CN100490120C - Automatic allocation and allocation method of spare element in wiring module - Google Patents
Automatic allocation and allocation method of spare element in wiring module Download PDFInfo
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Abstract
本发明提供了一种将备用单元配置到集成电路自动配置和布线模块内的方法。确定该模块内功能单元清单时连同连线表一起确定。功能单元和所需备用单元面积总和用于确定模块边界面积。该边界连同连线表及功能单元清单作为输入项一起提供到自动布线工具。该功能单元清单实际上不含有任何备用单元，因此该配置工具不会将备用单元配置到边界内。这样，备用单元面积可被该工具用作富余空间以有效配置功能单元。该工具生成一种功能单元配置方案，其边界内含有白色空间。然后再将备用单元配置到该白色空间内。
The invention provides a method for configuring spare cells into an integrated circuit automatic configuration and wiring module. When determining the list of functional units in the module, determine it together with the wiring list. The sum of the functional unit and required spare unit areas is used to determine the module boundary area. This boundary is provided as input to the autorouting tool along with the netlist and functional cell list. The functional unit list does not actually contain any spare units, so the configuration tool will not configure spare units into the boundary. In this way, the spare unit area can be used by the tool as a spare space to efficiently configure functional units. The tool generates a functional unit scheme with white space within its boundaries. The spare unit is then configured into this white space.
Description
Technical field
The present invention relates generally to the automatic configuration and the wiring method of circuit unit in the integrated circuit, or rather, relates to a kind of spatial configuration method of integrated circuit stand-by unit.
Background technology
For understanding content of the present invention more comprehensively, at first explain four notions relevant: the use of stand-by unit when the hierarchy of relation, integrated circuit (IC) design between functional module size and the rate of finished products, configuration and the use of wiring tool (APR-auto-place-route tools) automatically, integrated circuit (IC) design engineering change (EC) (ECs-engineering changes) with integrated circuit (IC) design at this.
Concerning integrated circuit, the current market pressure that always exists reduces cost exactly.A very big factor that influences the integrated circuit cost is exactly an ic yield.Integrated circuit is made into a plurality of independently integrated circuit crystal grain (die) in the mode of two-dimensional array on semiconductor wafer.When making integrated circuit crystal grain after the processing of wafers, wafer will be divided into independent crystal grain.Because there is defective in wafer, just causes the crystal grain of certain percentage in the array not possess proper function.Rate of finished products refers to possess the ratio of normal function number of die and the total number of die of produce.
A size that key factor is each individual dies on the wafer of decision rate of finished products.Reason is that wafer defect is equally distributed relatively on entire wafer, and individual defect just be enough to cause one independently crystal grain lose normal function.Therefore when single crystallite dimension increased, a crystal grain contained one or more defectives and causes losing the probability of normal function with corresponding increase.An opposite extreme situations is, can only there be a crystal grain this moment in a crystallite dimension greatly to occupying entire wafer on wafer, and it is zero that this will cause rate of finished products to approach.A key factor determining crystallite dimension is that the designer can be placed into the circuit element density that comprises in the integrated circuit (IC) design scheme on the crystal grain.
When the engineer designs one such as microprocessor during complicated integrated circuit, they adopt stage division.Concrete condition is that they resolve into a plurality of senior element that the back that links together forms this design with design.Senior element can further resolve into again to link together forms the more small components of senior element.This classification decomposition method can be proceeded according to this, so that obtain a plurality of grades of decomposition texture at last.The advantage of this hierarchy is the process of may command somewhat complex design scheme and can reaches design object.Another advantage of hierarchy method is that the different engineers of permission design the different elements in this design.
Highest situation is that design has a plurality of elements that are commonly referred to " functional module " to form, and these functional modules are joined together to form integrated circuit.For example: microprocessor is by such as ALU, register file, cache memory, and floating point unit, instruction transfer interpreter etc. and so on functional module is formed.Functional module contains input, the output that connects together with formation microprocessor Design scheme.
Functional module is made up of a plurality of more small components that are commonly referred to " unit (ce1l) ".For example: the unit can be gate (as: AND, OR, NAND, NOR logic), trigger, Port Multiplier, register, comparator, counter etc.These unit contain input, the output that connects together with the formation functional module.They can be the standard cell that is selected from the shared cell storehouse, also can be user's design cell voluntarily.
During engineer's design module, the problem that they at first consider under the normal condition is that the logic that need comprise these unit in what unit and the module in the module connects, and just which output which input should be connected to.The problem of Kao Lving is how these unit that comprised specifically to be placed in the module and how their input, output to be connected together subsequently.Say in essence, can adopt two kinds of methods that these unit are placed in the functional module.A kind of method is that designer oneself is placed into each unit in the functional module.Such functional module is commonly referred to user's design module.An example of user's design module is exactly the high density memory cells such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM) unit.
