Topology-Driven Trunk Routing for High-Speed Signal Design
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current custom routing solutions for high-speed and analog/mix signal designs fail to achieve design efficiencies needed for Power, Performance, and Area (PPA) targets, and time to market goals, due to increased complexity from aggressive scaling and complex Design Rule Checking (DRC) rules, especially in scenarios involving metal sharing.
Innovation Solution
An intent-driven trunk topology creation method using a unique topology model with a start point, end point, and optional intermediate jog points connected by segments of multiple layers and widths, where point coordinates are derived from reference objects rather than specified in micron values, allowing for flexible and reproducible trunk creation across different design contexts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If custom routing solutions are used for high-speed and analog/mixed signal designs, then routing flexibility is improved, but design complexity increases due to aggressive scaling and complex DRC rules
Solution Approach 1:
The routing process is divided into two distinct phases: trunk routing for high-speed/analog signals with manual control, and standard routing for other signals with automated DRC checking. This segmentation allows complex routing requirements to be handled separately from standard routing, reducing overall design complexity while maintaining routing flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
Trunk routes are established before final routing completion, creating a preliminary routing structure that guides subsequent routing operations. This preliminary action ensures that critical high-speed and analog signal paths are determined early, allowing designers to maintain control over complex routing requirements while simplifying the remaining routing process.
2Manufacturing precision
If manual trunk routing is performed for each design scenario, then routing precision is improved, but design time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The trunk routing system provides universal functionality that serves multiple purposes: it establishes precise routes for high-speed and analog signals, creates templates for subsequent routing operations, and enables what-if analysis for different design scenarios. This multi-functionality allows a single trunk routing operation to achieve precision routing while simultaneously preparing for various design alternatives, reducing overall design time.
Solution Approach 2:
Once trunk routes are established for a particular design scenario, they can be copied and reused in similar design situations or modified for what-if analysis. This copying capability preserves routing precision across multiple designs while significantly reducing the time required to create similar routing structures in different scenarios.
3Ease of manufacture
If existing routing solutions are used, then implementation simplicity is maintained, but design efficiency and reusability decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The trunk routing system is designed to be dynamic and adaptable to different design scenarios. Trunk routes can be easily modified, adjusted, and reused across different designs and what-if analysis scenarios. This dynamic nature maintains implementation simplicity while dramatically improving design efficiency and reusability, as the same trunk routing framework can serve multiple design purposes without requiring complete re-routing.
Data Source
AI summary
The computer executable instructions include a command that accepts multiple user input through various command options. The command encapsulates and implements multiple original software algorithms that convert trunking design intent, expressed via the command options, into trunks on multiple layers of a process technology node. Once executed, the command generates shapes of trunks of specified topology on specified layers. The command includes a set of options to generate a simple or complex trunking topology. The command accepts topology, set of zones, nets and many other options that the user provides to the command to yield trunks of a desired topology. The topology description is relative; thus, it can easily adjust as design changes. The command together with its options represents trunk creation intent.