JP2013061753A - Pattern data processing method, device, program, and recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To efficiently perform predetermined processing for pattern data having a plurality of hierarchized cells without providing severe design restriction.SOLUTION: A common intrusion area calculation processing unit 205 associates, for every cell, an area in which an external pattern intrudes in the cell as a common intrusion area with the cell. An influence range calculation processing unit 214 calculates, on the basis of the common intrusion area, an area required to perform predetermined processing along with the external pattern in each cell as an influence range of the cell, according to the content of the predetermined processing for the pattern data. A common data area calculation processing unit 215 calculates an area obtained by excluding the influence range of the cell from a cell data present area, as the common data area of the cell. A graphical processing unit 206 performs the predetermined processing once for the common data area of each cell, performs the predetermined processing for the influence range along with the external pattern intruding in the cell, and performs the predetermined processing for the pattern data.

Description

  The present invention provides a pattern data processing method, a pattern data processing device, and a pattern data processing method for performing predetermined processing such as logical operation processing on pattern data having a plurality of hierarchized cells in a computer. The present invention relates to a pattern data processing program to be executed and a computer-readable recording medium on which the pattern data processing program is recorded.

Conventionally, it covers a wide range of fields such as mask pattern design of display devices such as mobile phone display panels and FPD (Flat Panel Display), LSI (Large Scale Integration circuit) design, MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) design, mechanism design, etc. CAD (Computer Aided Design) is used.
In LSI, MEMS, FPD, etc., the layout pattern of components such as elements and wiring patterns is configured by pattern data divided into a plurality of layers, and photolithography or printing technology using a mask is used based on the pattern data. Manufacturing final products is a basic technology that supports mass production in recent years.

  The layout pattern is final design data indicating the shape to be formed on the final product, and since it is necessary to satisfy various rules such as the minimum line width and spacing from design and manufacturing, layout pattern inspection processing Such pattern data processing is required. In addition, various pattern data processing such as layout pattern duplication removal processing and data change processing including sizing is indispensable for manufacturing.

  For this purpose, when performing verification (design rule check) that layout pattern (in other words, mask pattern) data such as LSI or FPD satisfies the rules necessary for manufacturing, or drawing data for an electron beam drawing apparatus. Various pattern data processing methods and pattern data processing apparatuses are used to perform predetermined processing on pattern data such as pattern data verification processing and change processing when creating the pattern data.

  In particular, in LSI, the data scale has increased remarkably with the recent miniaturization of the manufacturing process, and the speeding up of pattern data processing has become a problem. As a solution to this, the pattern data is configured to have a plurality of hierarchical cells having a hierarchical structure, and paying attention to the hierarchical structure of each cell, the same data is processed only once except for the boundary area. Hierarchical processing methods have been developed (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

  However, in the processing methods described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, an area where the pattern of each hierarchy cell does not overlap between the hierarchy cells or an area where the pattern of each hierarchy overlaps between the hierarchy cells is stored inside the lower hierarchy cell. Design constraints are set so as to be the surrounding area. Then, predetermined pattern data processing is performed on the premise of such severe design constraints. If only the pattern satisfying the constraint condition is satisfied, the processing efficiency can be improved. However, if there is a pattern that does not satisfy the constraint condition, the processing efficiency may be significantly lowered or the process may be disabled.

LSI patterns generally do not overlap significantly between hierarchical cells, but limiting pattern duplication prohibition areas and overlapping areas between hierarchical cells to the surrounding area inside the cell is a severe constraint in layout design, and the design results As a result, the chip size increases and the design period increases.
On the other hand, processing in which the influence of the pattern between hierarchical cells depends on the distance, such as pattern sizing processing and dimension check processing, can also be realized by the processing methods described in Patent Documents 1 and 2. However, target selection processing using a topology such as selecting a graphic having an overlapping relationship, for example, has a problem in that an accurate result cannot be obtained because the influence between layers cannot be limited by distance.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-216012 JP 2002-197130 A

  An object of the present invention is to efficiently perform a predetermined process such as a logical operation process on pattern data having a plurality of hierarchized cells without providing strict design constraints as described above. Yes.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, in a pattern data processing method for performing predetermined processing on pattern data having a plurality of hierarchized cells, an external device that enters the cell from the outside for each cell. A common intrusion area calculation step for detecting a pattern and associating the area where the external pattern enters the cell with the cell as a common intrusion area, and the content of the predetermined process based on the common intrusion area associated with the cell In response, the influence range calculation step of calculating the area that needs to be subjected to the predetermined processing together with the external pattern in the cell as the influence range of the cell, and the influence range of the cell from the data existence area of the cell A common data area calculating step of calculating the excluded area as a common data area of the cell, and a common data area of each cell. A pattern data processing step for performing the predetermined processing on the pattern data by performing the predetermined processing once and performing the predetermined processing together with the external pattern entering the cell for the influence range. A pattern data processing method is provided.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, in a pattern data processing apparatus that performs a predetermined process on pattern data having a plurality of hierarchized cells, the cell enters the cell from the outside for each cell. A common intrusion area calculating means for detecting an external pattern to be detected and associating the area where the external pattern enters the cell with the cell as a common intrusion area, and the predetermined processing based on the common intrusion area associated with the cell. In accordance with the contents of the cell, an influence range calculating means for calculating an area in the cell that needs to perform the predetermined processing together with the external pattern as an influence range of the cell, and the influence of the cell from the data existence area of the cell About the common data area calculation means for calculating the area excluding the range as the common data area of the cell, and the common data area of each cell The pattern data processing means for performing the predetermined process on the pattern data by performing the predetermined process once and performing the predetermined process together with the external pattern entering the cell for the influence range. A pattern data processing device is provided.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pattern data processing program for causing a computer to execute a predetermined process on pattern data having a plurality of hierarchized cells. A pattern data processing program is provided which causes a computer to execute the pattern data processing method.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer-readable recording medium recording a pattern data processing program for causing a computer to execute the pattern data processing method of the present invention.

According to the pattern data processing method of the present invention, predetermined predetermined processing such as logical operation processing can be efficiently performed on pattern data having a plurality of hierarchized cells without severe design constraints. Is possible.
Further, according to the pattern data processing apparatus of the present invention, predetermined predetermined processing such as logical operation processing can be efficiently performed on pattern data having a plurality of hierarchized cells without strict design constraints. It becomes possible to do.
In addition, when the computer executes the pattern data processing program of the present invention, a predetermined predetermined value such as logical operation processing is applied to pattern data having a plurality of hierarchized cells without severe design constraints. Processing can be performed efficiently.
In addition, by causing a computer to execute the pattern data processing program recorded on the recording medium of the present invention, it is possible to perform logical operation processing or the like in advance on pattern data having a plurality of hierarchized cells without severe design constraints. It becomes possible to construct a pattern data processing apparatus that can efficiently perform a predetermined process.

It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the principle of this invention. 1 is a block diagram of a pattern data processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart which shows the duplication pattern detection process between cells in embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the common intrusion area | region detection process in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the cell in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the hierarchical structure of the cell in embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the duplication pattern detection process between cells in embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the duplication pattern detection process between cells in embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the duplication pattern detection process between cells in embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the duplication pattern detection process between cells in embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the duplication pattern detection process between cells in embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the duplication pattern detection process between cells in embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the duplication pattern detection process between cells in embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the common intrusion area | region detection process in embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the common intrusion area | region detection process in embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the common intrusion area | region detection process in embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the common intrusion area | region detection process in embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the AND process in embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the AND process in embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the AND process in embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the AND process in embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the AND process in embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the AND process in embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the AND process in embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the AND process in embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the SUB process in embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the SUB process in embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the SUB process in embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the SUB process in embodiment of this invention.

The outline of the embodiment of the present invention will be described. When performing predetermined processing (pattern data processing) such as logical operation processing on pattern data having a plurality of hierarchized cells, first, pattern data For each layer, the shape of a pattern (external pattern) that actually enters the cell from the outside of each cell is detected.
A cell is a set of patterns and is a component of pattern data. Each cell has a hierarchical structure by referring to another cell inside the own cell. The pattern data is composed of a plurality of hierarchized cells.

  The intrusion of a pattern into a certain cell is “any of the remaining patterns excluding a certain cell and all lower layer cells under the certain cell for each reference point. This pattern means that the pattern overlaps the area where the data of the certain cell exists (data existing area). Here, “all lower hierarchical cells of a certain cell” means “all lower hierarchical cells under the certain cell”. “A lower layer cell under a certain cell” means “the lower layer cell when the cell can be reached when the cell is reached from the lower layer cell to the upper layer in order”. ing.

  Next, an OR region (hereinafter referred to as a common intrusion region) having the shape of the external pattern that enters each cell is obtained. Next, based on the common intrusion area, there is a possibility that the result of pattern data processing becomes inaccurate due to the influence of the external pattern (in other words, the result of pattern data processing differs due to different external patterns). Each cell internal area (hereinafter referred to as an influence range) is extracted. The influence range is determined according to the contents of pattern processing. In this way, the influence range is obtained based on the shape of the external pattern.

  Next, the pattern in the cell in which the processing result may be different can be extracted based on the influence range. Therefore, the pattern in the cell whose processing result may be different is merged with the external pattern and the predetermined pattern data processing is performed. The cell pattern having the same processing result (in other words, the result of the pattern data processing is the same even if the outer pattern is different) can be extracted based on the influence range. Only the predetermined pattern data processing is performed.

