Method, device and computer program for designing a circuit having electric wires and optical connections

A device for designing a circuit having electric wires and optical connections, said device comprising at least:

• first means for generating an electronic circuit connection list and an optical connection list from a circuit connection list;
• second means for storing the circuit connection list, the electronic circuit connection list and the optical connection list;
• third means for designing a layout for electronic circuits according to the electronic circuit connection list;
• and
• fourth means for designing optical connections according to the optical connection list, wherein
• said circuit having electric wires and optical connections has a package structure including a plurality of semiconductor chips, an electric wiring layer and an optical connection layer, and at least two of the semiconductor chips are optically interconnected by way of the optical connection layer, and
• said semiconductor chips have reconfigurable circuits so that it is possible to alter the internal configurations of the semiconductor chips and additionally alter the optical connections among the semiconductor chips by way of said optical connection layer.

A computer program, stored on a computer-readable medium, for designing a circuit having electric wires and optical connections, said program being adapted to drive a computer so as to execute at least:

• a first step of generating an electronic circuit connection list and an optical connection list from a circuit connection list;
• a second step of designing a layout for electronic circuits according to the electronic circuit connection list;
• and
• a third step of designing optical connections according to the optical connection list, wherein
• said circuit having electric wires and optical connections has a package structure including a plurality of semiconductor chips, an electric wiring layer and an optical connection layer, and at least two of the semiconductor chips are optically interconnected by way of the optical connection layer;
• and
• said semiconductor chips have reconfigurable circuits so that it is possible to alter the internal configurations of the semiconductor chips and additionally alter the optical connections among the semiconductor chips by way of said optical connection layer.

A method of designing a circuit having electric wires and optical connections, said method comprising at least:

• a first step of generating a circuit connection list;
• a second step of designing a layout for electronic circuits according to the circuit connection list;
• a third step of generating an optical connection list constituted by a part of the circuit connection list and an electronic circuit connection list constituted by the remaining part of the circuit connection list;
• a fourth step of designing optical connections according to the optical connection list;
• a fifth step of designing a layout of electronic circuits according to the electronic circuit connection list;
• and
• a sixth step of performing a design evaluation of the layout design of electronic circuits of said second step or a design evaluation of the design of said fourth step and the design of said fifth step and determining either to proceed to said third step or end the design, wherein
• said circuit having electric wires and optical connections has a package structure including a plurality of semiconductor chips, an electric wiring layer and an optical connection layer, and at least two of the semiconductor chips are optically interconnected by way of the optical connection layer, and
• said semiconductor chips have reconfigurable circuits so that it is possible to alter the internal configurations of the semiconductor chips and additionally alter the optical connections among the semiconductor chips by way of said optical connection layer.

A device for designing a circuit having electric wires and optical connections, said device comprising at least:

• first means for storing a circuit connection list;
• second means for designing a layout for electronic circuits according to the circuit connection list;
• third means for generating an optical connection list constituted by a part of the circuit connection list and an electronic circuit connection list constituted by the remaining part of the circuit connection list;
• fourth means for designing optical connections according to the optical connection list;
• fifth means for evaluating the layout design of electronic circuits by said second means and the design by said fourth means;
• and
• control means for controlling the sequence of operations of said first through fifth means, wherein
• said circuit having electric wires and optical connections has a package structure including a plurality of semiconductor chips, an electric wiring layer and an optical connection layer, and at least two of the semiconductor chips are optically interconnected by way of the optical connection layer;
• and
• said semiconductor chips have reconfigurable circuits so that it is possible to alter the internal configurations of the semiconductor chips and additionally alter the optical connections among the semiconductor chips by way of said optical connection layer.

A computer program, stored on a computer-readable medium, for designing a circuit having electric wires and optical connections, said program being adapted to drive a computer so as to execute at least:

• a step of designing a layout for electronic circuits according to a circuit connection list;
• a branching step of evaluating the design, and selecting the next step to be carried out according to an outcome of the design evaluation;
• a step of generating an optical connection list constituted by a part of the circuit connection list and an electronic circuit connection list constituted by the remaining part of the circuit connection list;
• and
• a step of designing optical connections according to the optical connection list, wherein
• said circuit having electric wires and optical connections has a package structure including a plurality of semiconductor chips, an electric wiring layer and an optical connection layer, and at least two of the semiconductor chips are optically interconnected by way of the optical connection layer;
• and
• said semiconductor chips have reconfigurable circuits so that it is possible to alter the internal configurations of the semiconductor chips and additionally alter the optical connections among the semiconductor chips by way of said optical connection layer.