Delay optimization system to conduct optimization for satisfying delay constraints on the circuit and method therefor

Claim 2

A delay optimization system which performs layout for receiving an input of circuit specification of a target circuit to conduct placing and routing of a gate and optimization for modifying a circuit so as to satisfy delay constraints set for said target circuit, comprising: layout processing means for receiving the input of circuit specification of said target circuit to conduct said layout, as well as extracting wiring information at least including information on a resistance, a capacitance and topology of a wire; optimization processing means for conducting optimization based on the layout by said layout processing means with reference to said wiring information extracted by said layout processing means, as well as generating circuit change information regarding a changed part of the circuit generated when the circuit is modified by optimization and inserted buffer information indicative of limitations on buffer insertion for optimization; and constraints violations determining means for determining whether a circuit generated as a result of the layout by said layout processing means satisfies delay constraints set for said target circuit; wherein said layout processing means conducts before the execution of the optimization by said optimization processing means, an initial layout based only on circuit information synthesized based on the circuit specification of said target circuit, and after the execution of the optimization by said optimization processing means, a re-layout with reference to said circuit change information and said inserted buffer information generated by said optimization processing means.

Claim 3

The optimization system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said optimization processing means determines existence/non-existence of a path for which optimization is to be conducted among paths of the circuit laid out by said layout processing means, selects a wire as a target of optimization when a determination is made that there exists a path for which said optimization is to be conducted, determines an order of execution of optimization for a segment of the wire selected as a target of said optimization, determines a type of buffer or inverter to be inserted and an insertion position so as to satisfy the delay constraints set for said target circuit, and generates circuit change information obtained as a result of modification of said laid out circuit based on said determined type of buffer or inverter and insertion position.

Claim 4

The optimization system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said optimization processing means determines existence/non-existence of a path for which optimization is to be conducted among paths of the circuit laid out by said layout processing means, selects a wire as a target of optimization when a determination is made that there exists a path for which said optimization is to be conducted, determines an order of execution of optimization for a segment of the wire selected as a target of said optimization, calculates all possible combinations of types and insertion positions of buffers or inverters to be inserted in order to satisfy the delay constraints set for said target circuit and calculates a degree of improvement in said delay constraints at a buffer or inverter insertion position for each combination to determine a combination achieving a highest degree of improvement as an optimum combination, and generates circuit change information obtained as a result of a change of said laid out circuit based on said determined type of buffer or inverter and insertion position.

Claim 5

The optimization system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said optimization processing means determines existence/non-existence of a path for which optimization is to be conducted among paths of the circuit laid out by said layout processing means, selects a wire as a target of optimization when a determination is made that there exists a path for which said optimization is to be conducted, determines an order of execution of optimization for a segment of the wire selected as a target of said optimization, determines a type of buffer or inverter to be inserted and an insertion position so as to satisfy the delay constraints set for said target circuit, determines whether with respect to all the segments in said laid out circuit, determination of existence/non-existence of a path to which said optimization is to be applied is made or not, when a determination is made that O. determination with respect to said all the segments has a been made, conducts timing analysis of the whole of said laid out circuit based on said type of buffer or inverter to be inserted and insertion position, and when a determination is made as a result of said timing analysis that there is room for improvement in delay of said entire circuit, modifies said laid out circuit based on said determined type of buffer or inverter and insertion position.

Claim 6

The optimization system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said optimization processing means determines existence/non-existence of a path for which optimization is to be conducted among paths of the circuit laid out by said layout processing means, selects a wire as a target of optimization when a determination is made that there exists a path for which said optimization is to be conducted, determines an order of execution of optimization for a segment of the wire selected as a target of said optimization, calculates all possible combinations of types and insertion positions of buffers or inverters to be inserted in order to satisfy the delay constraints set for said target circuit and calculates a degree of improvement in said delay constraints at a buffer or inverter insertion position for each combination to determine a combination achieving the highest degree of improvement as an optimum combination, determines whether with respect to all segments in said laid out circuit, determination of existence/non-existence of a path to which said optimization is to be applied is made or not, when a determination is made that determination with respect to said all the segments has been made, conducts timing analyses of the whole of said laid out circuit based on said determined combination of the type of buffer or inverter to be inserted and the insertion position, and when a determination is made as a result of said timing analysis that there is room for improvement in delay of said entire circuit, modifies said laid out circuit based on said determined combination of the type of buffer or inverter and the insertion position.

Claim 7

The optimization system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said layout processing means reflects the contents of said circuit change information and said inserted buffer information in said re-layout, as well as placing and routing of gates so as to approximate to the circuit structure laid out by said initial layout on the remaining conditions as much as possible.

Claim 8

A delay optimization method of performing layout for receiving an input of circuit specification of a target circuit to conduct placing and routing of a gate and optimization for modifying a circuit so as to satisfy delay constraints set for said target circuit, comprising the steps of: receiving the input of circuit specification of said target circuit t to conduct said initial layout based only on circuit information synthesized based on the circuit specification of the target circuit, as well as extracting wiring information at least including information on a resistance, a capacitance and topology of a wire; conducting optimization based on the results of said layout with reference to said wiring information extracted by said initial layout, as well as generating circuit change information regarding a changed part of the circuit generated when the circuit is modified by the optimization and inserted buffer information indicative of limitations on buffer insertion for optimization; and conducting re-layout with reference to said circuit change information and said inserted buffer information generated by said optimization.