With the concrete second method of placing in each unit of functional module is to adopt the computer aided design software instrument.These instruments are often referred to automatic configuration and wiring tool (APR), and are commonly referred to automatic configuration and wiring functional module (APR piece) by the functional module that automatic configuration and wiring tool are placed.The input item of APR instrument be the composition function module unit inventory (the concrete area and I/O specification that comprise them), the relevant regulation that how these unit is connected together, hold the functional module border that this instrument is wanted placement unit.Intensive as far as possible placement during APR instrument placement unit also will be considered the required link information of wiring simultaneously, output module concrete configuration figure or the particular location specification of placing figure and the used circuit of linkage unit input/output terminal.
In typical case, when an APR tool user regulation APR module border was imported, the area of module was set to bigger by 5% to 15% than the total peace treaty of the area of all independent unit of module.These excess areas, or to be called " excess room " existence (wiggle-room) be necessary, and reason is that the shape of these unit is not in full accord.If no excess room, the APR instrument can not be placed into all unit in the module border.In addition, the process of placement unit may be very complicated and need expends the plenty of time, even also be like this during operation APR instrument on current superpower computer.In this case, the excess room that is disposed is many more, and the speed of APR instrument placement unit is just fast more.Excess room added to this way may cause module memory at the idle space that is not occupied by the unit in the module border.These idle spaces are commonly referred to " white space " (white-space), and it has wasted the space of crystal grain.The integrate circuit function module words spoken by an actor from offstage color space is many more, and crystallite dimension is just big more, and rate of finished products is just low more.
Because integrated circuit (IC) products is very complicated, therefore in the life cycle of its entire product, often need implement some very little change to its design.These very little changes are commonly referred to " engineering change (EC) " or " EC ".Possible situation is that the engineering change (EC) reason that the most often runs into is to exist " mistake (bug) " in design defect or the product design scheme.
When implementing some engineering change (EC), only need existing unit is reconnected, only connected mode and last design are slightly different.Yet, need add new unit when implementing more other engineering change (EC)s, and also need and should connect together with existing unit new unit.Consider this point, during designer's design function module, except design was referred to as the essential unit of " functional unit ", the additional unit that also will be referred to as " stand-by unit " was added in the functional module.Stand-by unit can be finished the said function that the same-type functional unit is possessed such as gate, Port Multiplier, but the input of stand-by unit does not link to each other with other unit in the module with output.If when implementing engineering change (EC) subsequently and need add new unit, just can stand-by unit be connected on the Elementary Function unit according to changing needs.
Contain in the functional module stand-by unit when reducing engineering change (EC) required time and the cost tool have great advantage.When making a complicated integrated circuit, the situation of finishing about 100 treatment steps in several time-of-weeks is not rare.Each treatment step all will add some things with towards the finishing of integrated circuit on wafer, such as: extremely thin semi-conducting material or the metal material of deposition one deck.The commitment of these treatment steps is most time-consuming, also is that cost is the highest.These early stage steps are generally used for defining the semiconductor element out of the ordinary position such as the transistor of component units.Comparatively speaking, subsequent step just implements and also is easier to implement than very fast, low while of cost, and they are generally used for defining the link position of the transistor, unit and the functional module that connect integrated circuit.
Therefore, engineering change (EC) that need to add new transistor or unit than do not need to add new transistor or unit, only need with existing transistor or unit carry out again line the engineering change (EC) costliness many.Adding in the functional module stand-by unit to this mode can increase and only need the possibility of line engineering change (EC) again.
The lower-cost reason of engineering change (EC) that does not need to add new transistor or unit is (need to find change afterwards) when wafer is made by preliminary design scheme, some also do not implement the wafer of connection step just may cancel connection step, if in the time of need carrying out engineering change (EC), can continue to implement connection step so that optionally connect stand-by unit.But the result is the crystal grain of the engineering change (EC) scheme of fabrication portion at least, so that before the product of volume production engineering change (EC) scheme, can test this change scheme.In this case, stand-by unit is used for measuring wrong repair place with immediate mode, and fast method described herein is similar to and uses well-known " white line " to repair the method for circuit board mistake.
In another case, suppose to find that integrate circuit function is undesired, and confirm that according to the performance situation designer of integrated circuit design defect is arranged, but do not know that what mistake is or how repairs it.When the designer determines that wrong place and design are revised this mistake by stand-by unit, just can horse back wafer is carried out up to till the connection step but does not comprise the treatment step of connection step.In case determined the bug patch scheme, just can implement the final connection step of this processing procedure so that connect required stand-by unit.This processing mode can be saved about two to three time-of-weeks, if consider loss in revenue, especially for the industrial circle of " time is the market key factor ", saving may be very valuable during this period of time.
Current, configuration and interconnect module designer can add the border that following element is determined functional module by automatic configuration and wiring tool automatically.Add element and comprise functional unit area (that is: the area summation of functional unit out of the ordinary in the functional module), spare cell area (5%-15% that is about functional unit area summation in typical case) allows configuration and the required excess room (being about the total functional unit area and the 5%-15% of spare cell area sum in typical case) of the quick placement unit of wiring tool automatically.
