MACROBLOCK FOR USE IN LAYOUT DESIGN OF SEMICONDUCTOR INTEGRATED CIRCUIT, STORAGE MEDIUM FOR STORING INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY INCLUDING INFORMATION ON THE MACROBLOCK, AND LAYOUT DESIGN METHOD USING THE MACROBLOCK

摘要

A macroblock is treated as a single unit when creating a layout for a semiconductor integrated circuit. The macroblock comprises at least a cell for implementing one or more functions which the macroblock has to perform, and a plurality of through path forming cells each used for forming a through path passing through the macroblock, the plurality of through path forming cells being inserted into the macroblock in advance of creating a layout for a semiconductor integrated circuit so that they are spread over the macroblock in a predetermined way. Preferably, each of the plurality of through path forming cells is a buffer.