Claim 9

A delay optimization method of performing layout for receiving an input of circuit specification of a target circuit to conduct placing and routing of a gate and optimization for modifying a circuit so as to satisfy delay constraints set for said target circuit, comprising the steps of: receiving the input of circuit specification of said target circuit t to conduct said initial layout based only on circuit information synthesized based on the circuit specification of the target circuit, as well as extracting wiring information at least including information on a resistance, a capacitance and topology of a wire; conducting optimization based on the results of said layout with reference to said wiring information extracted by said initial layout, as well as generating circuit change information regarding a changed part of the circuit generated when the circuit is modified by the optimization and inserted buffer information indicative of limitations on buffer insertion for optimization; and conducting re-layout with reference to said circuit change information and said inserted buffer information generated by said optimization.

Claim 10

The delay optimization method as set forth in claim 7, wherein said conducting optimization comprises the steps of: determining existence/non-existence of a path for which optimization is to be conducted among paths of the circuit laid out by said layout, selecting a wire as a target of optimization when the determination is made that there exists a path for which said optimization is to be conducted, determining an order of execution of optimization for a segment of the wire selected as a target of said optimization, determining a type of buffer or inverter to be inserted and an insertion position so as to satisfy the delay constraints set for said target circuit, and generating circuit change information obtained as a result of the change of said laid out circuit based on said determined type of buffer or inverter and insertion position.

Claim 11

The delay optimization method as set forth in claim 7, wherein said conducting optimization comprises the steps of: determining existence/non-existence of a path for which optimization is to be conducted among paths of the circuit laid out by said layout, selecting a wire as a target of optimization when the determination is made that there exists a path for which said optimization is to be conducted, determining an order of execution of optimization for a segment of the wire selected as a target of said optimization, calculating all possible combinations of types and insertion positions of buffers or inverters to be inserted in order to satisfy the delay constraints set for said target circuit and calculating a degree of improvement in said delay constraints at a buffer or inverter insertion position for each combination to determine a combination achieving a highest degree of improvement as an optimum combination, and generating circuit change information obtained as a result of a change of said laid out circuit based on said determined combination of the type of buffer or inverter and insertion position.

Claim 12

The delay optimization method as set forth in claim 7, wherein said conducting optimization comprises the steps of: determining existence/non-existence of a path for which optimization is to be conducted among paths of the circuit laid out by said layout, selecting a wire as a target of optimization when a determination is made that there exists a path for which said optimization is to be conducted, determining an order of execution of optimization for a segment of the wire selected as a target of said optimization, determining a type of buffer or inverter to be inserted and an insertion position so as to satisfy the delay constraints set for said target circuit, determining whether with respect to all segments in said laid out circuit, determination of existence/non-existence of a path to which said optimization is to be applied is made or not, when a determination is made that a determination with respect to said all the segments has been made, conducting timing analysis of the whole of said laid out circuit based on said type of buffer or inverter to be inserted and insertion position, and when a determination is made as a result of said timing analysis that there is room for improvement in delay of said entire circuit, modifying said laid out circuit based on said determined type of buffer or inverter and insertion position.

Claim 13

The delay optimization method as set forth in claim 7, wherein said conducting optimization comprises the steps of: determining existence/non-existence of a path for which optimization is to be conducted among the paths of the circuit laid out by said layout, selecting a wire as a target of optimization when determination is made that there exists a path for which said optimization is to be conducted, determining an order of execution of optimization for a segment of the wire selected as a target of said optimization, calculating all possible combinations of types and insertion positions of buffers or inverters to be inserted in order to satisfy the delay constraints set for said target circuit and calculating the degree of improvement in said delay constraints at a buffer or inverter insertion position for each combination to determine a combination achieving a highest degree of improvement as an optimum combination, determining whether with respect to all segments in said laid out circuit, determination of existence/non-existence of a path to which said optimization is to be applied is made or not, when a determination is made that a determination with respect to said all the segments has been made, conducting timing analysis of the whole of said laid out circuit based on said determined combination of the type of buffer or inverter and the insertion position, and when a determination is made as a result of said timing analysis that there is room for improvement in delay of said entire circuit, modifying said laid out circuit based on said determined combination of the type of buffer or inverter and the insertion position.

Claim 14

The delay optimization method as set forth in claim 7, wherein said conducting re-layout includes a step of reflecting contents of said circuit change information and said inserted buffer information, as well as placing and routing of gates so as to approximate to a circuit structure laid out by said initial layout on remaining conditions as much as possible.