The deficiency of conventional method is residual in automatically configuration and interconnect module relatively large white space to be arranged, excess room just, and this can cause bigger crystallite dimension, compares with the efficient fully integrated circuit of placing, and conventional method has hangs down rate of finished products.What therefore need now is a kind of method that can reduce the automatic configuration of integrated circuit and the interconnect module words spoken by an actor from offstage color space.
Summary of the invention
Existing close cooperation between automatic configuration that stand-by unit is given in white spatial area that excess room was caused when the present invention recognized automatic configuration of use and wiring tool and configuration and the interconnect module area concerns, simultaneously also recognize any position no matter stand-by unit is placed into automatic configuration and interconnect module, they can both bring into play the function of oneself when carrying out engineering change (EC).The invention provides in view of the above and a kind of stand-by unit is placed into method in automatic configuration and the interconnect module, this method is by removing excess room in the module border, stand-by unit is not added to (the white spatial area that so automatic configuration and wiring tool are produced just approximates required spare cell area) in the unit inventory that offers automatic configuration and wiring tool, these steps can fundamentally reach white space and minimize in the white space that is produced when stand-by unit is placed into automatic configuration and wiring tool block configuration, thereby can reduce module words spoken by an actor from offstage color space area significantly.Therefore when reaching above-mentioned target, a feature of the present invention has just provided and a kind of stand-by unit has been configured to method in automatic configuration and the interconnect module.This method at first comprises by the automatic configuration of computer system and wiring tool calculates the gross area of list of functional in configuration automatically and the interconnect module and the gross area of stand-by unit inventory.This method comprises list of functional and border is provided to the automatic configuration of computer system and wiring tool so that generate configuration and interconnect module layout automatically in view of the above as input item then.Wherein list of functional does not comprise the stand-by unit inventory.Has the gross area that an area approximates list of functional and stand-by unit inventory in this border.This method comprises the step that automatic configuration and wiring tool by computer system are filled into the stand-by unit in the stand-by unit inventory layout words spoken by an actor from offstage color space at last.
On the other hand, a feature of the present invention provided a kind of will dispose automatically with interconnect module in the unit be placed into method in the integrated circuit.Automatically configuration and interconnect module design comprise the list of functional of contained a plurality of functional units in the designated module.Each unit in these a plurality of functional units all has an area value and input, output.Automatically configuration comprises also with the interconnect module design how the input of specifying these a plurality of functional modules is connected for information about with output.This method comprises by the automatic configuration of computer system and wiring software program determines spare cell area, automatic configuration and wiring software program by computer system determine that area approximates the automatic configuration and the interconnect module border of stand-by unit and these a plurality of functional unit area summations, offers list of functional, link information and border the automatic configuration and the wiring software program of computer system.Automatically the automatic configuration of configuration and wired program generation and interconnect module allocation plan contain the idle space in the border.This method also is included in the automatic configuration of computer system and wired program and generates behind configuration automatically and the interconnect module allocation plan step that automatic configuration and wiring software program by computer system are placed into stand-by unit this idle space.
On the other hand, a feature of the present invention has provided the collocation method of unit in a kind of integrate circuit function module.This method comprises by the automatic configuration of computer system and wiring software determines unit inventory in the functional module.This inventory does not comprise stand-by unit.This method also comprises by the automatic configuration of computer system and wiring software determines the functional module border.This border inner area is the total function of unit inventory area.This method also comprises the concrete configuration situation that generates unit inventory in the border.This concrete configuration situation is finished by automatic configuration and wiring software.Simultaneously, receive the information of relevant border and unit inventory specification by automatic configuration of being somebody's turn to do of computer system and wiring software.After this method also is included in and generates the concrete configuration situation, the step that automatic configuration and the wiring software by computer system is placed into stand-by unit the border words spoken by an actor from offstage color space.Wherein white space is to produce during by the automatic configuration of computer system and wiring software concrete configuration unit inventory.
An advantage of the invention is in module, not remain white space substantially, compare, can be made into the littler module of size with previous method.This size more advantage of little module is that final crystallite dimension is littler, thereby can improve rate of finished products, and reduces cost.In addition, more little module means between the crystal grain upper module compacter, this has also reduced signalling channel length on the crystal grain potentially, thereby has reduced signal transferring lag time and minimum detectable signal time, and this will cause integrated circuit clock frequency increase in the device such as microprocessor.In addition, this invention has also reduced automatic configuration in unit and wiring required time in the module potentially.
After consulting the further part and description of drawings of specification of the present invention, other features and advantages of the present invention can be more clear.
Description of drawings
Fig. 1 represents according to the present invention the collocation method flow chart of configuration stand-by unit in automatic configuration and interconnect module.
Fig. 2 represents to determine four kinds of form of implementation flow charts of the required spare cell area of Fig. 1 to Fig. 5.
Fig. 6 represents the block diagram of the situation configuration stand-by unit embodiment shown in Figure 1 according to the present invention.
