JPS61145684A - Layout design supporting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the layout design processing efficiency by obtaining and displaying the information concerning the estimation of a layout in the process of a layout plan by a dialog processing. CONSTITUTION:First, position data 5, cost data 6 and object data 7 are fetched into a computer main body 2 in accordance with the procedure of a program 8 as initial data. After that, by noticing one or two objects out of layout objects in accordance with the procedure of the program 8, under the conditions of fixing others, the cost as the layout estimation value to the shifting of noticed objects is counted at a central arithmetic unit 4, and the shifting of the object and the changing quantity of the cost are obtained as a pair. After this, in the obtained result, the local shifting of the object of the layout and the change of the layout estimation value to it are outputted and displayed as a pair at an output device 3. The position data are renewed by a layout designer in accordance with the necessity.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Application of the Invention] The present invention provides a layout design support that improves design processing efficiency by providing a designer with quantitative information for improving the layout. It is related to the device.

[Background of the invention]

Until now, as a computer-aided design method for layout planning, there has been technology for chip placement in the LSI field, and the rVLsI computer CADJ (
Discussed in Sangyo Tosho (1983), pp. 72-86). Since the object of layout in the LSI field is simply the amount of wiring, it is possible to realize an effective processing procedure using the argon rhythm as described in the above-mentioned document.

However, 1 For example, when arranging plant equipment, the equipment to be laid out does not only have visible relationships with each other such as piping and wiring, but also environmental issues such as high temperature, vibration, and radioactivity. This is because they are related to aspects of equipment operation and maintenance that cannot be made visible.

The quality of the positional relationship between devices must be evaluated by reflecting complex and diverse requirements. Therefore, it can be said that an interactive procedure is more practical than an algorithmic batch processing procedure.

Layout planning using interactive processing procedures is excellent in that it can flexibly reflect the required specifications regarding the mutual positional relationships of layout objects. However, since the optimization is performed by trial and error by the designer, not only is it difficult to systematically optimize the design, but it is undeniable that the processing efficiency is low.

[Purpose of the invention]

An object of the present invention is to improve layout design and processing efficiency by obtaining and displaying information regarding layout evaluation in the process of layout planning through interactive processing. To provide a layout design support device.

[Summary of the invention]

For this purpose, the present invention introduces cost as a layout evaluation value, and calculates and displays unit processing operations and changes in cost due to the processing operations in the form of combinations when changing the layout. It is. In this case, the cost is calculated based on cost data that quantifies the quality of the positional relationship between the objects in the layout.
Since data can be defined for combinations of objects, it is possible to reflect complex and diverse requirements regarding the quality of the positional relationship between objects.

Examples of unit processing operations for changing the layout include swapping the positions of two objects or moving one object in parallel, but the combination of such layout changes and the expected change in cost due to the change is By displaying the information in a form, the layout designer can efficiently design the layout using the displayed information as a guideline.

[Embodiments of the invention]

The present invention will be explained below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 12.

First, the overall configuration of the layout design support apparatus according to the present invention will be explained. FIG. 1 shows the configuration of one example of computer usage. According to this, input device ll, computer main body 2 and output device! It is made up of 3 parts.

In this case, the computer main body 2 contains position data 5. Based on these data 5 to 7, in addition to cost data 6 expressed as a cost function that quantifies the quality of the positional relationship between objects in the layout, and object data consisting of data on the shape and dimensions of the objects in the layout. A program 8 is stored that calculates the cost, which is the overall evaluation value for the layout, and quantitatively displays the processing operation that is the unit of layout change and the change in cost when the processing operation is adopted. It has become. According to the procedure of the program 8, the central processing unit 4 receives data from the input device 1, calculates the amount to be displayed, and outputs the result of the calculation to the output device 3.

