IP Library Granted Patent US 7,051,308
Granted Patent B2
US 7,051,308 · App. 10/162,120 · Granted May 23, 2006

Method and apparatus for integrated circuit design with library cells

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,051,308
App. No.
10/162,120
Granted
May 23, 2006
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods are apparatuses are disclosed for library cells for designing an integrated circuit. Various embodiments cover one or more of virtual buses; virtual tap cells; placement primarily for electrical coupling to a well or substrate; placement at a granularity level of electrical coupling to a well or substrate; metal substantially octagonal via structures; free placement according to a minimum drawing resolution of significant features, cell boundary vertices, and routing wires; and cells permitting overlap.

Claims (19)

1. A cell library, comprising:

one or more cells having one or more virtual buses, the one or more cells for an integrated circuit design, wherein the one or more virtual buses comprise:

a plurality of ports representing a common power signal on a first layer, and each of said plurality of ports are positioned on each of said one or more cells without reference to a construction grid and wherein said plurality of ports are connected on a second layer with an absence of connections between said plurality of ports on said first layer.

2. The library of claim 1 , wherein the common power signal includes a fixed voltage signal.

3. The library of claim 1 , wherein an integrated circuit of the integrated circuit design is formed by a CMOS process.

4. The library of claim 1 , wherein an integrated circuit of the integrated circuit design is formed by a Bi-CMOS process.

5. The library of claim 1 , wherein an integrated circuit of the integrated circuit design is formed by a Bipolar process.

6. The library of claim 1 , wherein an integrated circuit of the integrated circuit design is formed by a Gallium-Arsenide process.

7. The library of claim 1 , wherein an integrated circuit of the integrated circuit design is formed by a Silicon-on-Insulator process.

8. The library of claim 1 , wherein the one or more cells includes at least one standard cell.

9. A cell library, comprising:

one or more cells having one or more virtual buses, the one or more cells for an integrated circuit design, wherein the one or more virtual buses comprise:

a plurality of ports representing a common power signal on a same layer, the said plurality of ports are coupled together via one or more electrical paths, and each of said plurality of ports are positioned on each of said one or more cells without reference to a construction grid and wherein said one or more electrical paths are on a layer other than said same layer of said plurality of ports and there is an absence of connection between said plurality of ports on said layer of said ports.

10. The library of claim 9 , wherein the common power signal includes a fixed voltage signal.

11. The library of claim 9 , wherein an integrated circuit of the integrated circuit design is formed by a CMOS process.

12. The library of claim 9 , wherein an integrated circuit of the integrated circuit design is formed by a Bi-CMOS process.

13. The library of claim 9 , wherein an integrated circuit of the integrated circuit design is formed by a Bipolar process.

14. The library of claim 9 , wherein an integrated circuit of the integrated circuit design is formed by a silicon-on-Insulator process.”

15. The library of claim 9 , wherein an integrated circuit of the integrated circuit design is formed by a Gallium-Arsenide process.

Assignments (14)
RELEASE OF U.S. PATENT AGREEMENT (FOR NON-U.S. GRANTORS) Recorded Oct 12, 2018
From: ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, AS LENDER
To: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 047645/0424 →
U.S. PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (FOR NON-U.S. GRANTORS) Recorded Sep 9, 2014
From: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC.
To: CPPIB CREDIT INVESTMENTS INC., AS LENDER; ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, AS LENDER
Reel/Frame 033706/0367 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Sep 3, 2014
From: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC.
To: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 033678/0096 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 7, 2014
From: ROYAL BANK OF CANADA
To: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC.; CONVERSANT IP N.B. 868 INC.; CONVERSANT IP N.B. 276 INC.
Reel/Frame 033484/0344 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 13, 2014
From: MOSAID TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED
To: CONVERSANT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 032439/0638 →
U.S. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT (FOR NON-U.S. GRANTORS) - SHORT FORM Recorded Jan 10, 2012
From: 658276 N.B. LTD.; 658868 N.B. INC.; MOSAID TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED
To: ROYAL BANK OF CANADA
Reel/Frame 027512/0196 →
MERGER Recorded Sep 7, 2011
From: MOSAID DELAWARE, INC.; VIRTUAL SILICON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: MOSAID DELAWARE, INC.
Reel/Frame 026865/0328 →
CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT OF CERTIFICATION OF INCORPORATION Recorded Sep 7, 2011
From: MOSAID DELWARE, INC.
To: MOSAID TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 026865/0638 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 7, 2011
From: MOSAID TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: MOSAID TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 026866/0137 →
CHANGE OF REGISTERED OFFICE ADDRESS Recorded Sep 7, 2011
From: MOSAID TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED
To: MOSAID TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 026866/0393 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2005
From: SILICON VALLEY BANK
To: VIRTUAL SILICON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 017176/0916 →
CORRECT ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT ASSIGNEE NAME, PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 014885 FRAME 0629. Recorded Jun 1, 2005
From: VIRTUAL SILICON TECHNOLOGY, INC
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK
Reel/Frame 016198/0295 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 20, 2004
From: VIRTUAL SILICON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK DBA SILICON VALLEY EAST
Reel/Frame 014885/0629 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 25, 2002
From: MCMANUS, MICHAEL J.; RIVERA, BILLIE J.; TALBURT, RICHARD; WALKER, WILLIAM G.; ZAMPAGLIONE, MICHAEL A.
To: VIRTUAL SILICON TECHNOLOGY, INC
Reel/Frame 013515/0355 →