Number in the figure is described as follows:
Fig. 1 stand-by unit collocation method
102-designer design comprises the module of list of functional and link information
104-determines total functional unit area with function cellar area addition in the module
106-determines required spare cell area
108-obtains total cellar area with total functional unit area and required spare cell area addition
112-is input to following content automatic configuration tool and moves automatic configuration tool as input item:
1) area equals the border of total cellar area, and
2) unit inventory and link information; Wherein the unit inventory only comprises functional unit wherein, does not comprise stand-by unit wherein that is:
The automatic configuration tool of 114-generates a module that disposed, and total white spatial area approximates the required stand-by unit gross area in this module
116-is configured to stand-by unit and is configured after the tool configuration in the module in the remaining white space
Fig. 2-Fig. 5 determines the form of implementation of spare cell area
Figure 21 06-determines required spare cell area
Required stand-by unit inventory in the 202-designer determination module
204-with required spare cell area addition so that determine required spare cell area
Figure 31 06-determines required spare cell area
When 302-calculates required spare cell area, spare cell area is got a percent value doing the general function cellar area
Figure 41 06-determines required spare cell area
When 402-calculates required spare cell area, concerning each module, spare cell area got do a fixed value
Figure 51 06-determines required spare cell area
When 502-calculates required spare cell area, be in which concrete scope in the series of values scope, spare cell area got do some fixed values according to the general function cellar area
Fig. 6 stand-by unit configuration embodiment
604a-functional unit area=800 604b-functional unit area=1000
604c-functional unit area=1200 604d-functional unit area=800
604e-functional unit area=1400 604f-functional unit area=1600
604g-functional unit area=1200
Step 102: the functional unit in the modular design scheme
Total functional unit area=8000-------step 104: calculate total functional unit area
Required spare cell area=1200-------step 106: determine required spare cell area
Total cellar area=9200-------------step 108: calculate total cellar area
Step 112: the border is provided to configuration tool as input item
Step 114: configuration tool generates a kind of allocation plan automatically; The white spatial area approximates required spare cell area
604a-functional unit area=800 604b-functional unit area=1000
604c-functional unit area=1200 604d-functional unit area=800
604e-functional unit area=1400 604f-functional unit area=1600
604g-functional unit area=1200 608-white space
Step 116: fill white space with stand-by unit
604a-functional unit area=800 604b-functional unit area=1000
604c-functional unit area=1200 604d-functional unit area=800
604e-functional unit area=1400 604f-functional unit area=1600
604g-functional unit area=1200 612-stand-by units
Embodiment
Seeing also Fig. 1 now, is the collocation method flow chart when disposing stand-by unit according to the present invention in automatic configuration and interconnect module shown in the figure.This flow chart originates in step 102.
In step 102, the designer designs the automatic configuration and the interconnect module that are used for integrated circuit (IC) design scheme such as microprocessor.Automatically configuration and interconnect module are functional module in the integrated circuit, and this integrate circuit function unit is by means of disposing automatically and wiring software program or tool configuration and route in the functional module.Automatically configuration and interconnect module are exemplified as ALU (ALU) or floating point unit (FPU) or multimedia enhancement unit (MXU) (arbitrary multimedia enhancement unit also can further be divided into N adder (N-bit adder), multiplier etc.), translate look-aside buffer (TLB), Bus Interface Unit (BIU), register file, the instruction transfer interpreter, instruction column, write, filling or storage buffer, the various control logic pieces of different elements such as data, instruction or branch target address cache.Well-known automatic configuration and wiring tool example comprise the TeraPlace instrument of Mentor Graphics company, the Silicon Ensemble instrument of the Physical Compiler instrument of Synopsys company and Cadence Design Systems company.
A unit is a circuit finishing a kind of function, and this circuit has entity border specific, that can not change, if this entity border, unit change will no longer be similar unit according to this unit of definition then.A module refers to the set of a plurality of unit in the entity border, if functional unit combination change will no longer be same generic module according to this module of definition then.Yet module entity border can be changed and when wherein the functional unit combination remains unchanged, the function of this module will remain unchanged.These are different with the unit, and for the unit, the entity border can not be changed.Like this, two kinds of automatic configuration tools of difference can generate the multiple diverse location combination of specifying function unit set in configuration automatically and the interconnect module border.
The other method of discrimination unit and module is that module has entity class when disposing automatically and connecting up, and the unit does not have entity class.Automatically configuration and interconnect module also are known as random logic macro (RLM).It should be noted that non-automatic configuration and interconnect module also can not possess entity class such as user's design module.For example: design such as dynamic random access memory during user's design module, but in designer's concrete configuration circuit such as transistor or gate each individual component, and need not dispose automatically and all elements of wiring tool configuration circuit.
Automatic configuration and interconnect module design comprise the list of functional in automatic configuration and the interconnect module in the step 102.Functional unit refers to that input and interior other unit of output and module are connected and finish a unit of functions of modules.Functional unit and stand-by unit comparatively speaking, stand-by unit can be finished all functions that its similar functional unit possesses, but according to the function module design scheme, the input of stand-by unit does not link to each other with other unit in the module with output.The purpose that comprises stand-by unit in the module is the engineering change (EC) of being convenient to subsequently, such as: revise wrong or the reinforcement integrate circuit function.This functional module example comprises gate (that is: AND, OR, NAND, NOR, XOR etc.), transistor, latch, trigger, Port Multiplier, demultiplexer, register, comparator, carry save adder, counter, shift register, priority encoder, clock regenerator, two-phase buffer and synchronizer.
