IP Library Granted Patent US 8,347,262
Granted Patent B2
US 8,347,262 · App. 12/989,739 · Granted Jan 1, 2013

Method of deriving an integrated circuit schematic diagram

Assignee: Semiconductor Insights Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,347,262
App. No.
12/989,739
Granted
Jan 1, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method, computer-readable medium and system are described for deriving a schematic diagram representative of an integrated circuit ( 1 C) comprising a plurality of circuit elements. In general, the method, computer-readable medium and system are configured to receive as input a working schematic diagram identifying at least some of the circuit elements, and at least one existing schematic diagram from one or more libraries thereof. Based on this input, at least a portion of the working schematic diagram that matches at least a portion of the at least one existing schematic diagram is identified and replaced, thereby forming a revised schematic diagram.

Claims (35)

1. A method of deriving a schematic diagram representative of an integrated circuit (IC) comprising a plurality of circuit elements, the method comprising steps of:

receiving as input a working schematic diagram identifying at least some of the circuit elements, and at least one existing schematic diagram from one or more libraries thereof;

automatically identifying, using a computer, at least a portion of the working schematic diagram that matches at least a portion of the at least one existing schematic diagram; and

replacing the identified portion from the working schematic diagram with the matching portion from the at least one existing schematic diagram, thereby forming a revised schematic diagram.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising steps of:

receiving an indication that the revised schematic diagram is an improved schematic diagram, else repeating the identifying and replacing steps; and

providing the revised schematic diagram as an improved schematic diagram.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising a step of removing a polarity of at least one circuit element of the plurality of circuit elements.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of identifying is independent of symmetry within the at least one existing schematic diagram.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising steps of:

performing a read back operation on the IC;

determining a presence of the plurality of circuit elements within a circuit of the IC; and

compiling the working schematic diagram comprising the plurality of circuit elements.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said identifying step comprises:

selecting at least one pivotal circuit element from the working schematic diagram;

producing a connected sub-graph having the at least one pivotal circuit element; and

identifying a matching portion from the at least one existing schematic diagram using sub-graph isomorphism.

7. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising a step before the replacing step of receiving an indication that the identified matching portion provides an improved representation of the at least one pivotal circuit element, else repeating the identifying step.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the working schematic diagram comprises a sea of gates.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises a computer-implemented method.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising statements and instructions for execution by a computing device to derive a schematic diagram representative of an integrated circuit (IC) comprising a plurality of circuit elements by implementing steps of:

receiving as input a working schematic diagram identifying at least some of the circuit elements, and at least one existing schematic diagram from one or more libraries thereof;

identifying at least a portion of the working schematic diagram that matches at least a portion of the at least one existing schematic diagram; and

replacing the identified portion from the working schematic diagram with the matching portion from the at least one existing schematic diagram, thereby forming a revised schematic diagram.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 10 , the statements and instructions further for implementing steps of:

receiving an indication that the revised schematic diagram is an improved schematic diagram, else repeating the identifying and replacing steps; and

providing the revised schematic diagram as an improved schematic diagram.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 10 , further comprising steps of:

performing a read back operation on the IC;

determining a presence of the plurality of circuit elements within a circuit of the IC; and

compiling the working schematic diagram comprising the plurality of circuit elements.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable method according to claim 10 , wherein said identifying step comprises:

selecting at least one pivotal circuit element from the working schematic diagram;

producing a connected sub-graph having the at least one pivotal circuit element; and

identifying a matching portion from the at least one existing schematic diagram using sub-graph isomorphism.

Assignments (5)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 12, 2021
From: STELLUS CAPITAL INVESTMENT CORPORATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: TECHINSIGHTS INC.
Reel/Frame 058096/0558 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 10, 2021
From: TECHINSIGHTS INC.; VLSI RESEARCH INC.
To: CAPITAL ONE, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 058096/0721 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Aug 16, 2017
From: TECHINSIGHTS INC.
To: STELLUS CAPITAL INVESTMENT CORPORATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 043571/0385 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 9, 2014
From: SEMICONDUCTOR INSIGHTS INC.
To: TECHINSIGHTS INC.
Reel/Frame 033941/0692 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 8, 2011
From: ZAVADSKY, VYACHESLAV; KEYES, EDWARD; EDMONDS, SHANE; NOVIKOV, ALEXEI
To: SEMICONDUCTOR INSIGHTS INC.
Reel/Frame 027196/0199 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20110041110A1 · Feb 17, 2011