Method and apparatus for recording and rearranging representations of objects in a model of a group of objects located using a co-ordinate system

A method for recording, as representations of objects, geometries defined, at least in part, with respect to at least one point which is located using a coordinate system, comprising the steps of:

• a. designating the location with respect to said coordinate system of at least one of said geometries by sequentially designating the locations of each said defining point;
• b. recording in an instruction file a record associated with each said at least one geometry for which a location has been designated, each record including the location with respect to said coordinate system of each said defining point of said at least one geometry;
• c. with respect to at least one other geometry, designating as associated at least one of said defining point of said previously designated geometry for which a record has been recorded, said defining point being a locater point and said previously designated geometry being a locater geometry;
• d. designating the location of each said other geometry relative to at least one associated locater point, said other geometry being a relative geometry;
• and
• e. recording in said instruction file a record associated with each said relative geometry, said record including the location with respect to said coordinate system of said relative geometry.

An apparatus for recording, as representations of objects, geometries which are located using a coordinate system, comprising:

• a. means for designating the location with respect to said coordinate system of at least one of said geometries;
• b. means for recording, in an instruction file, a record associated with each said at least one geometry for which a location has been designated, each record including the location with respect to said coordinate system of said at least one geometry;
• c. means for, with respect to at least one other geometry, designating as associated a previously designated geometry for which a record has been recorded, said previously designated geometry being a locater geometry;
• d. means for designating the location of each said other geometry relative to said associated locater geometry, said other geometry being a relative geometry;
• and
• e. means for recording in said instruction file a record associated with each said relative geometry, said record including the location of said relative geometry relative to said associated locator geometry.

An apparatus for recording, as representations of objects, geometries defined, at least in part with respect to at least one point, which is located using a coordinate system, comprising:

• a. means for designating the location with respect to said coordinate system of at least one of said geometries using means for sequentially designating the locations of each said defining point;
• b. means for recording in an instruction file a record associated with each said at least one geometry for which a location has been designated, each record including the location with respect to said coordinate system of each said defining point of said at least one geometry;
• c. means for, with respect to at least one other geometry, designating as associated at least one of said defining points of said previously designated geometry for which a record has been recorded, said defining point being a locater point and said previously designated geometry being a locater geometry;
• d. means for designating the location of each said other geometry relative to at least one associated locater point, said geometry being a relative geometry;
• and
• e. means for recording, in said instruction file, a record associated with each said relative geometry, said record including the location with respect to said coordinate system of said relative geometry.

A method for a user to interactively record, as representations of objects constituting elements making up a semiconductor chip having at least one layer, geometries, defined, at least in part, with respect to at least one point, which is located using a coordinate system, comprising the steps of:

• a. designating the location with respect to the coordinate system of at least one of the geometries by sequentially designating the locations of each defining point;
• b. recording, in an instruction file, a record associated with each geometry for which a location has been designated, each record including the location with respect to the coordinate system of each defining point of the geometry;
• c. with respect to at least one other geometry;
• designating as associated at least one of the defining points of a previously designated geometry for which a record has been recorded, the defining point being a locater point and the previously designated geometry being a locater geometry;
• d. designating the location of each other geometry relative to at least one associated locater point, the geometry being a relative geometry;
• e. recording in the instruction file a record associated with each relative geometry, the record including the location relative to the associated locater point of the relative geometry;
• f. altering the location included in the record associated with at least one locater geometry and
• g. executing the instructions in the instruction file as instructions for recording, as representations of objects, the geometries, whereby the relative displacement between each altered locater geometry and the relative geometry with respect to which the altered locater geometry is associated remains unchanged.

A method for recording, as representations of objects, geometries which are located using a coordinate system, comprising the steps of:

• a. designating the location with respect to said coordinate system of at least one of said geometries;
• b. recording, in an instruction file a record associated with each said at least one geometry for which a location has been designated, each record including the location with respect to said coordinate system of said at least one geometry;
• c. with respect to at least one other geometry, designating as associated a previously designated geometry for which a record has been recorded, said previously designated geometry being a locater geometry;
• d. designating with an interactive graphics display the location of each said other geometry relative to said associated locater geometry, said other geometry being a relative geometry;
• and
• e. recording in said instruction file a record associated with each said relative geometry, said record including the location of said relative geometry relative to said associated locater geometry.

An apparatus for recording, as representations of objects, geometries defined, at least in part with respect to at least one point, which is located using a coordinate system, comprising:

• a. means for designating the location with respect to said coordinate system of at least one of said geometries using means for sequentially designating the locations of each said defining point;
• b. means for recording in an instruction file a record associated with each said at least one geometry for which a location has been designated, each record including the location with respect to said coordinate system of each said defining point of said at least one geometry;
• c. means for, with respect to at least one other geometry, designating as associated at least one of said defining points of said previously designated geometry for which a record has been recorded, said defining point being a locater point and said previously designated geometry being a locater geometry;
• d. an interactive graphics display for designating the location of each said other geometry relative to at least one associated locater point, said geometry being a relative geometry;
• and
• e. means for recording, in said instruction file, a record associated with each said relative geometry, said record including the location with respect to said coordinate system of said relative geometry.