  The influence range is a region where the calculation result in the cell fluctuates due to the influence of the external pattern, in other words, a region where the external calculation result fluctuates due to the influence of the pattern in the cell. In other words, the influence range means an area in the cell that needs to be calculated after merging the external pattern and the pattern in the cell in order to finally obtain a correct pattern data processing result for the entire pattern data. Yes.

  Thereby, predetermined pattern data processing is performed on the entire pattern data. In this way, it is possible to perform predetermined pattern data processing without setting the pattern overlap region between cells as a region around the cell. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently perform predetermined processing such as logical operation processing on pattern data having a plurality of hierarchized cells without providing strict design constraints.

Pattern data processing includes logical operation processing for performing pattern logical operations, change processing for changing pattern sizes and intervals between patterns, verification processing for inspecting pattern sizes and intervals between patterns, pattern shapes, There is a selection process for selecting a pattern based on an overlapping relationship between patterns. More specifically, targets for logical operation processing such as AND processing and OR processing, sizing processing for changing the size of wiring and element patterns, dimension check processing for patterns and elements, or extraction of only overlapping patterns There are various pattern data processing such as selection processing.
The influence range varies depending on the contents of pattern data processing. However, in any pattern data processing, it is possible to determine the influence range based on the shape of the external pattern according to the contents of the pattern data processing.

The outline of the embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail. For example, an external pattern enters a cell at each reference point with respect to a plurality of cells (reference points) having the same configuration referenced by a certain cell. If pattern data processing is performed based on the area (pattern intrusion area), the order processing is performed according to the number of reference points, which is equivalent to developing and processing all patterns in each cell. It will be a huge amount of data processing.
On the other hand, if there is a pattern intrusion area at one reference point, the result of pattern data processing on the influence range varies depending on the influence of the pattern intrusion area, so that the same processing result is not obtained at all reference points. However, the result of the pattern data processing for the area excluding this influence range is the same at all reference points.

  In the hierarchical processing, it is necessary to process data having the same result only once. In the embodiment of the present invention, first, an OR region having a shape in which an external pattern enters at every reference point for each cell. (Hereinafter referred to as a common intrusion area). Next, based on the common intrusion area, an influence range corresponding to the contents of pattern data processing is calculated, and an area excluding the influence range from the maximum area where pattern data in a cell can exist (hereinafter referred to as a common data area) Pattern data processing is performed.

By using the result of pattern data processing for the common data area as the processing result of this hierarchical cell, the pattern data processing for the common data area can be performed only once.
About the said influence range, it merges with an external pattern for every cell, and performs pattern data processing separately. As described above, by performing pattern data processing separately for the common data area and the influence range and integrating the processing results, it becomes possible to perform pattern data processing for the entire pattern data.

The influence range is a maximum area in a cell in which a pattern shape obtained as a result of pattern data processing may be changed under the influence of an external pattern included in the common intrusion area. Similarly, the common data area is an area where pattern data processing can be performed without being affected by the external pattern included in the common intrusion area, and the pattern shape obtained as a result of pattern data processing is changed by the external pattern. It is the largest area in the cell that will not be done.
The common data area of a cell is an area obtained by excluding the influence range of the cell from the data existence area where the data of the cell exists.

For example, in logical operation processing such as AND processing, OR processing, and SUB processing, only the processing result of the inner area of the common intrusion area is changed by the external pattern, and the processing result of the outer area of the common intrusion area is not changed. .
Also, in dimension check processing and sizing processing such as WIDTH processing (verification specifying pattern width), SPACE processing (verification specifying pattern interval), and ENC processing (verification specifying inclusion margin), the common intrusion area There is a possibility that the processing result up to the outer area corresponding to the width specified by the rule is changed. For example, the range of rule values from the common intrusion area is generally affected, but if the external pattern affects the distance of √2 times the rule value as the corner specification, it is necessary to calculate the influence range in consideration of this is there.

  In addition, in the target selection process such as extracting a pattern that overlaps with the specified layer, the in-cell pattern overlapping with the common intrusion area may have different calculation results for selection or non-selection depending on the presence or absence of an external pattern. The entire in-cell pattern that overlaps with the common intrusion area becomes the influence range.

  As described above, even when the common intrusion area is the same, the influence range varies depending on the contents of the pattern data processing. By determining the influence range in consideration of the maximum area where the pattern data processing results differ depending on the shape of the external pattern included in the common intrusion area, the content of the pattern data processing is determined based on the common intrusion area. It is possible to easily determine the influence range.

  For example, the influence range of many pattern data processing contents can be defined by the distance. In this case, an area obtained by enlarging the common intrusion area by a certain distance can be set as the influence range. In addition, when the result of pattern data processing differs due to connection of external patterns such as contact, overlap, and inclusion, the influence range can be defined by the entire pattern that the common intrusion area contacts. As described above, the items that define the influence range are clarified according to the pattern data processing contents, and the influence range is obtained by assuming the shape that maximizes this item as the shape of the external pattern included in the common intrusion area. Can do.

  When pattern data is processed for the affected area, the in-cell pattern (hereinafter referred to as the boundary pattern) in the range necessary for determining the processing result within the affected area is expanded, for example, and merged with the pattern outside the cell. By performing individual processing, it is possible to obtain individual pattern data processing results for each reference point. Similar to the influence from the common intrusion area, the processing result within the influence range is affected according to the calculation content from the pattern in the vicinity of the influence range. For this reason, the boundary pattern may include a pattern outside the influence range. The method for obtaining this range is the same as the method for obtaining the influence range from the common intrusion area.

  At this time, depending on the shape of the boundary pattern, there are a part where the pattern is added and a part where the pattern is deleted compared to the processing result in the cell. Since the part to which the pattern is added may be added as a processing result pattern to the upper layer cell, the processing result in the cell is not affected. Since the part where the pattern is deleted cannot be deleted in the upper hierarchy cell, the part that may be deleted is deleted from the result in the cell in advance, and the combined result with the corresponding part in the cell is A method such as creation in a hierarchical cell is taken.

  Here, the actual pattern data processing method is not necessarily limited to the pattern data processing of the hierarchy corresponding to the common data area as described above and the pattern data processing of the influence range based on the developed common intrusion area. . For the pattern data processing result in the affected area, adopt a method to share the same processing result by referring to this as a new cell for each reference point, or a new cell combined with the common data area It is also possible to adopt the method.

  In addition, since the influence range based on the common intrusion area requires individual processing for each reference point, it is desirable that the influence range is as small as possible in order to shorten the processing time. For this reason, it is possible to adopt a calculation method in which the influence range is narrowed in consideration of the details of the pattern data processing.

Further, in each cell, an area (data existence area) including all data including a lower layer in the cell is common to all layers in the cell. The data existence area is basically a rectangle along the XY axis direction including all data,
・ If there is a large area that does not have data, excluding the part that does not have data ・ Expand by the distance affected by the processing that depends on the distance ・ If you cannot detect the overlapping relationship outside the area, Variations such as handling when all overlap are possible.
As described above, accurate and efficient hierarchical processing can be realized without severe restrictions on overlapping areas.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the principle of the embodiment of the present invention, and shows an example of an LSI (Large Scale Integration circuit).
The pattern data has a plurality of layer structures corresponding to masks used in photolithography, and pattern data processing is also performed based on these layers.

  For this reason, for each cell layer constituting the pattern data, an area where a pattern (external pattern) enters from the outside of the cell is held as a common intrusion area. The common intrusion area does not need the individual shape of the area into which the external pattern has invaded, and may have a shape in which the intruded individual areas are joined and framed. In other words, the common intrusion area of the hierarchical cell is an area obtained by performing OR processing on the part of the external pattern that has entered the data existence area of the hierarchical cell. Next, an area (influence range) that needs to be subjected to pattern data processing together with the external pattern is obtained based on the common intrusion area according to the processing content of the pattern data processing.

  In the influence range processing, a pattern in a range necessary for the influence range processing among the patterns in the hierarchical cell is individually processed together with the external pattern by, for example, developing the pattern in the upper hierarchical cell. The part excluding the influence range from the data existence area of the cell is a part (common data area) that can be processed independently regardless of the processing outside the cell. If this portion is processed only once, the processing result can be used when the processing related to the common data area of the same cell is also required in other areas of the pattern data.

  Even when the common intrusion area is the same, the method of calculating the influence range differs for each arithmetic processing according to the contents of the pattern data processing, but the influence range can be obtained based on the common intrusion area. Therefore, once the common intrusion area is obtained, it is possible to easily obtain the influence range and the common data area that actually affect the pattern data processing when performing hierarchical processing. By performing pattern data processing for the affected range individually and pattern data processing for the common data area only once, accurate and efficient hierarchical processing can be realized without severe restrictions.

In FIG. 1 (i), cell a and cell b have a hierarchical structure, cell a is an upper layer cell (for example, a top cell), and cell b is a lower layer cell. The cell a has two cells b as reference points and has patterns 101 and 102 such as wiring. The patterns 101 and 102 are external patterns that enter the cell b from the outside when viewed from the cell b.
The data such as the pattern included in each cell exists in the data existence area of each cell. In the example of FIG. 1, the data existence area of each cell a and cell b is an area surrounded by a solid rectangular frame. It is. Also in each of the following drawings, the cell data existence area is an area surrounded by a solid rectangular frame, but a frame having another shape can be used as the data existence area.