Step 102 disposes automatically and the interconnect module design also comprises link information.Link information refers to that the input of representation function unit is the information how to connect together with output.Wire list is exactly an example of link information.For example: the output pin position that link information may regulation inverter XYZ is connected to the input pin position 1 of NAND-door ABC, and the output pin position of NAND-door ABC is connected to the input pin position 3 of NOR-door GHI.Automatically configuration and wiring tool with configuration of cells to dispose automatically and interconnect module in the time to consider these link informations so that feasible subsequently wiring step is easier to carry out.This moment, this flow process just advanced to step 104 from step 102.
In step 104, automatic configuration by computer system and wiring software program with the area addition of each functional unit in the automatic configuration of step 102 appointment and the interconnect module design so that determine total functional unit area.In typical case, each cell configuration is rectangle.Especially, when determining total functional unit area, do not consider finally will add to the stand-by unit in automatic configuration and the interconnect module.This moment, this flow process advanced to step 106 from step 104.
In step 106, determine the required area of stand-by unit in configuration automatically and the interconnect module by the automatic configuration and the wiring software program of computer system.At this moment, can adopt multiple mode to determine required spare cell area.Fig. 2 represents to determine four kinds of modes of spare cell area to Fig. 5.This moment, this flow process advanced to step 108 from step 106.
In step 108,, dispose automatically and the total cellar area of interconnect module so that obtain by total functional unit area and the definite required spare cell area addition of step 106 that the automatic configuration and the wiring software program of computer system are determined step 104.As described below in conjunction with step 112, total cellar area is approximately equal to automatic configuration and interconnect module boundary areas.Especially, different with conventional method, can there be too much excess room in this total cellar area that is similar to automatic configuration and interconnect module boundary areas.As following situation, as excess room, reason is different with conventional method to the spare cell area of determining in step 106 at this, and stand-by unit is not included in the unit inventory that is provided to automatic configuration and wiring tool in the method.This moment, this flow process advanced to step 112 from step 108.
In step 112, the functional module in the functional module inventory that operation is disposed automatically and wiring tool is definite with step 102 is configured in automatic configuration and the interconnect module.Have at least two input items to be provided to automatic configuration and wiring tool this moment: list of functional and link information that step 102 generates, configuration and interconnect module border automatically.Especially, do not comprise stand-by unit in the list of functional this moment.This instrument just can not be configured to stand-by unit in the specified boundary like this.Total cellar area that step 108 is determined comprises the spare cell area that step 106 is determined, because stand-by unit is not included in the list of functional that is provided to automatic configuration and wiring tool, so spare cell area is not automatically configured with wiring tool and is used to place stand-by unit, the advantage of doing like this is that spare cell area can be used as excess room, and it makes configuration automatically and wiring tool easier functional unit to be placed into and specifies in configuration automatically and the interconnect module border.
Automatically configuration and interconnect module border are a series of coordinate figures of making the polygon vertex that will place functional module.These polygon vertexs have been determined a zone, and this region area is approximately equal to total cellar area that step 108 is determined.As a kind of form of implementation, polygonal all angles are the right angle.In typical case, the polygonal various figures in designer's selection function module border will dispose automatically with interconnect module with optimum mode and be filled in the planar configuration of integrated circuit.This moment, this flow process advanced to step 114 from step 112.
In step 114, configuration and wiring tool generate a kind of configuration of step 112 appointed function unit in the border that step 112 is determined automatically, or a kind of planar configuration.Because total functional unit area is less than boundary areas, this kind configuration just must comprise white space, that is: the still untapped zone that is not occupied by functional unit in automatic configuration and the interconnect module border.In typical case, white space is made up of a plurality of independent white spaces, and they are referred to as white space.The area summation in these independent white spaces, promptly total white spatial area is approximately equal to the gross area of the required stand-by unit that step 106 determines.This moment, this flow process advanced to step 116 from step 114.
In step 116, the designer is placed into stand-by unit in automatic configuration and the interconnect module in the remaining white space by automatic configuration and wiring tool.At this moment, big stand-by unit can be placed in the big independent white space, the medium size stand-by unit is placed in the medium independent white space, by that analogy, and till stand-by unit little such as gate and diode only can be placed in remaining white space.Adopt this kind mode, can fundamentally remove white space, thereby reach the effect of almost completely utilizing configuration automatically and interconnect module area.Also can adopt other the whole bag of tricks that stand-by unit is configured in the white space in addition.Can adopt the visual computer design aids that the stand-by unit manual configuration is arrived in the white space such as the designer.In addition, Software tool also can receive input stand-by unit inventory and the automatic configuration of step 114 and the configuration output of wiring tool that is configured to automatic configuration and interconnect module, automatically stand-by unit is configured in the white space of automatic configuration and interconnect module.This flow process just finishes in step 116 like this.
