Method for providing flexible and dynamic reporting capability using simulation tools

1. A method of generating reports regarding an integrated circuit layout, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of control points associated with the integrated circuit layout;

performing a single simulation of the plurality of control points;

storing information from the single simulation in a database, wherein the information includes deviation information for at least one control point, the deviation information indicating a deviation of a simulated location from a corresponding location on the integrated circuit layout; and

extracting a subset of information from the database to generate the reports using a first set of checking parameters, wherein extracting is repeatable with a second set of checking parameters without repeating the steps of providing, performing, and storing.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the plurality of control points includes designating at least one of a type, a rule identification, a tolerance, and a target parameter for each control point.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein storing information includes organizing the information in at least one of a main table, a statistics table, and a cell table.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein extracting the subset of information includes creating a temporary table for the subset of information, wherein the temporary table is separate from the database.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein extracting the subset of information includes viewing the subset of information in at least one of a sequential browse mode, a view by area mode, a histogram mode, an error count mode, and a Graphics Data Syntax (GDS mode).

6. The method of claim 1 , further including providing at least one new rule associated with the plurality of control points and storing new information in the database based on the at least one new rule and the single simulation.

7. A method of generating simulation reports regarding an integrated circuit layout, the method comprising:

dissecting feature edges on the integrated circuit layout into segments, each segment including a control point;

performing a single simulation of the integrated circuit layout using the control points;

storing simulation information in a database, wherein the simulation information includes deviation information for at least one control point, the deviation information indicating a deviation of a simulated location from a corresponding location on the integrated circuit layout; and

extracting user-identified information from the database to generate the simulation reports.

8. The method of claim 7 , further including designating at least one of a type, a rule identification, a tolerance, and a target parameter for each control point.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein storing simulation information includes organizing information in at least one of a main table, a statistics table, and a cell table.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein extracting user-identified information includes creating a temporary table for user-identified information, wherein the temporary table is separate from the database.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein extracting user-identified information includes viewing the user-identified information in at least one of a sequential browse mode, a view by area mode, a histogram mode, an error count mode, and a Graphics Data Syntax (GDS mode).

12. The method of claim 7 , further including providing at least one new rule associated with the control points and storing new information in the database based on the at least one new rule and the single simulation.

13. An apparatus for generating reports regarding an integrated circuit layout, the apparatus comprising:

means for providing a plurality of control points associated with the integrated circuit layout;

means for performing a single simulation of the plurality of control points;

means for storing information from the single simulation in a database, wherein the information includes deviation information for at least one control point, the deviation information indicating a deviation of a simulated location from a corresponding location on the integrated circuit layout; and

means for extracting a subset of information from the database to generate the reports using a first set of checking parameters, wherein extracting is repeatable with a second set of checking parameters without repeating the steps of providing, performing, and storing.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the means for providing the plurality of control points includes means for designating at least one of a type, a rule identification, a tolerance, and a target parameter for each control point.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the means for storing information includes means for organizing the information in at least one of a main table, a statistics table, and a cell table.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the means for extracting the subset of information includes means for creating a temporary table for the subset of information, wherein the temporary table is separate from the database.