Design Support Apparatus for LSI Cell Layout Interference

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In large-scale integrated circuit (LSI) design, interference errors can occur between power supply wiring and cells during layout changes, making it difficult to design circuits without interference between the two.

Innovation Solution

A design support apparatus that calculates and stores recommended positions for cells based on definition information, ensuring no interference with power supply wiring, and arranges cells at these positions to prevent errors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If layout changes are performed to modify cell arrangement, then design adaptability is improved, but interference errors between power supply wiring and cells occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedesign adaptabilityVSAvoidinterference error prevention

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-calculates and stores recommended arrangement positions for cells based on power supply wiring patterns before actual layout design. This preliminary action creates a database of optimal positions that guides subsequent layout changes, allowing designers to adapt layouts while avoiding interference errors with power supply wiring.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides feedback by comparing actual cell arrangement positions against pre-calculated recommended positions. When a cell is arranged at a non-recommended position, the system identifies potential interference errors with power supply wiring, enabling designers to adjust arrangements to maintain reliability during layout changes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If manual checking of interference errors is performed during layout changes, then reliability is improved, but design productivity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinterference error preventionVSAvoiddesign productivity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs automatic interference error checking by comparing cell arrangement positions against pre-calculated recommended positions, eliminating the need for manual checking. This self-service approach maintains high reliability in interference error prevention while significantly improving design productivity by removing time-consuming manual verification steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If frequent cell library modifications are made, then adaptability is improved, but the occurrence of interference errors increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecell library adaptabilityVSAvoidinterference error prevention

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-calculates recommended arrangement positions for each cell type in the library based on power supply wiring patterns. When cells are modified or added to the library, the system automatically updates the recommended position database, ensuring that adaptability improvements from frequent library modifications do not compromise reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10796057B2Support apparatus and design support method

Publication Date: 2020.10.06 FUJITSU LTD

AI summary

There is provided a design support apparatus including a memory, and a processor coupled to the memory and the processor configured to obtain an arrangement target cell, and arrange the arrangement target cell at a position satisfying a condition of an arrangement position recommended for each cell when the arrangement target cell is arranged, based on definition information for defining the condition.