See also Fig. 2 now, the figure shows first kind of form of implementation flow chart of the definite required spare cell area step of step 106 among Fig. 1.This flow process originates in step 202.
In step 202, by the automatic configuration of computer system and the stand-by unit inventory in definite configuration automatically of wiring software program and the interconnect module.In typical case, according to the function selecting stand-by unit type and the quantity of automatic configuration and interconnect module.For example: generally include a large amount of gates in the stand-by unit inventory.This moment, this flow process advanced to step 204.
In step 204, the area addition of single stand-by unit in the stand-by unit inventory that automatic configuration by computer system and wiring software program are determined step 202 is so that the required spare cell area of determining step 106.This moment, this flow chart just finished in step 204.
See also Fig. 3 now, the figure shows second kind of form of implementation flow chart of the definite required spare cell area step of step 106 among Fig. 1.This flow process originates in step 302.
In step 302, when automatic configuration by computer system and wiring software program calculation procedure 106 required spare cell area, the particular percentile of the general function cellar area of determining with step 104 among Fig. 1 is represented.For example: can with the general function cellar area 10% as required spare cell area.Complexity and/or size according to automatic configuration and interconnect module are different, and this percentages can be used as its function and gets different numerical value.This moment, this flow process finished in step 302.
See also Fig. 4 now, the figure shows the third form of implementation flow chart of the definite required spare cell area step of step 106 among Fig. 1.This flow process originates in step 402.
In step 402, during the required spare cell area of designer's calculation procedure 106, the spare cell area in all modules in the integrated circuit (IC) design scheme can be got the value of fixing.For example: can stipulate in the design that required spare cell area is 500 square microns.This moment, this flow process finished in step 402.
See also Fig. 5 now, the figure shows the 4th kind of form of implementation flow chart of the definite required spare cell area step of step 106 among Fig. 1.This flow process originates in step 502.
In step 502, during the required spare cell area of designer's calculation procedure 106, the general function cellar area that step 104 is determined can be divided into several scopes, the spare cell area in the particular range is got particular value.That is to say that integrated circuit (IC) design personnel can be divided into the general function cellar area a plurality of intervals, to specific spare cell area value of configuration between each given zone.For example: can stipulate in the design that when general function cellar area during less than 4500 square microns, required spare cell area is 500 square microns; When the general function cellar area between between 4500 to 6000 square microns time, required spare cell area is 600 square microns; When the general function cellar area between between 6000 to 8000 square microns time, required spare cell area is 800 square microns; When general function cellar area during greater than 8000 square microns, required spare cell area is 1000 square microns.This moment, this flow process finished in step 502.
See also Fig. 6 now, the figure shows situation shown in Figure 1, the ratio block diagram of stand-by unit configuration embodiment according to the present invention.For ease of illustrative, embodiment illustrated in fig. 6ly simplified significantly, so that only comprise seven functional units, yet typical case configuration and interconnect module automatically may comprise hundreds of functional modules.Therefore, compare with normal conditions, the functional module area is bigger with total module area correlation among the embodiment.
As shown in Figure 6, seven functional modules are labeled as 604a respectively to 604g, are referred to as functional module 604, and according to step 102 regulation among Fig. 1, this module 604 is included in automatic configuration of typical case and the interconnect module design.Functional unit 604a is respectively 800,1000 to the area of 604g, 1200,800,1400,1600 and 1200 square microns.Except the area of functional module 604 each module, how the input, the output specification that also comprise each functional module 604 in the design connect together the link information of finishing automatic configuration and interconnect module function with each input with showing with output.
As shown in Figure 6, according to Fig. 1 step 104 regulation, gained general function cellar area is 8000 square microns after functional module 604 all cellar area additions.As shown in Figure 6, according to Fig. 1 step 106 regulation, required spare cell area is 1200 square microns in the present embodiment.Equally as shown in Figure 6, according to step 108 regulation, be 9200 square microns with the functional unit gross area and the total cellar area of required spare cell area addition gained.
As shown in Figure 6, determine configuration and interconnect module border 606 automatically, and, this border is provided to automatic configuration and wiring tool as input item according to Fig. 1 step 112 regulation.Automatically configuration and interconnect module border 606 are a polygon, and polygon 606 is determined by specifying its each apex coordinate.The area of this polygon 606 is 9200 square microns, equals total cellar area of determining in the step 108.In step 112, functional unit 604 inventories offer automatic configuration tool together with link information equally.Especially it should be noted that stand-by unit is not included in functional unit 604 inventories that offer configuration tool.
As shown in Figure 6, according to Fig. 1 step 114 regulation, configuration tool will generate a kind of automatic configuration and interconnect module allocation plan according to module border 606, functional unit 604 inventories and link information automatically.As shown in Figure 6, in this allocation plan, there is white space 608.Fig. 6 expresses four differentiable white spaces 608 in the block configuration scheme.As shown in the figure, the area summation in these independent white spaces 608 approximates required spare cell area, i.e. 1200 definite square microns of step 106.
