The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 14, 2002
Filed:
Jul. 22, 1999
Takeshi Kitahara, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Hitachi Semiconductor (America), Inc., San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
Antenna diodes reduction. The number of antenna diodes is reduced in order to achieve an improved integrated circuit (IC) performance in terms of speed and power consumption. Essentially, before the number of antenna diodes can be reduced interconnect segments at a metal layer and metal layers below it are checked to find out if there are any segments of interconnects to gate inputs that are not yet connected to an output of a signal source. Further, a ratio is established for each segment of interconnect to gate input(s) that is not yet connected to an output. The ratio relates to the physical characteristics of the gate and interconnect and is expressed as the relationship between the gate area and area of the interconnect segments that are not yet connected to the signal source. The ratio is then compared against a set criteria such as an upper limit of the ratio. Finally, based on this comparison and the number of gate inputs attached to the interconnect, a decision is made whether to reduce the number of antenna diodes. Once a decision is made, the number of antenna diodes is adjusted accordingly by removing antenna diodes or by reducing the number of antenna diodes to be added. In accordance with a purpose of the invention, a computer system can be used in which an embodiment of the invention is implemented. The invention can be implemented in the computer system as a separate design automation tool or as part of other design automation tools. The invention can be embodied in the computer system in the form of computer program code stored in a computer readable medium.