JPH05114008A - Method for processing graphic - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the efficiency of data inspection by removing redundancy from the data of a cell repeatedly using the same pattern in the case of inspecting graphic data constituted of the cell. CONSTITUTION:In a processing method for graphic data constituted of a cell repeatedly using the same pattern, an area with specific width expanded around the cell is set up as an interference monitoring area. The interference monitoring area and the cell are divided into small areas by common lines. Inspecting data 111 to 113, 115, 145, 153 to 155, 121, 11, 141, 151 are written only in an area virtually embedded in a position on which the cell is referred to and areas existing adjacent to the area concerned and including the data of the cell out of the divided small areas. Thus the inspection processing of compressed inspecting data is executed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of processing graphic data composed of cells in which the same pattern is repeatedly used, and more particularly, to layout data in a large scale integrated circuit device by geometric rule check or the like. The present invention relates to a graphic processing method for performing a process of compressing verification data when verifying. In the specification of the present application, the "cell" refers to a region in which the same pattern is repeatedly used in graphic data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, for example, as the scale of integrated circuit devices has increased, the amount of mask pattern layout data has become enormous. Therefore, in order to perform processing such as geometric rule check as the layout data verification processing, the time required for the verification processing is increasing, and it is desired to improve the efficiency of the processing. Since graphic data composed of cells that repeatedly use the same pattern has a lot of redundant data, a method has been proposed in which the redundant data is deleted to improve the processing efficiency.

Conventionally, in layout data in which the same pattern is repeatedly used in graphic data, data verification such as geometric rule check is repeatedly performed on the data of the same cell used repeatedly. On the other hand, when there is an area where the same cell is repeatedly used in the graphic data, a method of compressing the verification data by combining the repetitions is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-47773. Proposed in the gazette.

FIG. 14A is a diagram showing a case where a plurality of the same cells are present in the graphic data. Further, FIG. 14B is a diagram in which the graphic data of FIG. 14A is compressed to be verification data. As shown in FIG. 14A, cells A to E having the same contents as cells 1 to 5 are repeatedly used. Cell 1 repeatedly used in this way
Figure 1 shows the verification data in which each of Nos.
4 (b). As shown in FIG. 14 (b),
Compresses the repeatedly used area of the cell,
Only the mutual relationships of the cells that are representative of each cell 1 to 5 are verified.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing another example of the layout data in the conventional example. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing cell data and data only in the outer peripheral portion of the cell. FIG. 17 is a diagram in which data of only the outer peripheral portion of the cell is written in the example of FIG. In FIG. 15, there is a method in which data is written only in the peripheral portion of the cell 21 at a location where the cell 21 is referenced, and then data verification is performed only in this portion. For example, in this method, instead of the data of the cell 21 (F) as shown in FIG.
Prepare (F '). Then, in the area where the cell 21 (F) is used, the data 24 of only the outer peripheral portion is
(F ') is written to create verification data as shown in FIG. After that, the verification data shown in FIG. 17 is processed between each cell 24 and the data 22 and 23.

In addition, the following is an example of graphic data in which a large number of cells are taken in. That is, FIG.
Shows an example in which data has entered even inside the area where the cell is used. FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a state in which data is written only in the outer peripheral portion of the cell. FIG. 20 shows an example in which a large number of the same cells are closely contacted and repeatedly used. FIG. 21 is a diagram showing a data compression state when a large number of the same cells are closely contacted and repeatedly used.

[0007]

As shown in FIG. 14, as shown in FIG.
The method of compressing the verification data by combining the cells to be used repeatedly is effective when the entire layout is made only by repeating the same pattern.
However, there is a problem that it cannot be applied when the area around the used area of the cell does not have the same repeating pattern as the repeating pattern of the cell.

As in the example shown in FIG. 18, the repetitive pattern around the area to which the cell 21 is referenced exists independently, so that it does not depend on the cells 21 as shown in FIG. In addition, it is possible to compress the data into only the outer peripheral portion of the cell 21. However, as shown in FIG. 19, when the external data 30 is included in the data of the cell 21, even if the data is compressed and the data 24 of only the outer peripheral portion of the cell 21 is written, the cell is surrounded by the external data 30. There was a place where there was no 21 data, and data verification of this part was impossible.