  As shown in FIG. 1 (ii), the common intrusion region 103 is obtained by performing OR processing on the portion of the patterns 101 and 102 that enters the cell b. The common intrusion area 103 is an area where the external patterns 101 and 102 enter any one of the reference points (cell b in the example of FIG. 1). Based on the common intrusion area 103, the influence range of the cell b according to the calculation content of the pattern data processing can be determined.

  The influence range is an area included in the common intrusion area 103 when the pattern data process is a logical operation process such as an AND process or an OR process. When the pattern data process is a sizing process or a dimension check process, the influence range is an area obtained by enlarging the common intrusion area by a predetermined size width. When the pattern data processing is target selection processing, the influence range is the entire pattern area in which the result of pattern data processing (selection or non-selection) changes due to the presence of an external pattern in the common intrusion area. .

The influence range is an area that needs to be calculated by merging with the upper layer cell a when performing the operation process of the upper layer cell a. The part excluding the influence range from the data existence area of the lower hierarchy cell b is an area (common data area) where pattern data processing is possible independently of other processes.
As described above, the embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the common intrusion area 103 is obtained for each cell, and various pattern data processing such as logical operation processing is performed using the common intrusion area 103. It is.

  In addition, the embodiment of the present invention obtains an influence range according to the contents of pattern data processing based on the common intrusion area obtained for each cell, and expands the influence range to the upper level to individually perform pattern data processing. The pattern data processing of the entire pattern data is performed by performing the pattern data processing only once for the common data area excluding the influence range from the data existence area of the cell.

  That is, in the embodiment of the present invention, paying attention to the hierarchical structure of the cells, for each reference point of each cell, all the remaining patterns excluding the cell and all the lower hierarchical cells subordinate to the cell. To detect the pattern intruding into the data existence area of the cell (collectively, these patterns are referred to as external patterns), and the sum of all areas in which the external pattern intrudes into each cell is defined as the common intrusion area of the cell. Keep it associated.

When performing pattern data processing, the influence range and the common data region are calculated according to the contents of the common intrusion region and the pattern data processing. By performing the pattern data processing only once for the common data area, the number of times of pattern data processing is reduced when a plurality of the same cells are used. In addition, regarding the influence range, pattern data processing is individually performed for each cell.
As a result, processing for the entire pattern data processing becomes possible, so that hierarchical pattern data processing can be realized efficiently without strict design constraints.

  Hereinafter, a pattern data processing method, a pattern data processing apparatus, a pattern data processing program for causing a computer to execute the pattern data processing method, and a computer readable recording of the pattern data processing program according to an embodiment of the present invention A detailed recording medium will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the pattern data processing apparatus 200 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
In FIG. 2, the pattern data processing apparatus 200 can be configured by a computer and has a function of performing various processes such as logical operations on pattern data 217 created by CAD (Computer Aided Design). In the present embodiment, an example of LSI pattern data 217 is shown as pattern data. The pattern data 217 has cell data 211 composed of a plurality of hierarchized cells.

  The cell data (cell data) is also called layout data, and the cell data 211 is composed of a plurality of cell data. The cell data of each cell has polygonal graphic data of component elements (layout graphic elements) such as wiring patterns and electronic circuit elements, and coordinate data of the polygons. It has data such as name, coordinates, inversion, rotation, and repetition.

  The pattern data 217 is composed of a plurality of cell data, and is composed of a part or all of a plurality of cell data of the cell data 211. Of the plurality of cell data 211, the pattern data 217 is configured by combining a plurality of cell data necessary for representing the pattern data processing target of the LSI or the display device.

The pattern data processing device 200 includes a pattern data processing unit 201 configured by a central processing unit (CPU) for performing pattern data processing, a display unit 202 configured by a liquid crystal display (LCD), and the like, and an operation unit 203 having a mouse and a keyboard. The storage unit 204 stores a program executed by the pattern data processing unit 201 and various data.
The storage unit 204 is configured by a magnetic disk or the like. The storage unit 204 stores the pattern data 217 to be processed before performing pattern data processing.

A pattern data processing program executed by the pattern data processing unit 201 is recorded on a computer-readable recording medium 213 such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc-Read Only Memory). The pattern data processing program recorded on the recording medium 213 is used by being stored in the program area of the storage unit 204.
The pattern data processing unit 201 constructs the common intrusion area calculation processing unit 205 and the graphic processing unit 206 by executing the pattern data processing program stored in the storage unit 204.

  The common intrusion area calculation processing unit 205 has a function of calculating a common intrusion area using the pattern data 217 created by CAD and stored in the storage unit 204. The common intrusion region calculation processing unit 205 includes an inter-cell overlapping region detection processing unit 216 that detects an overlapping region between cells, an inter-cell overlapping pattern extraction processing unit 207 that extracts an overlapping pattern between cells, and a common intrusion from an external pattern. A common intrusion area detection processing unit 208 that detects an area is included. The external pattern is a combination of an inter-cell overlap pattern and a pattern that enters each cell in the pattern of the upper layer cell.

  The inter-cell overlapping area detection processing unit 216 detects, for each cell, an area (inter-cell overlapping area) where the cell zone of the cell overlaps with the cell zones of all other cells in the same hierarchy. Here, all the other cells in the same hierarchy are cells that are directly referred to by all the upper layer cells of the cell (all cells that are one layer higher than the cell).

  The inter-cell overlap pattern extraction processing unit 207 performs an inter-cell overlap pattern extraction process. The inter-cell overlap pattern detection process is performed by the inter-cell overlap area detection process by the inter-cell overlap area detection processing unit 216 and the inter-cell overlap pattern extraction process unit 207 by the inter-cell overlap pattern extraction process.

  The inter-cell overlap pattern detection process is a process for detecting, for each cell, the pattern of all the lower layer cells up to the cell existing in the inter-cell overlap region and the lowest layer cell under the cell. . Here, the cell zone is a data existence area of a cell (a reference point when viewed from an upper layer cell), and is an area including all data of the cell. The cell zone is not necessarily rectangular.

  The common intrusion area detection processing unit 208 performs common intrusion area detection processing. The common intrusion area detection process is a process for obtaining, for each cell of the cell data 211, an area (common intrusion area) obtained by performing OR processing on the intrusion portion of the external pattern that intrudes into the cell. The common intrusion area detection processing unit 208 stores the obtained shape data of the common intrusion area in association with the cell as the common intrusion area data of the cell.

The common intrusion area calculation is performed by the inter-cell overlapping area detection processing of the inter-cell overlapping area detection processing unit 216, the inter-cell overlapping pattern extraction processing of the inter-cell overlapping pattern extraction processing unit 207, and the common intrusion area detection processing of the common intrusion area detection processing unit 208. Processing is performed.
If the common intrusion area detection process is performed in advance for all the cells constituting the pattern data 217, the common intrusion area of each cell can be used when performing pattern data processing for other pattern data. When the processing is completed in a short time, the common intrusion area detection processing may be performed only for the cells constituting the pattern data 217.

  The graphic processing unit 206 is a processing unit that performs predetermined pattern data processing on the pattern data 217 using the common intrusion area data 212. The graphic processing unit 206 includes an influence range calculation processing unit 214, a common data area calculation processing unit 215, a common data area processing unit 209, and an influence range processing unit 210.

The influence range calculation processing unit 214 performs processing for obtaining the influence range of the cell based on the common intrusion area of the cell according to the contents of the pattern data processing.
The common data area calculation processing unit 215 performs processing for obtaining a common data area from the data existence area of the cell and the influence range of the cell.
The common data area processing unit 209 performs pattern data processing on the common data area of each cell. The influence range processing unit 210 performs pattern data processing on the influence range of each cell.

  The graphic processing unit 206 obtains a pattern data processing result for the entire pattern data 217 by integrating the results of the pattern data processing performed by the common data area processing unit 209 and the influence range processing unit 210. The graphic processing unit 206 stores the pattern data processing result in the storage unit 204.

Here, the display unit 202 constitutes a display unit, the operation unit 203 constitutes an operation unit, the storage unit 204 constitutes a storage unit, and the pattern data processing unit 201 constitutes a processing unit.
The common intrusion area calculation processing unit 205 constitutes a common intrusion area calculation unit, and the graphic processing unit 206 constitutes a data processing unit.
Further, the inter-cell overlap area detection processing unit 216 constitutes an inter-cell overlap area detection means, the inter-cell overlap pattern extraction process part 207 constitutes an inter-cell overlap pattern extraction means, and the common intrusion area detection process part 208 serves as a common intrusion. The area detection means is configured.
The inter-cell overlap region detection processing unit 216 and the inter-cell overlap pattern extraction processing unit 207 constitute an inter-cell overlap pattern detection unit.

The influence range calculation processing unit 214 constitutes an influence range calculation unit, and the common data area calculation processing unit 215 constitutes a common data area calculation unit.
The common data area processing unit 209 constitutes a common data area processing unit, and the influence range processing unit 210 constitutes an influence range processing unit.
Further, a portion excluding the influence range calculation processing unit 214 and the common data area calculation processing unit 215 from the graphic processing unit 206 constitutes a pattern data processing unit.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the inter-cell overlap pattern detection process in the present embodiment, which is a process performed by the pattern data processing unit 201 executing the pattern data processing program stored in the storage unit 204. The inter-cell overlap pattern detection processing is performed by the inter-cell overlap region detection processing unit 216 and the inter-cell overlap pattern extraction processing unit 207 of the pattern data processing unit 201.

