit acute angle projection, thereby achieving desired clipping effects without post-processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional polygon-sizing techniques are used to resize polygons with large sizing distances, then the sizing operation can be performed, but the shape of the polygon is significantly modified, causing self-intersection or excessive projection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-processing the polygon geometry before sizing operations. Specifically, acute angle vertices are identified and replaced with multiple replacement vertices that are pre-configured with clipping constraints. This pre-processing step ensures that when the sizing operation occurs, the acute angles are already prepared to be clipped appropriately, preventing self-intersection and excessive projection while maintaining manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the vertex replacement process by replacing each acute angle vertex with multiple replacement vertices (typically two or three) instead of a single vertex. These replacement vertices are strategically positioned and configured with specific clipping constraints. This segmentation allows the sizing operation to clip each replacement vertex independently, ensuring that the overall acute angle is properly clipped without causing self-intersection or excessive projection.
2Device complexity
If conventional sizing techniques are used, then the sizing operation is simple, but the topology of the polygon changes due to split events
Solution Approach 1:
The patent prevents topology changes by performing preliminary action - identifying acute angle vertices and replacing them with constrained replacement vertices before the sizing operation. This pre-constraint ensures that during sizing, the replacement vertices are clipped in a controlled manner that prevents self-intersection, which would otherwise cause split events and topology changes. The clipping constraints are built into the replacement vertex configuration, making the topology stable throughout the sizing process.
3Productivity
If heuristic sizing techniques are used, then the sizing operation can be performed quickly, but the acute angles project very far from the original geometry
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring replacement vertices with clipping constraints before the sizing operation. Each replacement vertex is positioned and constrained so that during sizing, it will be clipped at the appropriate location. This pre-constraint eliminates the need for complex heuristic calculations during the sizing operation itself, maintaining high productivity while ensuring that acute angles do not project excessively far from the original geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by treating acute angle vertices differently from other vertices. Instead of applying a uniform sizing operation to all vertices, the patent identifies acute angles and applies specialized replacement vertex logic only to those locations. This localized approach ensures that acute angles are clipped appropriately without affecting the sizing of other polygon regions, maintaining both speed and shape accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that sizes a polygon in a layout. During operation, the system receives a polygon which is to be sized by a sizing amount. The system then selects one or more vertices of the polygon. Next, the system replaces each selected vertex with a set of replacement vertices, and subsequently assigns a projection path to each replacement vertex in the set of replacement vertices. The system next performs a sizing operation on the polygon according to the sizing amount. During the sizing operation, the system moves each replacement vertex in the set of replacement vertices along the assigned projection path, thereby creating a clipping on the angle associated with the selected vertex. Furthermore, this sizing operation is continuous: similar output polygons are obtained for similar sizing amounts.