Further, as shown in FIG.
When the data is compressed by writing the data only in the outer peripheral portion in the area where (F) is repeatedly used so as to be in close contact, when the data is compressed inside the cell 24 (F ′) as shown in FIG. Much data remains. Therefore, even though the verification between the same cells 24 is unnecessary, the verification between the lattices is performed. That is, in such a case, data compression has a problem in that unnecessary verification data still remains and the compression method is not efficient.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and eliminates redundancy from cell data when verifying graphic data composed of cells that repeatedly use the same pattern. , The object of the present invention is to provide a graphic processing method for improving the efficiency of data verification.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the graphic processing method of the present invention is an area in which a cell boundary is widened by a distance at which interference between cells is desired to be monitored, that is, an interference monitoring area (this specification). In this document, an area in which the cell boundary is widened by a certain distance for which interference between cells is to be monitored is referred to as an "interference monitoring area", and this interference monitoring area contains other cells or data outside the cell. In this case, only this data is processed for verification. (First Invention) A graphic processing method of the first invention is composed of cells that repeatedly use the same pattern, and an area expanded by a specific width is provided as an interference monitoring area on the outer periphery of the cell,
This interference monitoring area is virtually embedded at the location where the cell is referenced, and the data of the cell is stored at the location where the cell is referenced only when the interference monitoring area and the cell data overlap. This is a graphic processing method characterized by performing a process of compressing verification data when verifying the graphic data by writing.

(Second Invention) A graphic processing method of the second invention is
The interference monitoring area (31 in FIG. 1) and cell (21 in FIG. 1)
And are divided by a common dividing line (33 in FIG. 2) to divide into small areas (200 to 206, 210 to 216, 220 to 22 in FIG. 3).
6, 230-236, 240-246, 250-25
6, 260 to 266), and this small area is virtually embedded in the location where the cell is referenced (FIG. 5), and the small area overlaps with other external data (201, 20 in FIG. 5).
2, 220, 230, 240, 226, 236, 24
6, 264, 265) and a small area adjacent to the small area and in which cell data exists (111, 1 in FIG. 6).
12, 113, 121, 131, 141, 151, 11
5, 125, 135, 145, 153, 154, 15
A process of compressing the verification data when verifying the graphic data is performed by writing the data only in 5).

[0013]

[Work]

(First Invention) A graphic processing method for verifying graphic data composed of cells in which the same pattern is repeatedly used according to the present invention is a method of
An area expanded by the maximum value specified by the design rules is prepared as an interference monitoring area. Then, the interference monitoring area provided on the outer periphery of the cell is virtually embedded when the cell is referenced. At this time, only the data of the portion where the interference monitoring area and the cell data overlap each other is written as the verification data of the cell. Then, the verification data of the cell and the external data are verified. in this way,
Since the verification does not have to be performed on all the cells, the verification layout data can be compressed. As a result, the verification processing speed for verifying the layout data can be increased, and the amount of memory used for verification can be saved. In addition, the provision of the interference monitoring area simplifies the algorithm for creating compressed verification data. Therefore, the overlap check with other data in the interference monitoring area and the data writing process are assigned to different computers. be able to. Therefore, it is possible to increase the speed by parallel calculation when creating the verification data.

(Second invention) The interference monitoring area is divided into small areas, and the small areas are virtually embedded when a cell is referenced. Then, the verification data is written only in the small area where the small area overlaps with the external data, the small area adjacent to the small area, and the area where the cell data exists. Verification is performed between the verification data thus created and the external data. Since it is not necessary to write such an interference monitoring area in an area unrelated to external data, verification data is reduced, processing time for verification can be shortened, and verification memory can be saved.

[0015]

EXAMPLES Examples of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 13. FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a cell and an interference monitoring area provided on the outer periphery of the cell in the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a specific width 32 is provided on the outer periphery of the cell 21F that is repeatedly referred to and used.
For example, an area 31 expanded by the maximum value defined by the design rule check is prepared, and this area 31 will be referred to as an interference monitoring area. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating division of a cell and an interference monitoring area by a common division line. In FIG. 2, the cell 21 and the interference monitoring area 31 are divided by a common dividing line 33. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a small area obtained by dividing the cell and the interference monitoring area by a common dividing line. The cells 21 divided by the division of the division line 33 are small areas 111 to 1
15, 121-125, 131-135, 141-14
5, 151 to 155. Similarly, the interference monitoring area 31 includes small areas 200 to 206, 210 to 216, and 22.
0-226, 230-236, 240-246, 250
.About.256, 260 to 266. Then, these small areas are related to each other at the same position. For example, in FIG. 3, 111 and 211,
112 and 212, ... 155 and 255 correspond. Those that do not correspond to the numbers 200 to 266 attached to the small areas, for example, 200 to 206, 210, 216,
220, 226, 230, 236, 240, 246, 2
It is assumed that 50, 256, and 260 to 266 have no corresponding items. Then, the interference monitoring small areas 200 to 20
6, 210-216, 220-226, 230-23
6, 240-246, 250-256, 260-266
Are virtually embedded in the places where the cells 21 are used.