As shown in Figure 6, according to Fig. 1 step 116 regulation, stand-by unit is configured in the white space 608 of step 114 generation.Significantly advantage is, says that in essence whole white space 608 all is filled with stand-by unit, and this causes whole automatic configuration and interconnect module almost by configuration in full force and effect, does not almost waste any space.As mentioned above, because embodiment has adopted the functional module 604 than number much less under the normal condition, this functional module 604 is especially compared with spare part with regard to the big disproportion that gets, and may get disproportion especially greatly.
Although foregoing has been described the present invention and purpose thereof, feature, advantage in detail, the present invention also comprises other form of implementation.For example: although described the form of implementation of several different definite spare cell area, the present invention allows to use arbitrary method to determine spare cell area in the implementation process.Further situation is, although involved implementer is the integrated circuit (IC) design personnel when describing each step of the present invention, this step also can be finished by means of computer system by the designer.
For those skilled in the art; obviously; without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention; they can adopt notion described herein and several concrete form of implementation as the basis other structure that is used to finish with the same purpose of the present invention to be designed and changes, so protection scope of the present invention is as the criterion with defining of claim.
Claims (17)
1. the automatic collocation method of stand-by unit in configuration and the interconnect module is characterized in that, comprising:
Automatic configuration and wiring tool by computer system calculate the gross area that comprises the list of functional of a plurality of functional units in configuration automatically and the interconnect module and comprise the stand-by unit inventory of a plurality of stand-by units;
Provide this list of functional and border as automatically configuration and the wiring tool of input item to computer system, so that generate configuration and interconnect module planar configuration automatically in view of the above, wherein this functional module inventory does not comprise the stand-by unit inventory, this border has area, equals the gross area of this list of functional and this stand-by unit inventory; And
Automatic configuration and wiring tool by computer system are packed into the stand-by unit in the stand-by unit inventory in the white space of this planar configuration in large quantities.
2. the collocation method of stand-by unit is characterized in that in automatic configuration as claimed in claim 1 and the interconnect module, and this white space comprises the space that is not occupied by the functional unit in this list of functional in this border.
3. the collocation method of stand-by unit is characterized in that in automatic configuration as claimed in claim 1 and the interconnect module, and this stand-by unit comprises a plurality of unit, and its output does not link to each other with other unit in the interconnect module with automatic configuration with input.
4. the collocation method of stand-by unit is characterized in that in automatic configuration as claimed in claim 1 and the interconnect module, and this functional unit comprises a plurality of unit, and its output and input are connected to other unit in automatic configuration and the interconnect module.
5. the collocation method of stand-by unit is characterized in that in automatic configuration as claimed in claim 1 and the interconnect module, and this functional unit comprises a plurality of unit, makes automatic configuration and interconnect module finish its expectation function.
6. the collocation method of stand-by unit is characterized in that in automatic configuration as claimed in claim 1 and the interconnect module, further comprises:
This list of functional and this border are provided and the link information of this list of functional is provided to the automatic configuration tool of computer system as input item, to generate configuration and interconnect module planar configuration automatically in view of the above.
One kind will dispose automatically with interconnect module in configuration of cells to the method for integrated circuit, wherein configuration and interconnect module design comprise the list of functional of specifying a plurality of functional units of desiring to comprise automatically, each unit of these a plurality of functional units all contains area value and input, output, automatically configuration also comprises the input of specifying these a plurality of functional units, the link information how output is connected with the interconnect module design, it is characterized in that this method comprises:
Automatic configuration and wiring software program by computer system are determined spare cell area;
By the border that the configuration automatically and the wiring software program of computer system are made this automatic configuration and interconnect module, this border has area and equals this spare cell area and these a plurality of functional unit area summations;
Configuration automatically and wiring software program to computer system provide this list of functional, this link information, this border, and configuration and wiring software program generate the planar configuration scheme of being somebody's turn to do configuration automatically and interconnect module that the border contains white space automatically at this moment; And
After the automatically configuration of computer system and wiring software program generate configuration automatically and interconnect module planar configuration scheme, by computer system should dispose automatically and the wiring software program is configured to this white space with stand-by unit.
8. as claimed in claim 7 will dispose automatically with interconnect module in configuration of cells to the method for integrated circuit, it is characterized in that this list of functional does not comprise this stand-by unit.
9 as claimed in claim 7 will dispose automatically with interconnect module in configuration of cells to the method for integrated circuit, it is characterized in that the gross area of this white space equals this spare cell area.
10. as claimed in claim 7 will dispose automatically with interconnect module in configuration of cells to the method for integrated circuit, it is characterized in that the above-mentioned method that this stand-by unit is configured to this white space comprises by means of the configuration automatically of computer system and wiring software program each the unit people in this stand-by unit for being configured to this white space.