  The inter-cell overlapping pattern detection process is a process for detecting an area (inter-cell overlapping area) in which the data existing area of each cell overlaps with the data existing areas of all other cells in the same hierarchy. Steps S301 to S305, S310), and among the patterns of all the lower layer cells up to the lowest layer cell under the cell, an inter-cell overlap pattern that is a pattern overlapping the inter-cell overlap region of the cell It has an inter-cell overlapping pattern extraction process (steps S306 to S309, S311) to be extracted.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the common intrusion area detection process in the present embodiment, which is a process performed by the pattern data processing unit 201 executing the pattern data processing program stored in the storage unit 204. The common intrusion area detection processing is performed by the common intrusion area detection processing unit 208 of the pattern data processing unit 201.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing cells used in the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a hierarchical structure of each cell used in the present embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, FIG. 5 (i) is the highest layer (top) cell Top, FIG. 5 (ii) is a layer cell A that is located one layer lower than the cell Top and is referenced by the cell Top, 5 (iii) is a hierarchical cell B that is located one layer lower than the cell Top and is referenced by the cell Top, and FIG. 5 (iv) is a hierarchical cell C that is located in a lower hierarchy of the hierarchical cell A and is referenced by the hierarchical cell A, FIG. (V) is a hierarchical cell D located in the lower hierarchy of the hierarchical cell A and the hierarchical cell B and referred to by the hierarchical cell A and the hierarchical cell B.

  A reference cell is a cell that is referenced by a cell that is one layer above the reference cell. The reference cell is a cell that is directly included in a cell one layer above the reference cell. Since cell C is indirectly included in cell Top via cell A, cell C is not a reference cell of cell Top. Since the cell D is also indirectly included in the cell Top via the cell A and the cell B, it is not a reference cell of the cell Top.

The cell Top corresponds to the pattern data 217 representing the entire LSI, has two cells A and one cell B as reference cells, and has a pattern 501 as a pattern of the highest layer.
The cell A includes one cell C and one cell D as reference cells, and has a pattern 502 as a hierarchical pattern of the cell A.

The cell B includes one cell D as a reference cell and has a pattern 503 as a pattern of the hierarchy of the cell B.
The cell C is a cell in the lowest hierarchy (bottom), does not include a reference cell, and has a pattern 504 as a pattern of the hierarchy of the cell C.
Similarly to the cell C, the cell D is a cell in the lowest hierarchy (bottom), does not include a reference cell, and has a pattern 505 as a pattern of the hierarchy of the cell D.

  Cells A, B, C, and D are cells that belong to the cell Top. The cells under cell A are cells C and D. Cell D is the only cell under cell B. Although cell C is a lower layer cell under cell A, cell C is not a lower layer cell of cell B. Cell D is a lower layer cell under the control of cells A and B. Cells A and B are peer-layer cells (cells having the same upper layer cell on one layer).

  Since the cells C and D are one layer below the cell A when viewed from the cell A, the cells C and D are in the same hierarchy when the cell A is used as a reference. However, when viewed with reference to cell B, cell D is one layer below cell B, but is not located one layer below cell B, so cells C and D are based on cell B. In some cases it is not a peer hierarchy.

  Since the cell zone is intended for all layers, the cell zone includes patterns of all layers of the cell. However, since the pattern describes only the pattern of the layer for which the common intrusion area is obtained, the range of the pattern included in the cell zone does not necessarily match the range included in the layer.

  7 to 13 are explanatory diagrams of the inter-cell overlap pattern detection processing, FIGS. 7 to 10 are explanatory diagrams of the inter-cell overlap region detection processing, and FIGS. 11 to 13 are inter-cell overlap performed using the inter-cell overlap region. It is explanatory drawing of a pattern detection process. Inter-cell overlap pattern detection processing is performed by inter-cell overlap region detection processing and inter-cell overlap pattern extraction processing.

14 to 17 are explanatory diagrams of the common intrusion area detection process.
As described above, the common intrusion area is calculated by performing the inter-cell overlap pattern detection process and the common intrusion area detection process.
Hereinafter, the common intrusion area calculation process including the inter-cell overlap pattern detection process and the common intrusion area detection process will be described with reference to FIGS.

The inter-cell overlap region detection processing unit 216 and the inter-cell overlap pattern extraction processing unit 207 of the common intrusion region calculation processing unit 205 read the pattern data 217 that is the target of pattern data processing from the storage unit 204 and read the inter-cell overlap region shown in FIG. Duplicate pattern detection processing is performed.
In the inter-cell overlap pattern detection processing, the inter-cell overlap region detection processing unit 216 performs inter-cell overlap region detection processing (processing steps S301 to S305, S310), and the inter-cell overlap pattern extraction processing unit 207 performs inter-cell overlap pattern extraction processing. (Processing steps S306 to 309, S311) are performed.

[Inter-cell overlap area detection processing]
In the inter-cell overlapping area detection process, the inter-cell overlapping area detection processing unit 216 detects, for each cell, an inter-cell overlapping area in which the cell zone of the cell overlaps the cell zone of another cell in the peer hierarchy. Among the cell zones of all cells that are directly referenced from the cell (in other words, all cells that are one layer lower than that referenced by the cell), the lower cell included in the inter-cell overlap region of the cell This is processing performed to detect an area as an area that requires development of a pattern of a lower cell (hereinafter referred to as a pattern development required area).

  The pattern of the cell and each lower-layer cell included in the inter-cell overlap area is an intrusion pattern for the overlapping partner cell, and in order to obtain this, the pattern up to the lowest-layer cell included in the inter-cell overlap area is determined. Need to be deployed. In order to efficiently perform this, a cell zone of a cell that is one layer lower in the inter-cell overlapping region is detected as a pattern development required region, registered in a lower layer cell, and sequentially propagated to the lowest layer.

  Specifically, for all cells from the highest hierarchy cell to the lowest hierarchy cell (in other words, all cells used as pattern data 217), the highest hierarchy cell to the lowest hierarchy cell in order. The processing steps S301 to S305 and S310 are performed. From the highest hierarchy cell to all the cells used from the lowest hierarchy cell, the cell overlap area between the cells in the lower hierarchy included in the cell is detected and the cell overlap area that the cell has And the overlapping area between the cell zone of the cell one layer lower than the OR area of the cell and the pattern development necessary area of the cell are sequentially detected as the pattern development necessary area of the lower hierarchy cell.

  It is only necessary to obtain the inter-cell overlap area of the cell before performing the pattern development necessary area distribution process (step S302), and the pattern development necessary area distribution process (step S302) and the inter-cell overlap area registration process. (Step S304) is not necessarily performed continuously for the same cell. Here, those that have a direct reference relationship such as between upper and lower hierarchies, or those that have a citation relationship across multiple hierarchies (in other words, an indirect reference relationship) This is not treated as an overlap between cells, and is evaluated only in the case of pattern development or pattern intrusion described later.

(I) Cell zone calculation processing step of lower layer cell (step S301)
In the processing step S301, the cell zone of the lower layer cell that is referenced by the cell that is the target of the inter-cell overlap area creation at present is calculated. FIG. 7 (i) is an example of the highest hierarchical cell Top. The highest layer cell Top refers to two cells A and one cell B as lower layers.

(Ii) Pattern distribution necessary area distribution processing (step S302)
In processing step S302, the inter-cell overlap area of the cell and the OR area of the pattern development required area are distributed to the lower hierarchy cells. The distribution process is a process of extracting a relationship between a lower hierarchy cell and the OR area of the cell, and sequentially adding an OR area overlapping with each lower cell as a pattern development required area of the lower cell.

  FIG. 8 (i) is an example of the highest hierarchical cell Top. Since the cell Top has no upper layer cell or peer layer cell, there is no overlap with other cells in the peer layer, there is no pattern invading from the top, and there is no inter-cell overlap region. Accordingly, there is no cell area of cells A and B (one pattern development required area of cells A and B) included in the inter-cell overlap area of cell Top.

  Note that the inter-cell overlapping area of the cell is obtained by the inter-cell overlapping area registration process (step S304) of the lower-layer cell performed for the upper-layer cell of the cell, and the pattern development necessary area of the cell is used. Is obtained by the distribution process (step S302) of the pattern development required area for all the cells that directly refer to the cell (in other words, all the cells that are one level higher that refer to the cell). Is used.

  For example, in the case of the cell A, as shown in FIG. 8 (ii), the one obtained by the processing step S304 (see FIG. 10 (i)) is used. The cell A has an inter-cell overlapping area indicated by hatching, but does not have a pattern development necessary area. The inter-cell overlap area of the cell A and the OR area of the pattern development area of the cell A (here, the cell A has no pattern development required area) and the cell zone of the lower layer cell C are overlapped. The area becomes the pattern development required area of the cell C.

(Iii) Lower layer cell overlap area detection processing (step S303)
In processing step S303, in the upper layer cell, the overlapping part of the cell zones of the lower layer cell is extracted as an inter-cell overlapping region. The hatched portion in FIG. 9 (i) is an inter-cell overlap region of the lower layer cell.

(Iv) Inter-cell overlap area registration process of lower hierarchy cell (step S304)
In the processing step S304, the inter-cell overlapping area of the lower layer cell obtained in (iii) is additionally registered in association with the inter-cell overlapping area of the overlapping partner cell as the inter-cell overlapping area of the lower layer cell. If the same cell and area are already registered, no addition is performed. (FIG. 10 (i)).