FIG. 4 shows outline data for explaining one embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 4, 25 to 28 exist as external data on the outer periphery of the cell 21. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state in which a divided interference monitoring small area is virtually embedded in a cell. For example, the divided interference monitoring small area shown in FIG. 5 is virtually embedded in the data shown in FIG. Then, the interference monitoring small areas 200 to 206, 210 to 216, and 2 which are virtually embedded.
20-226, 230-236, 240-246, 25
A small area having an overlap with the external data 25 to 28 is searched from 0 to 256 and 260 to 266. In the example of FIG.
25 and 264 and 265, 26 and 246, 236 and 226, 27 and 201 and 202, 28 and 210,
220, 230 and 240 overlap. these,
Small area 26 that overlaps with external data 25 to 28
4 and 265, 246, 236 and 226, 201
And 202, 210, 220, 230 and 240. Alternatively, the cells 21 corresponding to adjacent small areas
Data 111, 112, 113, 115, 121, 1
25, 131, 135, 141, 145, 151, 15
Write 3, 154, 155. In the example shown in FIG. 5, a small area 264 that overlaps with the external data 25 is shown. First, the data of the cell 21 corresponding to the external data 25 is written, but the data of the cell 21 corresponding to the small area 264 does not exist. Therefore, small area 2
64 is not written in the cell 21. Next, the small area 26
The processing is performed on the small area adjacent to 4. Small area 2
Small areas adjacent to 64 are 265, 255, 254, 2
53 and 263. These small areas 265, 255,
Data is written in the small areas 155, 154 and 153 of the cell 21 corresponding to 254, 253 and 263, respectively. Here, since there is no data corresponding to 265 and 263 in the cell 21, writing of data for these does not occur. As a result, the small areas 153, 15 of the cell 21 are
4, 155 data are interference monitoring small areas 253,
It is written in the positions 254 and 255. Data for data verification is created by performing similar processing on other small areas. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining verification data created according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 6, verification data 111, 11
2, 113, 115, 125, 135, 145, 15
5, 154, 153, 121, 131, 141, 151
And the external data 25 to 28 are verified.
It goes without saying that this verification method may use any known method. As described above, the verification data shown in FIG. 6 is not written on the entire outer circumference of the cell 21, as shown in FIG. Therefore, since the verification data is small only in the portion not written in the outer periphery of FIG. 6, the processing speed for verification is fast, and the amount of memory used for verification is small.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example in which external data has entered inside the cell. In FIG. 7, external data 25, 27, 28, 29 are present outside the cell 21, and a part of the external data 29 among them is inside the cell 21. The same processing as that performed on the data shown in FIG. 4 is performed on the data shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a state in which an interference monitoring small area is virtually embedded in the cell shown in FIG. In FIG. 8, inside the cell 21, interference monitoring small areas 200 to 206, 210 to 21 are provided.
6, 220-226, 230-236, 240-24
6, 250 to 256 and 260 to 266 are virtually embedded. Attention is paid to the external data 29 shown in FIG. The interference monitoring small area that overlaps with the external data 29 is 22
4, 225, and 226, and the small areas adjacent to these small areas are 213, 223, 233, 214, 234, and 2.
15, 235, 216, and 236. These small areas 224, 225, 226, 213, 223, 233, 2
Out of 14, 234, 215, 235, 216, 236,
Small areas 113, 114, 1 in which the data of the cell 21 exists
15, 123, 124, 125, 133, 134, 13
5 data is written. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the verification data of the example shown in FIG.

As described above, even when the external data has entered the internal area of the cell, the above-mentioned verification data can be created and verified. That is,
The above method can solve the problem that the verification with the external data that has entered the inside of the cell cannot be performed only by providing the verification data on the outer periphery of the cell as in the conventional example.

