Standard Cell Topology Power-to-Power Abutment Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for optimizing power, performance, and area (PPA) in semiconductor designs are inefficient due to the need for designing and delivering customized new cells during the placement and routing stage of chip design.
Innovation Solution
A method that modifies standard cells through power-to-power abutment operations such as source-source merging, power enhancement, and diffusion break removal to optimize PPA without creating new cells, allowing for improved design efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If customized new cells are designed and delivered during the placement and routing stage, then power/performance/area optimization can be achieved, but design efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges adjacent standard cells with power-to-power abutment into consolidated cell structures. By combining multiple standard cells that share common power connections into a single optimized cell, the method achieves PPA optimization without requiring custom cell design, thus maintaining design efficiency while improving power performance and reducing area
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies parameters of existing standard cells through automated operations such as merging adjacent cells, removing diffusion breaks, and adjusting power connection configurations. These parameter changes enable PPA optimization by transforming standard cells into optimized configurations without creating entirely new custom cells
2Area of stationary object
If standard cells are modified through power-to-power abutment operations, then chip area is reduced, but cell structure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Adjacent standard cells with power-to-power abutment are merged into consolidated structures that share common power connections and diffusion regions. This merging reduces the total chip area by eliminating redundant power connections and diffusion breaks, while the automation handles the structural complexity
3Reliability
If customized new cells are designed, then electrical connectivity is improved, but design time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary identification of standard cells with power-to-power abutment during the placement stage, before routing begins. This preliminary action allows the system to prepare optimized cell configurations in advance, improving electrical connectivity through better power connection arrangements without adding significant design time
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically identifies, selects, and modifies standard cells with power-to-power abutment using algorithmic operations. This self-service approach eliminates the need for manual custom cell design while achieving improved electrical connectivity through automated optimization of power connections and cell configurations
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a method for placing and routing a circuit design on an integrated circuit. The method includes the steps of: placing a plurality of standard cells in the circuit design; searching for the standard cells with power-to-power abutment in the circuit design; and performing an operation on the standard cells with the power-to-power abutment for a power/performance/area optimization.