The data of the inter-cell overlapping area obtained here is used in the distribution process (step S302) of the pattern development necessary area of the next lower layer cell as described above (step S310).
The process is repeated from the highest hierarchical cell to the lowest hierarchical cell until the processing is completed in order (step S305). As the order of the cells to be processed at this time, a cell in which all the processes for the upper layer cell have been completed is selected as a processing target.

When the process is performed on the cell A, the process is performed in the order of FIG. 7 (ii), FIG. 8 (ii), FIG. 9 (ii), and FIG. 10 (ii), and as shown in FIG. The inter-cell overlap area of cells C and D and the OR area of the pattern development required area are detected. Similar processing is performed for the cells B to D. Thereby, the overlapping area between cells is detected for every cell. The pattern of the cell existing in the inter-cell overlap region and the lower cell up to the lowest layer intrudes into any other cell.
When the inter-cell overlap region detection process is completed for all cells from the highest hierarchy cell to the lowest hierarchy cell, the next inter-cell overlap pattern extraction process is performed.

[Duplicate pattern extraction process between cells]
The inter-cell overlap pattern extraction processing unit 207 performs an inter-cell overlap pattern detection process for detecting, for each cell, a pattern that overlaps between cells (inter-cell overlap pattern) in the inter-cell overlap area detected as described above. Do. In the inter-cell overlapping pattern detection process, the processing steps S306 to S309 and S311 are performed on all cells in order from the lowest hierarchy cell to the highest hierarchy cell.

(I) Evaluation target pattern detection process (step S306)
In processing step S306, the pattern of the cell currently being subjected to the inter-cell overlap pattern detection process and all the cells that are directly referenced from the cell (in other words, the cell one layer lower that is referenced by the cell) The expanded pattern developed from (1) is subjected to OR processing, and the pattern obtained as a result of the OR processing is set as the evaluation target pattern of the cell. The evaluation target pattern is a pattern to be evaluated as to whether or not it is an inter-cell overlapping pattern in the cell and the upper layer among the patterns of the cell and its lower layer cells.

  FIG. 11 (i) shows an example in which the current cell to be subjected to the inter-cell overlap pattern detection process is the lowest hierarchy cell C or D. Since the lowest hierarchy cells C and D do not have a lower hierarchy cell as a reference point, there is no expansion pattern (overlapping pattern between upper hierarchy cells) expanded from the lower level, and only the pattern within the cell is targeted.

The expansion pattern from the lower layer cell is the pattern of the pattern development necessary area for all the cells that are directly referenced from the cell (in other words, all the cells that are one layer lower than the cell that the cell refers to). What was obtained by the expansion process (step S307) is used. For example, in the case of the cell A, the one obtained by (FIG. 12 (ii), step S307) is used.
As described above, the evaluation target pattern, which is a pattern obtained by performing OR processing on the pattern in the cell and the expanded pattern expanded from all the hierarchical cells lower by one hierarchy referenced by the cell, Obtained for each cell.

(Ii) Pattern development processing of pattern development required area (step S307)
In the processing step S307, all of the detected evaluation target patterns existing in the pattern development necessary area (development pattern) are all higher cells that directly refer to the cell (in other words, refer to the cell). All the cells in the hierarchy one level above) are expanded to the reference point of the cell. FIG. 12I shows a development pattern from the cell C to the cell A. Since the cell A has no pattern development necessary area (see FIG. 8), there is no development pattern from the cell A to the cell Top as shown in FIG. 12 (ii).

As described above, the developed pattern obtained here is used in the next higher-layer cell evaluation target pattern detection process (step S306) (step S311).
Here, the data is expanded to the reference points of all the relevant cells, but in the distribution processing of the pattern development necessary area (step S302), the upper cell name and position that are the distribution source are registered together with the pattern development necessary area. Thus, it is possible to expand only to necessary reference points. Both procedures are different in processing efficiency, and the calculation result of the common intrusion area is the same.

(Iii) Inter-cell overlap pattern registration process (step S308)
In the processing step S308, the detected evaluation target pattern existing in the inter-cell overlapping region is stored in the storage unit 204 as an inter-cell overlapping pattern in association with the overlapping partner cell name and the overlapping position. The inter-cell overlap pattern obtained for the cells C and D is an area indicated by hatching in FIG. As shown in FIG. 13, among the patterns in the own cell, a pattern portion that overlaps the inter-cell overlap region is an inter-cell overlap pattern. The inter-cell overlap pattern is a pattern that enters another cell having the same inter-cell overlap region.

  The process is repeated from the lowest hierarchy cell to the highest hierarchy cell until the process is completed in order (step S309). The order at this time is the cell in which the inter-cell duplication pattern extraction processing has been completed for all the lower-layer cells directly referred to from the cell (in other words, the cells in the one-layer lower layer referenced by the cell). Is selected as the target of the inter-cell overlap pattern extraction process.

  When the process is performed on the cell A, the processes are as shown in FIGS. 11 (ii), 12 (ii), and 13 (ii). The inter-cell overlap pattern of the cell A is a region where the evaluation target pattern of FIG. 12 (ii) and the inter-cell overlap region overlap, and is a hatched region of FIG. 13 (ii). Similar processing is performed for other cells. By performing the inter-cell overlap pattern detection process as described above, an inter-cell overlap pattern that enters another cell having the same inter-cell overlap region is obtained for each cell.

  As described above, in the embodiment of the present invention, the inter-cell overlapping area is first detected, and then, the pattern overlapping the inter-cell overlapping area among the evaluation target patterns is obtained as the inter-cell overlapping pattern. Therefore, it is possible to obtain with a smaller data scale than the method of obtaining the inter-cell overlap pattern for all the areas in each cell from the beginning.

Next, the common intrusion area detection processing unit 208 reads the inter-cell overlap pattern data stored in the storage unit 204 by the above-described process, and performs the common intrusion area detection process of FIG.
[Common intrusion area detection processing]
In the common intrusion area detection processing, processing steps S401 to S406 are performed in order from the upper layer cell to the lower layer cell for all cells from the highest layer cell to the lowest layer cell.

(1) Inter-cell intrusion area creation processing (step S401)
In process step S401, the cell that is currently subject to the common intrusion area detection process and the cell in the same hierarchy are used as overlapping cells of the cell, and all the inter-cell overlap patterns associated in process step S308 are associated with the cell. Is created as an inter-cell intrusion area at the position (the position where the cell overlaps with the overlapping partner cell). The inter-cell intrusion area is obtained by arranging inter-cell overlap patterns of all other peer layer cells (the overlapping partner cells) associated with the cell at corresponding positions in the data existence area of the cell.

FIG. 14 (i) shows an example of the highest hierarchy cell Top. Since there is no peer hierarchy cell in the cell Top, the highest hierarchy cell Top has no inter-cell intrusion area. The inter-cell intrusion areas of the cells A and B are as shown in FIG. 14 (i), and the inter-cell intrusion areas of the cells C and D are as shown in FIG. 14 (ii).
Instead of registering the inter-cell overlap pattern in process step S308, registering the inter-cell intrusion area in the overlap partner cell together with the process of this step is the same result. Can be obtained.

(2) Common intrusion area completion processing (step S402)
In process step S402, an intrusion area (that is, one level higher) that is cut out from all upper level cells that directly refer to the cell (in other words, all cells that are one level higher that refer to the cell). The common intrusion area calculation process is completed for each cell by performing OR processing on the inter-cell intrusion area and an area overlapping the data existence area of the cell among patterns included in all cells. A region obtained as a result of the OR processing is a common intrusion region, which is shown in FIG.

FIG. 15 (i) shows an example of the highest hierarchy cell Top. Since no upper hierarchy cell exists in the cell Top, there is no intrusion area figure cut out from the upper hierarchy cell, and therefore there is no common intrusion area. In the case of the cell A, an area overlapping with the cell A in the pattern of the highest hierarchy cell Top becomes an “intrusion area cut out from the upper hierarchy cell”, and a common intrusion area indicated by hatching in FIG. 15 (ii) is obtained.
The intrusion area cut out from all the upper layer cells (that is, all cells in the upper layer that refer to the cell) is obtained by the lower layer intrusion area creation process (step S404) of the upper layer cell. Use the same thing.

(3) Lower layer intrusion evaluation pattern creation processing (step S403)
In processing step S403, an intrusion evaluation pattern for the lower layer is obtained by performing OR processing between the common intrusion region of the cell and the pattern of the target layer (not including the lower layer pattern) of the common intrusion region detection target cell. (Lower layer intrusion evaluation pattern) is created. The lower-layer intrusion evaluation pattern is a pattern that is a target of determination as to whether or not the data exists in the data layer of the lower-layer cell from the upper-layer cell. FIG. 16 (i) is an example of the highest hierarchy cell Top. Since there is no upper hierarchy cell in the highest hierarchy cell Top, there is no common intrusion area, and therefore the lower hierarchy intrusion evaluation pattern is the target layer of the cell Top. Pattern (hatched area) only. The lower layer intrusion evaluation pattern of the cell A is a hatched area of FIG. 16 (ii).

(4) Distribution process (step S404)
In processing step S404, the lower layer intrusion evaluation pattern is distributed to cells in the lower layer for each reference point (FIG. 17 (i)). The distribution process is a process of extracting an overlapping area between the reference cell zone and the lower layer intrusion evaluation pattern and assigning the extracted area to the corresponding cell.
The distributed area is added to the inter-cell intrusion area shown in FIG. 14 (FIG. 17 (i)) to obtain the common intrusion area shown in FIG. In FIG. 17 (i), the intrusion areas of the cells A and B and the distributed lower-layer intrusion evaluation patterns are hatched, and these are the common intrusion areas of FIG.

