IP Library Granted Patent US 7,503,023
Granted Patent B1
US 7,503,023 · App. 12/112,529 · Granted Mar 10, 2009

Efficient method for locating a short circuit

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,503,023
App. No.
12/112,529
Granted
Mar 10, 2009
Kind
B1
Abstract

A method of locating a short circuit of a shorted circuit path in a circuit layout includes receiving a connecting stack of the circuit layout, receiving the circuit layout defining the connecting stack, receiving at least four virtual probe locations, identifying shortest paths between the at least four virtual probes, and outputting an intersection of the shortest paths, the intersection including the location of the short circuit. According to the method, the connecting stack includes interconnecting paths representing conductive traces of a circuit design, the at least four virtual probe locations exist on the interconnecting stack on at least two different nodes along the shorted circuit path, and the shortest paths are identified between pairs of the at least four probes and are between the at least two different nodes.

Claims (6)

1. A method of locating a short circuit of a shorted circuit path in a circuit layout, the method comprising:

receiving a connecting stack of the circuit layout, the connecting stack including interconnecting paths representing conductive traces of a circuit design;

receiving the circuit layout defining the connecting stack;

receiving at least four virtual probe locations, the at least four virtual probe locations existing on the connecting stack on at least two different nodes along the shorted circuit path;

identifying shortest paths between the at least four virtual probe locations, the shortest paths being identified between pairs of the at least four probe locations and being between the at least two different nodes; and

outputting an intersection of the shortest paths, the intersection including a location of the short circuit.

Assignments (3)
MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 18, 2021
From: MENTOR GRAPHICS CORPORATION; SIEMENS INDUSTRY SOFTWARE INC.
To: SIEMENS INDUSTRY SOFTWARE INC.
Reel/Frame 057261/0545 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 1, 2013
From: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
To: MENTOR GRAPHICS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 029733/0156 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 30, 2008
From: KAINUMA, SEAN T.; KERR, MICHAEL K.; KIM, RAYMOND H.; UNDERWOOD, JOSEPH H.
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 020880/0463 →