Method and apparatus for performing operation on physical design data

An apparatus for performing an operation on physical design data stored as data objects in a database, each of the data objects representing a design figure of an integrated circuit (IC) design, the IC design including a first plurality of design figures laid-out on an IC design area, said apparatus comprising:

• means for dividing the IC design area into a second plurality of sub-areas;
• means for assigning an area property to each of the data objects, the area property indicating the sub-areas on which at least part of the corresponding design figure is to be located;
• means for selecting a first data object;
• and
• means for conducting an operation involving the first data object and a second data object, said means for conducting including:
• means for selecting the second data object from a subset of data objects having an area property indicating a sub-area indicated by an area property of the first data object;
• and
• means for performing the operation on the first data object and the second data object.

A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for performing an operation on physical design data stored as data objects in a database, each of the data objects representing a design figure of an integrated circuit (IC) design, the IC design including a first plurality of design figures laid-out on an IC design area, said method comprising:

• dividing the IC design area into a second plurality of sub-areas;
• assigning an area property to each of the data objects, the area property indicating the sub-areas on which at least part of the corresponding design figure is to be located;
• selecting a first data object;
• and
• conducting an operation involving the first data object and a second data object, said conducting including:
• selecting the second data object from a subset of data objects having an area property indicating a sub-area indicated by an area property of the first data object;
• and
• performing the operation on the first data object and the second data object.