# US 8,751,976 B2 · Pattern recognition for integrated circuit design > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,751,976 B2 - Document ID: US8751976B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/534,300 - Filed: 2012-06-27 - Published: 2014-01-02 - Granted: 2014-06-10 - Earliest claimed: 2012-06-27 - Applicants: Cheng-Lung Tsai; Jui-Hsuan Feng; Sheng-Wen Lin; Wen-Li Cheng; Wen-Chun Huang; Ru-Gun Liu - Inventors: Cheng-Lung Tsai; Jui-Hsuan Feng; Sheng-Wen Lin; Wen-Li Cheng; Wen-Chun Huang; Ru-Gun Liu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8751976B2 ## CPC - 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 30/39: Circuit design at the physical level (physical level design for reconfigurable circuits G06F30/347) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract The present disclosure provides one embodiment of an integrated circuit (IC) method. The method includes building a pattern bank including a pattern having an area of interest. The method further includes recognizing that the pattern of the pattern bank corresponds to a pattern of an IC design layout. The method further includes identifying an area of interest of the pattern of the IC design layout that corresponds to the area of interest of the pattern of the pattern bank. The method further includes performing pattern recognition dissection on the area of interest of the pattern of the IC design layout to dissect the area of interest of the pattern of the IC design layout into a plurality of segments. The method further includes after performing pattern recognition dissection, producing a modified IC design layout. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An integrated circuit (IC) method comprising: building a pattern bank including a pattern having an area of interest; receiving a data file including an IC design layout; recognizing that the pattern of the pattern bank corresponds to a pattern of the IC design layout; identifying an area of interest of the pattern of the IC design layout that corresponds to the area of interest of the pattern of the pattern bank; performing pattern recognition dissection on the area of interest of the pattern of the IC design layout to dissect edges of the area of interest of the pattern of the IC design layout into a plurality of segments; after performing pattern recognition dissection, performing pattern recognition retargeting of the pattern of the IC design layout to assign a plurality of target points to the plurality of segments of the area of interest of the pattern of the IC design layout; after performing pattern recognition retargeting, performing, using a computer, an optical proximity correction (OPC) to the IC design layout; and producing a modified IC design layout based on the IC design layout that has been performed by the OPC and the pattern recognition retargeting. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The IC method of claim 1, further comprising: performing rule based dissection to the pattern of the IC design layout to dissect another area of the pattern of the IC design layout into another plurality of segments. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The IC method of claim 2, further comprising: performing rule based retargeting to the pattern of the IC design layout to assign another plurality of target points to the another plurality of segments of the another area of the pattern of the IC design layout. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The IC method of claim 1, further comprising: producing a tape-out based on the modified IC design layout. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The IC method of claim 1, further comprising fabricating a mask according to the modified IC design layout. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The IC method of claim 1, further comprising: applying an optical proximity correction (OPC) to the IC design layout; and applying a mask rule check (MRC) to the IC design layout. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The IC method of claim 1, wherein building the pattern bank includes using empirical data collected from a wafer to identify the pattern of the pattern bank and the area of interest of the pattern of the pattern bank. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The IC method of claim 1, wherein building the pattern bank includes using model data collected from a simulation to identify the pattern of the pattern bank and the area of interest of the pattern of the pattern bank. ### Claim 9 An integrated circuit (IC) method comprising: providing a pattern bank including first and second patterns; determining that the first pattern of the pattern bank corresponds to a first pattern of an IC design layout and that the second pattern of the pattern bank corresponds to a second pattern of the IC design layout; based on the determining, performing pattern recognition retargeting of the first pattern of the IC design layout to assign a first target point to a hot-spot of the first pattern of the IC design layout and to assign a second target point to a hot-spot of the second pattern of the IC design layout; after performing pattern recognition retargeting, performing pattern recognition dissection of the first pattern of the IC design layout to dissect edges of the hot-spot of the first pattern of the IC design layout into a plurality of segments and to dissect edges of the hot-spot of the second pattern of the IC design layout into a plurality of segments; after performing pattern recognition retargeting, performing, using a computer, an optical proximity correction (OPC) to the IC design layout; and producing a modified IC design layout based on the IC design layout that has been performed by the OPC. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The IC method of claim 9, further comprising: performing rule based retargeting to the first and second patterns of the IC design layout; and performing rule based dissection to the first and second patterns of the IC design layout. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The IC method of claim 9, further comprising fabricating a mask according to the modified IC design layout. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The IC method of claim 9, wherein the first pattern of the pattern bank includes a plurality of features, and wherein the second pattern of the pattern bank includes only a single feature. ### Claim 13 An integrated circuit (IC) method comprising: receiving an IC design layout having a pattern; associating the pattern of the IC design layout to a pattern of a pattern bank; locating an area of interest of the pattern of the IC design layout using the associated pattern of the pattern bank; performing pattern recognition dissection on the area of interest of the pattern of the IC design layout; performing pattern recognition retargeting on the area of interest of the patter pattern of the IC design layout; after performing pattern recognition retargeting, performing, using a computer, an optical proximity correction (OPC) to the IC design layout; and producing a modified IC design layout based on the IC design layout that has been performed by the OPC and the pattern recognition retargeting. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The IC method of claim 13, further comprising: performing rule based dissection of the pattern of the IC design layout; and performing rule based retargeting of the pattern of the IC design layout. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The IC method of claim 13, further comprising making a mask according to the modified IC design layout. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The IC method of claim 13, wherein performing pattern recognition dissection includes dissecting the area of interest of the pattern of the IC design layout into a plurality of segments, and wherein performing pattern recognition retargeting includes assigning a target point to at least one segment of the plurality of segments and modifying at least one segment of the plurality of segments. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The IC method of claim 13, wherein the pattern of the pattern bank includes a plurality of features. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The IC method of claim 17, wherein the pattern of the pattern bank includes only a single feature.