  In this way, the intrusion area from the upper cell in the lower cell is calculated by distributing the result of the OR process between the common intrusion area of the cell and the pattern of the cell to the lower hierarchy cell. As described above, the intrusion area data obtained here is used in the process of completing the common intrusion area of the lower layer cell (step S402).

The above process is repeated from the highest hierarchy cell to the lowest hierarchy cell until the process is completed (step S405). The order at this time is selected for cells for which processing of all upper layer cells has been completed. In this order, the cells for which the common intrusion area detection process has been completed for all the upper layer cells are selected as the targets for the common intrusion area detection process.
When the above processing is performed on the cell A, the processing is as shown in FIGS. 14 (ii), 15 (ii), 16 (ii), and 17 (ii). In the case of the cells C and D, the common intrusion region is a hatched region in FIG. 17 (ii). Similar processing is performed for other cells, and a common intrusion area is obtained. The common intrusion area is an area where external patterns may overlap in the cell area.

  Here, the inter-cell intrusion area (step S401) and the intrusion area by the upper cell pattern (step S404) are separately obtained. However, when the overlapping portion of the cell pattern and the common intrusion area is used as don't care, other procedures are possible. is there. For example, a pattern existing in the inter-cell overlapping area together with the pattern development required area can be developed in an upper hierarchy cell, and a common intrusion area can be obtained collectively by an intrusion area (step S404) based on the upper cell pattern. In this case as well, the calculation method of the common intrusion area is different, but the inter-cell overlap area is obtained and the inter-cell overlap pattern is obtained based on this.

Next, an example in which a predetermined process is performed on the pattern data 217 using the common intrusion area calculated as described above will be described.
Processing for the pattern data 217 includes verification processing for verifying whether the shape and arrangement of the pattern data 217 are correct, processing for changing the pattern data 217, and the like. The pattern data process includes various processes such as a logical operation process such as an AND process and an OR process, a sizing process for changing the dimension of a pattern included in a cell, a dimension check process for a space and a pattern, and an object selection process. A specific example of pattern data processing will be described below.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart when the graphic processing unit 206 of the pattern data processing unit 201 performs AND processing as pattern data processing.
FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a configuration of the lower layer cell X in the cell data 211 constituting the pattern data 217. The cell X is a cell having a plurality of layers (first layer and second layer in this embodiment), and has a pattern 301 in the first layer and a pattern 302 in the second layer.

FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the highest hierarchical cell Top as pattern data. The cell Top has two cells X as reference cells, has patterns 303 and 304 in the first layer, and patterns 305 and 306 in the second layer.
FIGS. 21 to 24 are explanatory diagrams of AND processing for pattern data, and are explanatory diagrams of operations for performing AND processing on all patterns of the first layer and all patterns of the second layer in the cell Top.
Hereinafter, as an example of pattern data processing in the present embodiment, AND processing between patterns existing in different layers will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 18 to 24.

The common intrusion area calculation processing unit 208 uses the external pattern at every reference point for each hierarchical cell (that is, the location where the cell is referenced in all upper hierarchical cells up to the highest hierarchical cell Top). For each layer, and the OR area of the intrusion part for each layer is stored in the storage unit 204 in association with the cell as a common intrusion area for each layer (step S501 in FIG. 18).
Thereby, as shown in FIG. 21, the common intrusion area 401 of the first layer and the common intrusion area 402 of the second layer are obtained as the common intrusion area. The common intrusion areas 401 and 402 can be used in common for all calculations, and are obtained only once for each layer.

Next, based on the common intrusion areas 401 and 402, the influence range calculation processing unit 214 calculates the influence range according to the contents of pattern data processing (here, AND processing).
In general, in the process of inputting two layers, the contents of the influence of the common intrusion area of the first layer (the influence of the first layer) and the influence of the common intrusion area of the second layer (the influence of the second layer) are different. Similarly, the boundary pattern has different effects on the input layer depending on the influence range of each layer. For this reason,
It is necessary to consider the following four types.
The first layer boundary pattern according to the influence range of the first layer The second layer boundary pattern according to the influence range of the first layer The first layer boundary pattern according to the influence range of the second layer The second layer according to the influence range of the second layer Boundary pattern

When the pattern data processing is AND processing, the calculation itself does not depend on the distance, and the pattern data processing result is determined only by the overlapping relationship of the patterns. In addition, the processing result in the cell can be used for the overlapping part of the same layer of the in-cell pattern and the external pattern, and the processing result of the other layer is not considered (don't care).
Therefore, the influence range of each layer is as follows: The influence range of the first layer is the area obtained by removing the in-cell pattern of the first layer from the common intrusion area of the first layer. The influence range of the second layer is the second layer. This is an area obtained by removing the in-cell pattern of the second layer from the common intrusion area.

In addition, the only case that needs to be considered across the hierarchy is the part where the pattern of different layers overlaps between the cell pattern and the external pattern.
-The first layer boundary figure by the influence range of the first layer and the second layer boundary figure by the influence range of the second layer are unnecessary.-The second layer boundary figure by the influence range of the first layer is within the influence range of the first layer. The first layer boundary graphic based on the second layer in-cell pattern and the second layer influence range is the first layer in-cell pattern existing in the second layer influence range.

  Therefore, the influence range calculation processing unit 214 of the graphic processing unit 206 uses, in the arithmetic processing, an area obtained by removing the overlapping area between the common intrusion areas 401 and 402 and the in-cell pattern of the same layer from the common intrusion areas 401 and 402. Is calculated as an influence range to be applied (step S502). As shown in FIG. 22, the influence range is an influence range 307 of the first layer and an influence range 308 of the second layer.

  The common data area calculation processing unit 215 calculates an area obtained by removing the influence range from the data existence area of the cell as a common data area, and stores it in the storage unit 204 in association with the cell (step S503). However, in the case of AND processing, only the pattern of one layer exists in both the influence range of the first layer and the influence range of the second layer, and the pattern of the processing result does not exist. Therefore, it is unnecessary to delete the influence range.

  Next, the common data area processing unit 209 performs an AND process on the common data area of the cell stored in the storage unit 204. In this case, the common data area processing unit 209 performs the AND process on the cell alone, and stores it in the storage unit 204 in association with the cell as a pattern data processing result for the common data area of the cell. As shown in FIG. 23, the common data area processing unit 209 performs AND processing on the first layer and the second layer independently for the lower layer cell X, thereby obtaining an AND area 309 as an AND processing result for the common data area. Is obtained.

Next, in order to extract the in-cell pattern that affects the calculation of the upper layer, as shown in FIG. 24, the influence range processing unit 210 performs an operation between the in-cell pattern 301 of the first layer and the influence range 308 of the second layer. The overlapping portion, the overlapping portion of the second layer in-cell pattern 302 and the influence range 307 of the first layer are calculated as the first layer boundary pattern 310 and the second layer boundary pattern 311 respectively, and expanded to all reference points (step) S504).
The boundary pattern is a pattern that needs to be processed together with the external pattern among the in-cell patterns. Compared to simple AND processing, the procedure is complicated, but the amount of data to be calculated is very small in units of cells, so that the calculation processing time can be shortened as a whole.

  As shown in FIG. 25 (i), the influence range processing unit 210 has all the lower layer cells that are directly referred to from the cell (in other words, all the cells in the lower layer that are referenced by the cell). The boundary pattern and the pattern of the upper layer cell developed from the above are merged with each other, and the AND processing of the first layer and the second layer of the upper layer cell is executed as shown in FIG. 25 (ii) (step S505). Thereby, regions 601 and 602 are obtained.

  As shown in FIG. 25 (ii), the graphic processing unit 206 includes an area 309 calculated by performing an AND process on the common data area processing unit 209 and an area calculated by performing an AND process on the affected range processing unit 210. The sum of 601 and 602 is calculated as a result of pattern data processing. The graphic processing unit 206 stores the result of the pattern data processing in the storage unit 204 (step S506). Thereby, the same calculation result as the flat processing can be obtained.

Next, an example of the SUB process as the pattern data process will be described using the pattern data used in the example of the AND process. Processing specific to the SUB processing is shown in FIGS. The SUB process is also performed using the pattern data processing apparatus 200 of FIG. 2 in the same manner as the AND process. Since the pattern data to be used is the same as that used in the AND process described above, the common intrusion area is the same as that in the AND process, and is the common intrusion areas 401 and 402.
The SUB process is the same as the AND process in that the process itself does not depend on the distance and the result is determined only by the overlapping relationship of the patterns. However, since the SUB process is an operation that excludes the second layer from the first layer with respect to the overlap of the in-cell pattern and the external pattern, the handling in the two layers is different from the case of the AND process.

That is, the pattern of the second layer in the cell does not change even if the pattern of the second layer of the upper layer cell is duplicated, but if the pattern of the first layer is duplicated, it is deleted in the second layer. It is necessary to delete not only the pattern in the cell but also the upper pattern.
In other words, regardless of the presence or absence of the first layer in the cell, an area overlapping with the first layer outside all the cells cannot be a single common process, and individual processing is required.

From this, the influence range of each layer in the SUB processing is as follows: • The influence range of the first layer is the entire common intrusion area of the first layer. • The influence range of the second layer is from the common intrusion area of the second layer to the second layer. This is an area excluding the in-cell pattern.