FIG. 10 shows an example of layout data in which the same cell is repeatedly used. In FIG. 10, the cell 21 is repeatedly used in a continuous state. Figure 1
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example in which an interference monitoring small area is virtually embedded in the example of FIG. In FIG. 11, the interference monitoring subregions 200 to 2 are respectively provided at the places where the cell 21 is used.
66 is virtually embedded. Using the same method as described above, a small area where the interference monitoring small area and the external data 41 to 44 overlap is searched for. The interference monitoring small area is written in an area adjacent to the small area where the interference monitoring small area and the external data 41 to 44 overlap each other and where the cell 21 has data. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the verification data of the example shown in FIG. In FIG. 12, small areas 411, 421,
431 and 441 are the verification data of the cell 21. Then, the verification is performed between the verification data and the external data 41 to 44. Even when the cells 21 are continuously and repeatedly used in this manner, there is no verification data on the outer periphery of each cell 21, and it is sufficient to have the verification data on the outer periphery of the cell in which each cell is assembled. In addition to the high processing speed for, the amount of memory used for the verification processing can be reduced.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example in which one of the cells used repeatedly is written as verification data. When it is desired to verify the data inside the cell 21 shown in FIG. 10 at the same time, the data in the cell 21 may be once written in an appropriate place in the same place as the external data. As a result, as shown in FIG. 13, as a result, data 511, 512, 51 necessary for checking the connection portion between the cells 21 is provided around the data.
3, 514 are automatically arranged. This cell 21 and other cells 21 existing around it are verified by the same method as described above.

[0022]

According to the present invention, since the verification data is written only in the area where the cell and the external data may interfere with each other, the verification data is written in the entire outer periphery of the cell as in the conventional example. The processing speed for verification is faster than writing, and the amount of memory used for processing can be reduced. Also, when external data enters the inside of the cell, the interference monitoring area is provided up to the inside of the cell.
The same method of writing the verification data in the area adjacent to the area enables the verification that could not be done in the past. Furthermore, the process of writing cell data only where it is needed is simple and easy by providing an interference monitoring area.
Efficiency can also be improved by, for example, parallelizing an area with an independent algorithm.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a cell and an interference monitoring area provided on the outer periphery of the cell according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating division of a cell and an interference monitoring area by a common division line.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a small region obtained by dividing a cell and an interference monitoring region by a common dividing line.

FIG. 4 shows outline data for explaining an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state in which a divided interference monitoring small area is virtually embedded in a cell.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating verification data created according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example in which external data has entered inside a cell.

8 is a diagram showing a state in which an interference monitoring small area is virtually embedded in the cell shown in FIG.

9 is a diagram showing verification data of the example shown in FIG. 7. FIG.

FIG. 10 shows an example of layout data in which the same cell is repeatedly used.

11 is a diagram showing an example in which an interference monitoring small area is virtually embedded in the example of FIG.

12 is a diagram showing verification data of the example shown in FIG.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example in which one of the cells used repeatedly is written as verification data.

FIG. 14A is a diagram illustrating a conventional example, and FIG. 14A is a diagram when a plurality of the same cells are present in the graphic data. Further, (b) is a diagram in which the graphic data of (a) is compressed to be verification data.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing another example of layout data for explaining a conventional example.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing cell data and data only in the outer peripheral portion of the cell.

17 is a diagram in which data of only the outer peripheral portion of the cell is written in the example of FIG.

FIG. 18 shows an example in which data is included even in the area where cells are used.

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a state in which data is written only on the outer peripheral portion of the cell on the side of FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 shows an example in which a large number of the same cells are in close contact with each other and repeatedly used.

FIG. 21 is a diagram showing a data compression state in a conventional example when a large number of the same cells are closely contacted and repeatedly used.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 to 5 ... Cell A to cell E 21 ... Cell F 24 ... Data F'22, 23 ... Data G, H 25-29 ... Data J ... N 31 ... Interference monitoring area 33 ... Dividing line common to cell F and its interference monitoring area 41-44 ... Data P--S 111-155 ... Dividing cell F by dividing line 33 Possible data 200 to 266 ... Interference monitoring small area formed by dividing the interference monitoring area 31 of the cell F by the dividing line 33.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A method of processing graphic data composed of cells that repeatedly use the same pattern, wherein an area widened by a specific width is provided as an interference monitoring area on the outer periphery of the cell, and the interference monitoring area is defined by the cell. Verify the figure data by virtually embedding it in the referenced location and writing the cell data in the referenced location only when the interference monitoring area and the cell data overlap. A graphic processing method characterized by performing a process of compressing verification data when performing. 2. The interference monitoring area and the cell are divided by a common dividing line to divide into small areas, and the small areas are virtually embedded at the locations where the cells are referenced, and overlap with other external data. The data is written only in the small area that has and the small area that is adjacent to the small area and where the cell data exists, so that the verification data is compressed when the figure data is verified. The graphic processing method according to claim 1.