Preplacement method for weighted net placement integrated circuit design layout tools

摘要

In a preplacement method for use in a computer-assisted integrated design layout process, circuit entities are placed by a computer program on a layout of an integrated circuit stored in computer memory. The circuit to be laid out is represented in computer memory as circuit entities interconnected between pins on the circuit entities. A set of pins to be interconnected forms a net and is assigned a weight. The method allows a user to cause the computer program to place a circuit entity at a different location on the integrated circuit layout than it would otherwise. A faked two pin net is defined, one pin being located on the circuit entity and another pin being located in a region of the integrated circuit in which the user desires the circuit entity to be placed. A high weight is then assigned to the faked two pin net that is much greater than weights assigned to other nets in the integrated circuit layout. The computer program then places the circuit entity in the region of the other pin in accordance with the high weight assigned to the faked net.