11. as claimed in claim 7 will dispose automatically with interconnect module in configuration of cells to the method for integrated circuit, it is characterized in that, above-mentionedly determine that the method for this spare cell area comprises:
Configuration automatically and wiring software program by computer system are determined required stand-by unit inventory in this automatic configuration and the interconnect module; And
Configuration automatically and this spare cell area of wiring software program by computer system are set to equal this stand-by unit inventory area summation.
12. as claimed in claim 7 will dispose automatically with interconnect module in configuration of cells to the method for integrated circuit, it is characterized in that, the method of above-mentioned definite this spare cell area is included in when calculating this spare cell area, this area is got a percent value of doing these a plurality of functional unit area summations by the configuration automatically and the wiring software program of computer system.
13. as claimed in claim 7 will dispose automatically with interconnect module in configuration of cells to the method for integrated circuit, it is characterized in that the above-mentioned method of determining this spare cell area comprises by the configuration automatically of computer system and wiring software program this spare cell area being got does a predetermined value.
14. as claimed in claim 7 will dispose automatically with interconnect module in configuration of cells to the method for integrated circuit, it is characterized in that, the above-mentioned method of determining this spare cell area comprises by the configuration automatically of computer system and wiring software program this spare cell area being got does one of a plurality of predetermined values, wherein these a plurality of predetermined values are corresponding to a plurality of areal extents, and the foundation for the moment of selecting these a plurality of predetermined values is which of these a plurality of areal extents be these a plurality of functional unit area summations fall within.
15. the method for the unit in the functional module of a collocating integrate circuit is characterized in that, comprising:
Automatic configuration by computer system and wiring software are determined the unit inventory in the functional module, and this inventory does not comprise stand-by unit;
By the border that the configuration automatically and the wiring software of computer system are made functional module, this border has an area, and this area is a function of this unit inventory area summation;
Generate the concrete configuration situation of this unit inventory in this border, wherein this concrete configuration situation is to generate by automatic configuration software, receives the specification of this border and this unit inventory by this automatic configuration software of computer system; And
After above-mentioned this concrete configuration situation generates, this automatic configuration software by computer system is configured to this border words spoken by an actor from offstage color space with stand-by unit, produces when wherein should the white space being this unit of this automatic configuration software concrete configuration inventory by computer system.
16. the method for the unit in the functional module of collocating integrate circuit as claimed in claim 15 is characterized in that this unit inventory comprises the unit of the function of a plurality of these functional modules of execution.
17. the method for the unit in the functional module of collocating integrate circuit as claimed in claim 15 is characterized in that this functional unit does not have the entity hierarchy.
18. the method for the unit in the functional module of collocating integrate circuit as claimed in claim 15 is characterized in that the above-mentioned functions unit is defined by the solid edge that can not change.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US10/373,989 US6993738B2 (en) | 2002-06-18 | 2003-02-25 | Method for allocating spare cells in auto-place-route blocks |
| US10/373,989 | 2003-02-25 |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CN1514482A CN1514482A (en) | 2004-07-21 |
| CN100490120C true CN100490120C (en) | 2009-05-20 |
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Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CNB031278310A Expired - Lifetime CN100490120C (en) | 2003-02-25 | 2003-08-11 | Automatic allocation and allocation method of spare element in wiring module |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CN (1) | CN100490120C (en) |
| TW (1) | TWI257168B (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN105702673A (en) * | 2014-11-28 | 2016-06-22 | 刘邦俊 | Layout structure and method of integrated circuit |
| CN109671704A (en) * | 2018-12-24 | 2019-04-23 | 成都华微电子科技有限公司 | Embedded eflash mass storage circuit design preparation method |
Families Citing this family (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN100418543C (en) * | 2006-09-25 | 2008-09-17 | 辽宁大生药业有限公司 | Double resin process for preparing high quality active gingko leaf component extract |
| CN104200009B (en) * | 2014-08-11 | 2017-03-29 | 华东师范大学 | A kind of visualization interactive simulation method of multilayer circuit structure high-density wiring |
| US10127340B2 (en) | 2016-09-30 | 2018-11-13 | Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. | Standard cell layout, semiconductor device having engineering change order (ECO) cells and method |
| CN108268693B (en) * | 2016-12-15 | 2023-09-01 | 台湾积体电路制造股份有限公司 | Method and system for dividing power-ground cell group |
| CN111475994B (en) * | 2020-03-30 | 2021-04-09 | 安徽省东科半导体有限公司 | Automatic layout method for filling ring in chip design |
-
2003
- 2003-07-30 TW TW92120772A patent/TWI257168B/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 2003-08-11 CN CNB031278310A patent/CN100490120C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN105702673A (en) * | 2014-11-28 | 2016-06-22 | 刘邦俊 | Layout structure and method of integrated circuit |
| CN109671704A (en) * | 2018-12-24 | 2019-04-23 | 成都华微电子科技有限公司 | Embedded eflash mass storage circuit design preparation method |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| TWI257168B (en) | 2006-06-21 |
| CN1514482A (en) | 2004-07-21 |
| TW200416998A (en) | 2004-09-01 |
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