# US 12,112,114 B2 · Hierarchical color decomposition of library cells with boundary-aware color selection > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,112,114 B2 - Document ID: US12112114B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/399,397 - Filed: 2021-08-11 - Published: 2023-02-16 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2021-08-11 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: David Wolpert; Leon Sigal; Michael Stewart Gray; Mitchell R. DeHond - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12112114B2 ## CPC - G06F 30/392: Floor-planning or layout, e.g. partitioning or placement - G03F 1/70: Adapting basic layout or design of masks to lithographic process requirements, e.g., second iteration correction of mask patterns for imaging - G06F 30/398: Design verification or optimisation, e.g. using design rule check [DRC], layout versus schematics [LVS] or finite element methods [FEM] (optical proximity correction [OPC] design processes G03F1/36) - G06F 2111/20: Configuration CAD, e.g. designing by assembling or positioning modules selected from libraries of predesigned modules - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G) ## Abstract Aspects of the invention include systems and methods configured to provide hierarchical circuit designs that makes use of a color decomposition of library cells having boundary-aware color selection. A non-limiting example computer-implemented method includes placing a plurality of shapes within a hierarchical level of a chip design. The plurality of shapes can include a top boundary shape, a bottom boundary shape, one or more center boundary shapes, and one or more internal shapes. A hierarchical hand-off region is constructed by pinning the top boundary shape to a first mask, pinning the bottom boundary shape to a second mask, and pinning the one or more center boundary shapes to a same mask. The same mask is selected from one of the first mask and the second mask. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method comprising: placing a plurality of shapes within a hierarchical level of a chip design having two or more edge cells and one or more internal cells, the plurality of shapes comprising a top boundary shape common to at least two cells of the two or more edge cells and the one or more internal cells, a bottom boundary shape common to the at least two cells of the two or more edge cells and the one or more internal cells, one or more center boundary shapes, and one or more internal shapes, the one or more center boundary shapes positioned at boundaries of the two or more edge cells and internal cells midway between the top boundary shape and the bottom boundary shape; pinning the top boundary shape to a first mask; pinning the bottom boundary shape to a second mask; and pinning the one or more center boundary shapes to a same mask, wherein the same mask is selected from one of the first mask and the second mask. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising preventing any usage of an even number of cells in the hierarchical level containing one or more different-color spacings. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The computer-implemented method of claim 2 further comprising preventing placement of a new cell in the hierarchical level in response to determining that placing the new cell results in an even number of cells containing one or more different-color spacings. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising constructing a keep-out region around each of the one or more center boundary shapes. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein a boundary of the keep-out region is defined by a minimum same-coloring distance from the respective center boundary shape. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The computer-implemented method of claim 5 further comprising preventing placement of a new cell in the hierarchical level in response to determining that placing the new cell results in a violation of the keep-out region. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the top boundary shape comprises a power stripe, and wherein the bottom boundary shape comprises a ground stripe. ### Claim 8 A system comprising a memory having computer readable instructions and one or more processors for executing the computer readable instructions, the computer readable instructions controlling the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: placing a plurality of shapes within a hierarchical level of a chip design having two or more edge cells and one or more internal cells, the plurality of shapes comprising a top boundary shape common to at least two cells of the two or more edge cells and the one or more internal cells, a bottom boundary shape common to the at least two cells of the two or more edge cells and the one or more internal cells, one or more center boundary shapes, and one or more internal shapes, the one or more center boundary shapes positioned at boundaries of the two or more edge cells and internal cells midway between the top boundary shape and the bottom boundary shape; pinning the top boundary shape to a first mask; pinning the bottom boundary shape to a second mask; and pinning the one or more center boundary shapes to a same mask, wherein the same mask is selected from one of the first mask and the second mask. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8 further comprising preventing any usage of an even number of cells in the hierarchical level containing one or more different-color spacings. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9 further comprising preventing placement of a new cell in the hierarchical level in response to determining that placing the new cell results in an even number of cells containing one or more different-color spacings. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8 further comprising constructing a keep-out region around each of the one or more center boundary shapes. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein a boundary of the keep-out region is defined by a minimum same-coloring distance from the respective center boundary shape. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12 further comprising preventing placement of a new cell in the hierarchical level in response to determining that placing the new cell results in a violation of the keep-out region. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the top boundary shape comprises a power stripe, and wherein the bottom boundary shape comprises a ground stripe. ### Claim 15 A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: placing a plurality of shapes within a hierarchical level of a chip design having two or more edge cells and one or more internal cells, the plurality of shapes comprising a top boundary shape common to at least two cells of the two or more edge cells and the one or more internal cells, a bottom boundary shape common to the at least two cells of the two or more edge cells and the one or more internal cells, one or more center boundary shapes, and one or more internal shapes, the one or more center boundary shapes positioned at boundaries of the two or more edge cells and internal cells midway between the top boundary shape and the bottom boundary shape; pinning the top boundary shape to a first mask; pinning the bottom boundary shape to a second mask; and pinning the one or more center boundary shapes to a same mask, wherein the same mask is selected from one of the first mask and the second mask. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising preventing any usage of an even number of cells in the hierarchical level containing one or more different-color spacings. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The computer program product of claim 16 further comprising preventing placement of a new cell in the hierarchical level in response to determining that placing the new cell results in an even number of cells containing one or more different-color spacings. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising constructing a keep-out region around each of the one or more center boundary shapes. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The computer program product of claim 18, wherein a boundary of the keep-out region is defined by a minimum same-coloring distance from the respective center boundary shape. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising preventing placement of a new cell in the hierarchical level in response to determining that placing the new cell results in a violation of the keep-out region.