Local Preferred Direction Wiring Model for Routing Resource Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wiring models, such as Manhattan and diagonal wiring, often waste routing resources due to obstacles on the design layout, leading to inefficient use of wiring layers.
Innovation Solution
A Local Preferred Direction (LPD) wiring model that decomposes a wiring layer into non-overlapping regions with multiple local preferred directions, allowing for optimized routing by defining local preferred directions based on the arrangement of power via arrays and macro blocks, thereby recovering lost routing resources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a single global preferred direction is specified for each wiring layer (Manhattan or diagonal wiring model), then the wiring model is simple and easy to implement, but routing resources are wasted due to obstacles on the wiring layer
Solution Approach 1:
The wiring layer is decomposed into multiple non-overlapping regions, each with its own local preferred direction. This segmentation allows different parts of the layer to have optimized routing directions based on local obstacle patterns, thereby improving routing resource utilization while maintaining manageable complexity through systematic region decomposition
Solution Approach 2:
Different local preferred directions are assigned to different regions of the wiring layer based on local obstacle arrangements. This local quality approach enables each region to have routing directions optimized for its specific context, maximizing routing efficiency in areas with obstacles while maintaining overall layer organization
2Adaptability or versatility
If diagonal jogs are allowed on preferred horizontal and vertical layers, then routing flexibility is improved, but design rules are violated and routing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces diagonal preferred directions as a new dimension of routing options on wiring layers. By allowing wires to follow diagonal directions in specific regions, the model provides routing flexibility to navigate around obstacles without requiring costly diagonal jogs on Manhattan layers, effectively adding a dimensional alternative to traditional horizontal/vertical routing
3Reliability
If obstacles are present on a wiring layer, then circuit functionality is achieved, but regions become unusable for routing along the layer's preferred direction
Solution Approach 1:
The wiring model transitions from static global preferred directions to dynamic local preferred directions that adapt to obstacle configurations. By determining local preferred directions based on the specific arrangement of obstacles in each region, the system dynamically optimizes routing paths to utilize available space while maintaining circuit functionality
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments of the invention provide a method for defining wiring directions in a design layout having several wiring layers. The method decomposes a first wiring layer into several non-overlapping regions. It assigns at least two different local preferred wiring directions to at least two of the regions. In some embodiment, the method decomposing the first wiring layer by using the vertices of items in the layout to decompose the layout. In some of these embodiments, the item include macro blocks. The method of some embodiments also identifies several power via arrays on the first wiring layer, and identifies a local preferred wiring direction based on the arrangement of the power via arrays on the first wiring layer.