Claim 15

A computer readable memory having a computer program for controlling a computer system to execute layout for receiving an input of circuit specification of a target circuit to conduct placing and routing of a gate and optimization for modifying a circuit so as to satisfy delay constraints set for said target circuit, said computer program comprising the steps for controlling the computer system to: receiving the input of circuit specification of said target circuit to conduct said initial layout based only on circuit information synthesized based on the circuit specification of the target circuit, as well as extracting wiring information at least including information on a resistance, a capacitance and topology of a wire; conducting optimization based on results of said layout with reference to said wiring information extracted by said initial layout, as well as generating circuit change information regarding a changed part of the circuit generated when the circuit is modified by the optimization and inserted buffer information indicative of limitations on buffer insertion for optimization; and conducting re-layout with reference to said circuit change information and said inserted buffer information generated by said optimization.

Claim 16

A computer readable memory having a computer program for controlling a computer system to execute layout for receiving an input of circuit specification of a target circuit to conduct placing and routing of a gate and optimization for modifying a circuit so as to satisfy delay constraints set for said target circuit, said computer program comprising the steps for controlling the computer system to: receiving the input of circuit specification of said target circuit to conduct said initial layout based only on circuit information synthesized based on the circuit specification of the target circuit, as well as extracting wiring information at least including information on a resistance, a capacitance and topology of a wire; conducting optimization based on results of said layout with reference to said wiring information extracted by said initial layout, as well as generating circuit change information regarding a changed part of the circuit generated when the circuit is modified by the optimization and inserted buffer information indicative of limitations on buffer insertion for optimization; and conducting re-layout with reference to said circuit change information and said inserted buffer information generated by said optimization.

Claim 17

The computer readable memory as set forth in claim 13, wherein in said computer program, said conducting optimization comprises the steps of: determining existence/non-existence of a path for which optimization is to be conducted among paths of the circuit laid out by said layout, selecting a wire as a target of optimization when a determination is made that there exists a path for which said optimization is to be conducted, determining an order of execution of optimization for a segment of the wire selected as a target of said optimization, determining a type of buffer or inverter to be inserted and an insertion position so as to satisfy the delay constraints set for said target circuit, and generating circuit change information obtained as a result of a change of said laid out circuit based on said determined type of buffer or inverter and insertion position.

Claim 18

The computer readable memory as set forth in claim 13, wherein in said stored computer program, said conducting optimization comprises the steps of: determining existence/non-existence of a path for which optimization is to be conducted among paths of the circuit laid out by said layout, selecting a wire as a target of optimization when a determination is made that there exists a path for which said optimization is to be conducted, determining an order of execution of optimization for a segment of the wire selected as a target of said optimization, calculating all possible combinations of types and insertion positions of buffers or inverters to be inserted in order to satisfy the delay constraints set for said target circuit and calculating a degree of improvement in said delay constraints at a buffer or inverter insertion position for each combination to determine a combination achieving a highest degree of improvement as an optimum combination, and generating circuit change information obtained as a result of a change of said laid out circuit based on said determined combination of the type of buffer or inverter and the insertion position.

Claim 19

The computer readable memory as set forth in claim 13, wherein in said stored computer program, said conducting optimization comprises the steps of: determining existence/non-existence of a path for which optimization is to be conducted among paths of the circuit laid out by said layout, selecting a wire as a target of optimization when a determination is made that there exists a path for which said optimization is to be conducted, determining a order of execution of optimization for a segment of the wire selected as a target of said optimization, determining a type of buffer or inverter to be inserted and an insertion position so as to satisfy the delay constraints set for said target circuit, determining whether with respect to all the segments in said laid out circuit, a determination of existence/non-existence of a path to which said optimization is to be applied is made or not, when a determination is made that determination with respect to said all segments has been made, conducting timing analysis of the whole of said laid out circuit based on said type of buffer or inverter to be inserted and insertion position, and when a determination is made as a result of said timing analysis that there is room for improvement in delay of said entire circuit, modifying said laid out circuit based on said determined type of buffer or inverter and insertion position.

Claim 20

The computer readable memory as set forth in claim 13, wherein in said stored computer program, said conducting optimization comprises the steps of: determining existence/non-existence of a path for which optimization is to be conducted among paths of the circuit laid out by said layout, selecting a wire as a target of optimization when a determination is made that there exists a path for which said optimization is to be conducted, determining an order of execution of optimization for a segment of the wire selected as a target of said optimization, calculating all possible combinations of types and insertion positions of buffers or inverters to be inserted in order to satisfy the delay constraints set for said target circuit and calculating the degree of improvement in said delay constraints at a buffer or inverter insertion position for each combination to determine a combination achieving a highest degree of improvement as an optimum combination, determining whether with respect to all segments in said laid out circuit, determination of existence/non-existence of a path to which said optimization is to be applied is made or not, when a determination is made that determination with respect to said all the segments has been made, conducting timing analysis of the whole of said laid out circuit based on said determined combination of the type of buffer or inverter and the insertion position, and when a determination is made as a result of said timing analysis that there is room for improvement in delay of said entire circuit, modifying said laid out circuit based on said determined combination of the type of buffer or inverter and the insertion position.

Claim 21

The computer readable memory as set forth in claim 13, wherein in said stored computer program, said conducting re-layout includes a step of reflecting contents of said circuit change information and said inserted buffer information, as well as laying out placing and routing of gates so as to approximate to circuit structure laid out by said initial layout on remaining conditions as much as possible.