In addition, since the case that needs to be considered across layers is a part where the pattern of layers different from the influence range of each layer overlaps, the boundary graphic of SUB processing is
-The first layer boundary figure by the influence range of the first layer and the second layer boundary figure by the influence range of the second layer are unnecessary.-The second layer boundary figure by the influence range of the first layer is within the influence range of the first layer. The first layer boundary graphic based on the second layer in-cell pattern and the second layer influence range is the first layer in-cell pattern existing in the second layer influence range.

Accordingly, the influence range calculation processing unit 214 of the graphic processing unit 206 has the same area as the entire first layer common intrusion area 401 and an area overlapping the second layer common intrusion area 402 with the in-cell pattern of the second layer. The area excluding “” is calculated as an influence range used in pattern data processing (see processing step S502 in FIG. 18 and FIG. 21).
As a result, as shown in FIG. 26, the first layer influence area 312 is obtained as the same area as the entire first layer common intrusion area 401 ((i) in FIG. 26). Further, the second layer influence range 313 is obtained as an area excluding the area overlapping the second layer in-cell pattern from the common intrusion area 402 of the second layer ((ii) in the figure).

In the case of the SUB process, the influence range of the first layer does not affect the pattern in the cell, and therefore it is not necessary to consider the common data area (Don't care). In addition, since the influence range of the second layer corresponds to an area where the in-cell pattern may be deleted, it is necessary to remove it from the common data area.
The common data area calculation processing unit 215 calculates an area obtained by removing the influence range of the second layer from the data existence area of the cell as a common data area, and stores it in the storage unit 204 in association with the cell (step S503).

  Next, the common data area processing unit 209 performs SUB processing on the common data area of the cell stored in the storage unit 204. In this case, the common data area processing unit 209 performs the calculation of the common data area in the cell only once for each cell, and stores it in the storage unit 204 in association with each cell data 211 as the cell processing result regarding the common data. .

For this reason, the calculation processing in the cell (SUB processing for the common data area) is performed for the lower layer cell X alone as shown in FIG. 27, and the SUB processing of the first layer and the second layer is performed, and further the common data area SUB area 314 is obtained by performing AND processing.
In order to extract the in-cell pattern that affects the processing of the upper layer cell, as shown in FIG. 28, the affected range processing unit 210 overlaps the in-cell pattern 301 of the first layer and the affected range 313 of the second layer. And the overlapping part of the in-cell pattern 302 of the second layer and the influence range 312 of the first layer is calculated as the first layer boundary pattern 315 and the second layer boundary pattern 316, respectively, and is expanded to all reference points (step S504). ).

  Next, as shown in FIG. 29 (i), the influence range processing unit 210 makes all the lower layer cells directly referred to from the cell (in other words, all the cells in the one layer lower layer referred to by the cell). ) Are merged with each other, and the SUB processing of the first layer and the second layer of the upper layer cell is executed as shown in FIG. 29 (ii) (step S504). Thereby, regions 317 and 318 are obtained.

  As shown in FIG. 29 (ii), the graphic processing unit 206 uses the sum of the region 314 calculated by the common data region processing unit 209 and the regions 317 and 318 calculated by the influence range processing unit 210 as a result of pattern data processing. calculate. The graphic processing unit 206 stores the result of the pattern data processing in the storage unit 204 (step S506). Thereby, the same calculation result as the flat processing can be obtained.

  In the case of OR processing as another example of pattern data processing, there is no influence range because there is no influence between layers, and OR processing may be performed independently for each layer.

Other pattern data processing is different in the content of the arithmetic processing and the calculation implementation procedure,
(1) Using a common intrusion area, a range in which the result changes thereby is obtained as an influence range for each input layer,
(2) Perform the calculation in the cell and delete the pattern that may be invalid within the affected range.
(3) A predetermined hierarchical calculation process can be realized by creating a boundary pattern necessary for the individual process at each reference point with respect to the influence range and sequentially executing the upper hierarchy calculation. Here, the means for realizing (1) to (3) differ depending on the contents of the pattern data processing as exemplified above, but any of them can be determined based on the common intrusion area.

  As described above, the pattern data processing method according to the embodiment of the present invention is a pattern data processing method for performing predetermined processing on pattern data having a plurality of hierarchized cells. A common intrusion area calculating step for detecting an external pattern entering the cell from the outside and associating the area where the external pattern enters the cell with the cell as a common intrusion area, and the common intrusion area associated with the cell. Based on the contents of the predetermined processing, an influence range calculation step for calculating an area in the cell that needs to be subjected to the predetermined processing together with the external pattern as an influence range of the cell, and cell data A common data area calculation block for calculating an area excluding the influence range of the cell from the existing area as a common data area of the cell. And the predetermined processing for the pattern data by performing the predetermined processing once for the common data area of each cell and performing the predetermined processing together with the external pattern entering the cell for the affected range. And a pattern data processing step for performing the above processing.

  Here, the common intrusion area calculating step includes an inter-cell overlapping area detecting step for detecting an inter-cell overlapping area in which the cell overlaps with another cell in the peer hierarchy, a pattern of each cell, and the lowest order of each cell. An inter-cell overlap pattern extraction step for extracting an inter-cell overlap pattern, which is a pattern that overlaps the inter-cell overlap region of all the lower-layer cells up to the hierarchical cell, and an overlap between each cell. The common intrusion area consisting of the inter-cell overlap pattern of other cells in the hierarchy and the pattern overlapping the data existence area of the cell among all the upper-layer cell patterns up to the highest hierarchy of the cell. You may comprise so that it may comprise the common intrusion area | region detection step to calculate.

The inter-cell overlapping area detecting step includes a process of detecting an overlapping area between each cell and a peer layer cell as an inter-cell overlapping area, and a cell between cells in order from the highest hierarchical cell to the lowest hierarchical cell. Processing for detecting an area overlapping with a data existence area of a cell lower by one layer as a pattern development required area of a cell of a lower hierarchy, from an OR area of a pattern development required area of the cell detected by an overlapping area and an upper hierarchy process And
The inter-cell overlapping pattern extraction step uses, as an evaluation target pattern of the cell, a pattern in which the pattern of each cell and the evaluation target pattern expanded from the lower hierarchy are combined in order from the lowest hierarchical cell to the highest hierarchical cell. This is a process of extracting the evaluation target pattern overlapping in the inter-cell overlapping area as an inter-cell overlapping pattern of the cell and expanding the evaluation target pattern of the cell existing in the pattern development necessary area of the cell to an upper layer. ,
In the common intrusion area detection step, in order from the highest hierarchy cell to the lowest hierarchy cell, an inter-cell overlap pattern of cells in the same hierarchy overlapping each cell, a pattern of a cell higher in the hierarchy overlapping the cell, and You may comprise so that it may be the process which calculates the said common intrusion area | region which consists of the common intrusion area | region of the cell of the one hierarchy higher level which overlaps with the said cell.

  The influence range calculation step performs the predetermined process by the cell alone in the data existence area of the cell according to the content of the predetermined process based on the common intrusion area associated with the cell. Since the erroneous result is obtained under the influence of the external pattern, the area that needs to be subjected to the predetermined processing together with the external pattern is calculated as the influence range of the cell.

Since the pattern data processing method according to the embodiment of the present invention is configured as described above, logical operation processing or the like is performed on pattern data having a plurality of hierarchized cells without strict design constraints. The predetermined processing can be efficiently performed.
In layout design, it is not necessary to consider the pattern constraints between layers, and it is possible to design considering only the same design conditions as before. Increase can be prevented. In pattern data processing, even if there is actually no overlap, the pattern amount of only the influence range due to the overlap between the actual hierarchies can generally be smaller than the pattern amount developed by the pattern restriction between the hierarchies. Since the processing time substantially depends on the amount of the developed pattern, the processing time can be shortened more than the time required for creating the common intrusion area.

  In designing a layout pattern (mask pattern) for LSI, FPD, etc., verification that the design rule is satisfied is realized by combining logical operations, sizing, dimension checking, object selection processing, and the like. Similarly, the creation of data to be transferred to the manufacturing process is realized by combining these processes. Such graphic processing can be used to realize hierarchical processing for high-speed execution.

  The pattern data processing apparatus 200 according to the embodiment of the present invention is a pattern data processing apparatus that performs predetermined processing on pattern data having a plurality of hierarchized cells. A common intrusion area calculation processing unit 205 that detects an external pattern intruding into the cell and associates the area in which the external pattern intrudes into the cell as a common intrusion area, and the common intrusion area associated with the cell. Based on the content of the predetermined processing, an influence range calculation processing unit 214 that calculates an area in the cell that needs to perform the predetermined processing together with the external pattern as an influence range of the cell, and a cell The common data area calculation that calculates the area that excludes the affected area of the cell from the existing data area as the common data area of the cell The processing unit 215 performs the predetermined processing once for the common data area of each cell and performs the predetermined processing together with the external pattern entering the cell for the affected range, thereby performing the processing on the pattern data. It is characterized by comprising pattern data processing means for performing predetermined processing.

  Here, the common intrusion region calculation processing unit 205 includes an inter-cell overlapping region detection processing unit 216 that detects an inter-cell overlapping region in which a cell overlaps another cell in the peer hierarchy, a pattern of each cell, and each cell An inter-cell overlap pattern extraction processing unit 207 that extracts an inter-cell overlap pattern that is a pattern that overlaps the inter-cell overlap region of all the lower-layer cells up to the lowest layer of the cell, and each cell The cell-to-cell overlap pattern of other cells in the same peer hierarchy, and the pattern that overlaps the data existence area of the cell among all the upper-layer cell patterns up to the highest layer of the cell. A common intrusion area detection processing unit 208 for calculating the common intrusion area can be provided.

