Hitachi, Ltd.

Vsli Technology, Inc.

Atsushi Kurosawa

Shigeru Shimada

Ryuji Shibata

In a method of designing cells applicable to different first and second design automation systems, first and second cells circuit-designed by the first and second design automation systems, respectively, are demarcated into a logic function portion and an input/output portion. A plurality of sets of common lithography patterns for the logic function portions of the first and second cells are determined such that each common lithography pattern set is shared by those of the first and second cells which have same logic function in the first and second design automation systems. A first set of lithography patterns for the input/output portions of the first cells in the first design automation system and a second set of lithography patterns for the input/output portions of the second cells in the second design automation system are determined, respectively. The first and second sets of lithography patterns are, at their external ends, in an arrangement satisfying requirements of the first and second design automation systems, respectively. The logic function portion of one or more of the first cells in the first design automation system having the determined set of common lithography pattern is combined with the input/output portion of the second cells having the second set of lithography pattern in the second design automation system.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Atsushi Kurosawa