Buffer chain management for alleviating routing congestion
AssigneeSynopsys, Inc.
InventorPhilip H. Tai
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and techniques for alleviating congestion are described. A set of buffer chains that pass through a congested region of the circuit design can be identified. Next, the set of the buffer chains can be removed from the circuit design. A placement blockage in the circuit design can then be created that covers at least a portion of the congested region. Next, the buffer chains that were removed can be reconstructed in the circuit design in the presence of the placement blockage, thereby alleviating congestion. Once the buffer chains have been reconstructed, the placement blockage can be removed from the circuit design. In some embodiments, congestion can be alleviated by spreading out buffer chains based on spreading out center of mass lines corresponding to the buffer chains.
Claims20
In an electronic design automation (EDA) tool, a method for alleviating congestion in a circuit design, the method comprising:
- upon receipt of the circuit design, identifying a set of buffer chains that pass through a congested region of the circuit design;
- removing the set of the buffer chains from the circuit design;
- creating a placement blockage in the circuit design that covers at least a portion of the congested region;
- reconstructing, by computer, the set of buffer chains in the circuit design in the presence of the placement blockage;
- and
- removing the placement blockage from the circuit design.
In an electronic design automation (EDA) tool, a method for alleviating congestion in a circuit design, the method comprising:
- upon receipt of the circuit design, identifying a set of buffer chains that pass through a congested region of a circuit design;
- determining, by computer, a center of mass line for each buffer chain in the set of buffer chains;
- moving at least one center of mass line to a new location;
- and
- for each center of mass line that was moved, moving a corresponding buffer chain based on the new location of the center of mass line.
In an electronic design automation (EDA) tool, a method for identifying buffer chains that pass through a region of a circuit design, the method comprising:
- upon receipt of the circuit design and the region, identifying a set of buffer chains such that at least a portion of each buffer chain in the set of buffer chains is located in the region;
- determining a buffer source and a set of buffer sinks for each buffer chain in the set of buffer chains;
- and
- identifying buffer chains in the set of buffer chains whose buffer source and the set of buffer sinks are located outside the region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.