The inter-cell overlapping area detection processing unit 216 detects an overlapping area between each cell and the peer layer cell as an inter-cell overlapping area, and sequentially overlaps the cells from the highest hierarchical cell to the lowest hierarchical cell. And, in the OR area of the pattern development necessary area of the cell detected by the process of the upper hierarchy, the area overlapping with the data existence area of the cell lower by one hierarchy is detected as the pattern development necessary area of the cell of the lower hierarchy,
The inter-cell overlap pattern extraction processing unit 207 sets, in order from the lowest hierarchical cell to the highest hierarchical cell, a pattern that combines the pattern of each cell and the evaluation target pattern expanded from the lower hierarchy, as the evaluation target pattern of the cell, Extracting the evaluation target pattern that overlaps the inter-cell overlapping area of the cell as the inter-cell overlapping pattern of the cell, and expanding the evaluation target pattern of the cell existing in the pattern development necessary area of the cell to the upper hierarchy,
The common intrusion area detection processing unit 208, in order from the highest hierarchy cell to the lowest hierarchy cell, an inter-cell overlap pattern of cells in the same hierarchy overlapping each cell, and a pattern of a cell higher in the hierarchy overlapping the cell, The common intrusion area composed of the common intrusion area of the cell one layer higher than the cell can be calculated.
Since the pattern data processing apparatus 200 according to the embodiment of the present invention is configured as described above, logical operation processing is performed on pattern data having a plurality of hierarchized cells without strict design constraints. It is possible to effectively perform predetermined processing such as the above.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, in the pattern data processing program for causing a computer to execute a predetermined process on pattern data having a plurality of hierarchized cells, the computer described above. A pattern data processing program characterized by causing a pattern data processing method to be executed is provided.
By executing the pattern data processing program according to the present embodiment, the computer can execute a predetermined process on pattern data having a plurality of hierarchized cells.
Further, the pattern data processing apparatus 200 can be constructed by causing a computer to execute the pattern data processing program according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  In addition, according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to provide a computer-readable recording medium that records a pattern data processing program for causing a computer to execute the pattern data processing method described above.

  Various modifications can be made to the embodiment of the present invention. For example, in the embodiment of the present invention, an example of LSI is described as an example of pattern data processing. However, when predetermined processing is performed on pattern data having a plurality of hierarchical cells including FPD pattern data. It is applicable to.

  The present invention can be applied to various processing such as logic operation processing, inspection processing, and change processing of pattern data having a plurality of hierarchized cells including LSI and FPD pattern data.

101, 102, 301-306, 501-505 ... Pattern 103, 401, 402 ... Common intrusion area 200 ... Pattern data processing device 201 ... Pattern data processing unit 202 ... Display unit 203 Operation unit 204 Storage unit 205 Common intrusion area calculation processing unit 206 Graphic processing unit 207 Intercell overlapping pattern extraction processing unit 208 Common intrusion area detection processing unit 209 .. Common data area processing unit 210 ... Influence range processing unit 211 ... Cell data 212 ... Common intrusion area data 213 ... Recording medium 214 ... Influence range calculation processing unit 215 ... Common data Area calculation processing unit 216... Inter-cell overlapping area detection processing unit 217... Pattern data 307, 308... Influence range 309, 601, 602. D region 310, 311 ... boundary pattern Top, A, B, C, D, X ... cell 312, 313 ... affected range 314 ... SUB region 315, 316 ... boundary pattern 317, 318 ···region

Claims (8)

In a pattern data processing method for performing a predetermined process on pattern data having a plurality of hierarchized cells,
A common intrusion area calculating step for detecting an external pattern entering the cell from the outside for each cell, and associating the area where the external pattern enters the cell with the cell as a common intrusion area;
Based on the common intrusion area associated with a cell, an area in the cell where the predetermined process needs to be performed together with the external pattern is calculated as an influence range of the cell according to the content of the predetermined process An influence range calculation step to be performed;
A common data area calculation step for calculating an area excluding the influence range of the cell from the data existence area of the cell as a common data area of the cell;
The predetermined process is performed once on the common data area of each cell, and the predetermined process is performed on the pattern data by performing the predetermined process together with the external pattern entering the cell with respect to the influence range. A pattern data processing method comprising: a pattern data processing step. The common intrusion area calculation step includes:
An inter-cell overlapping area detecting step for detecting an inter-cell overlapping area in which the cell overlaps with other cells in the peer hierarchy;
An inter-cell overlap pattern that extracts an inter-cell overlap pattern that is a pattern that overlaps the inter-cell overlap area of the cell from among the pattern of each cell and all the lower-layer cell patterns up to the lowest layer cell of each cell An extraction step;
From the inter-cell overlap pattern of other cells in the same hierarchy that overlap each cell, and the pattern that overlaps the data existence area of the cell among all the upper-layer cell patterns up to the highest layer of the cell The pattern data processing method according to claim 1, further comprising a common intrusion area detecting step for calculating the common intrusion area. The inter-cell overlap area detecting step includes a process of detecting an overlap area between each cell and a peer hierarchy cell as an inter-cell overlap area, and an inter-cell overlap area of each cell in order from the highest hierarchy cell to the lowest hierarchy cell. In the OR area of the pattern development required area of the cell detected in the upper hierarchy process, the area overlapping with the data existence area of the cell lower by one hierarchy is detected as the pattern development required area of the lower hierarchy cell. ,
The inter-cell overlapping pattern extraction step uses, as an evaluation target pattern of the cell, a pattern in which the pattern of each cell and the evaluation target pattern expanded from the lower hierarchy are combined in order from the lowest hierarchical cell to the highest hierarchical cell. This is a process of extracting the evaluation target pattern overlapping in the inter-cell overlapping area as an inter-cell overlapping pattern of the cell and expanding the evaluation target pattern of the cell existing in the pattern development necessary area of the cell to an upper layer. ,
In the common intrusion area detection step, in order from the highest hierarchy cell to the lowest hierarchy cell, an inter-cell overlap pattern of cells in the same hierarchy overlapping each cell, a pattern of a cell higher in the hierarchy overlapping the cell, and 3. The pattern data processing method according to claim 2, wherein the pattern data processing method is a process of calculating the common intrusion area including a common intrusion area of a cell one level higher than the cell. In a pattern data processing apparatus that performs a predetermined process on pattern data having a plurality of hierarchized cells,
A common intrusion area calculating means for detecting an external pattern entering the cell from the outside for each cell, and associating the area where the external pattern enters the cell with the cell as a common intrusion area;
Based on the common intrusion area associated with a cell, an area in the cell where the predetermined process needs to be performed together with the external pattern is calculated as an influence range of the cell according to the content of the predetermined process Influence range calculation means to
A common data area calculation means for calculating, as a common data area of the cell, an area in which the influence range of the cell is excluded from the data existence area of the cell;
The predetermined process is performed once on the common data area of each cell, and the predetermined process is performed on the pattern data by performing the predetermined process together with the external pattern entering the cell with respect to the influence range. A pattern data processing device comprising pattern data processing means. The common intrusion area calculation means
An inter-cell overlapping area detecting means for detecting an inter-cell overlapping area, in which the cell overlaps with other cells in the peer hierarchy;
Inter-cell overlap pattern extraction that extracts the overlap pattern between cells, which is the pattern that overlaps the inter-cell overlap area of the cell, among the pattern of each cell and the pattern of all lower layer cells up to the lowest layer of each cell Means,
From the inter-cell overlap pattern of other cells in the same hierarchy that overlap each cell, and the pattern that overlaps the data existence area of the cell among all the upper-layer cell patterns up to the highest layer of the cell 5. The pattern data processing apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising common intrusion area detecting means for calculating the common intrusion area. The inter-cell overlap area detecting means detects an overlap area between each cell and the peer hierarchy cell as an inter-cell overlap area, and in addition to the inter-cell overlap area of each cell in order from the highest hierarchy cell to the lowest hierarchy cell. In the OR area of the pattern development necessary area of the cell detected in the upper hierarchy process, an area overlapping with the data existence area of the cell lower by one hierarchy is detected as the pattern development necessary area of the lower hierarchy cell,
The inter-cell duplication pattern extraction means uses, as an evaluation target pattern of the cell, a pattern obtained by combining the pattern of each cell and the evaluation target pattern expanded from the lower hierarchy in order from the lowest hierarchical cell to the highest hierarchical cell. And extracting the evaluation target pattern overlapping in the inter-cell overlapping region as the inter-cell overlapping pattern of the cell, and expanding the evaluation target pattern of the cell existing in the pattern development necessary region of the cell to the upper layer,
The common intrusion area detection means, in order from the highest hierarchy cell to the lowest hierarchy cell, the inter-cell overlap pattern of cells in the same hierarchy that overlap each cell, the pattern of the cell in the upper hierarchy that overlaps the cell, 6. The pattern data processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the common intrusion area including a common intrusion area of a cell one layer higher than the cell is calculated. In a pattern data processing program for causing a computer to execute a predetermined process on pattern data having a plurality of hierarchized cells,
A program for processing pattern data, which causes a computer to execute the pattern data processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 3.   A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a pattern data processing program for causing a computer to execute the pattern data processing method according to claim 1.

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