FIG. 2 schematically shows the flow of processing by the program. To explain the outline of the process, first, in process step 11, position data 5, cost data 6, and target data 7 are taken in as initial data from the input device W1. In the subsequent processing step 12, the cost as a layout evaluation value for the movement of the focused object is calculated under the condition that one or two of the layout objects are focused and the others are fixed, and the cost is calculated as a layout evaluation value for the movement of the focused object. The amount of change in cost is calculated as a set. This process is repeated for all necessary layout objects. In this post-processing step 13, the results of the processing step 12 are outputted and displayed on the output device 3 as a set of local movement of the layout object and variation in the evaluation value of the layout corresponding thereto. Since this output information represents local layout modifications and the expected effects associated with them in layout planning, it can serve as an effective guideline to support layout designers. Now, in processing step 14, the layout designer updates the position data as necessary to make the target position more preferable. After this, in processing step 15, the layout designer determines whether or not the process can be terminated.If it is determined not to be possible, that is, if the process is continued as there is still room for improvement, processing step 12 It will be returned to.

As a result, the layout planning design cycle through interactive processing is basically formed by processing steps 12-14. In addition, in updating the position data in processing step 14, there are cases where position data is exchanged between two objects (position exchange of objects), and when one position data is exchanged in either the X direction or the Y direction. There is at least a translation of the object when it is simply updated.

The flow of processing by the program is as above,
FIG. 3(a), (
b) and (Q), and processing step 13 will be explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 3(d) as follows. However, in the following explanation, only the positional exchange of objects, that is, the replacement of objects, is taken into consideration.

First, in processing step 12, as shown in FIG. 3(a), in processing step 12-1, (
After the evaluation value (cost) is determined and set as Go, one object I is selected in processing step 12-2. This post-processing step 12-3 is executed, and the details of the processing step 12-3 are shown in FIG. 3(b).

First, in processing step 12-3-1, a very large (cost) evaluation value C' is arbitrarily set, and then in processing step 12
In -3-2, one other object J (≠ engineering) is selected. (Cost) evaluation value C when the positions of objects I and J are swapped in this post-processing step 12-3-3
The details of processing step 12'-3-3 are shown in FIG. 3(c). According to FIG. 3(c).

In processing step 12-3-3-1, O is set as the initial value C', and in processing step 12-3-3-2, one of the sets of targets for which a cost function is defined is selected. It has become. This post-processing step 12-3
In -3-3, a (cost) evaluation value is calculated from the cost function corresponding to the selected set and is added to the initial value C'. By sequentially selecting sets of targets for which cost functions are defined and repeating the above process,
The overall (cost) evaluation value C1J when the positions of objects I and J are swapped is determined as the final value of C'.

To explain the process shown in FIG. 3(c) in more detail, suppose there are five targets and their numbers are ■~■, and ■,
Between ■, ■, ■, between ■, ■ and between ■, ■ is the cost function F. , F□at F'tst F'a* are defined, for example, the cost function F3. when the positions of ■ and ■ are swapped. ．． F1'.

The sum of the values of Flit F14 is calculated. By exchanging ■ and ■, F3. ,
The value of F, , does not change, and the value of Fts-'F-s changes, but in processing step 12-3-3-5, the evaluation value C
3, is Fat + F1a + Fts + Fat
(=C').

Now, returning to FIG. 3(b) and continuing the explanation, in processing step 12-3-4, the magnitude relationship between CIJ and C' is determined, and if Cx J<C', the value of C' is determined. is C1
It is set to be replaced with the value of □. Processing step 1
If you calculate C1□ every time you update object J according to 2-3-5, and then calculate the minimum value from among these C□, by swapping objects I and J related to the minimum value, This results in the most economical layout. In other words, it is possible to know which of the target work and another target should be replaced. Processing step 12-3-
C1J as the minimum value obtained in step 4 is then determined by a deviation Δc (= c
'Ca) is determined, and the deviation ΔC is saved and stored together with the processing operation and replacement target identification number in processing step 12-4. After this, the target work is updated in processing step 12-5 and the above operation is repeated. Note that the deviation AC can generally take positive or negative values, but in this example, the more negative the value, the more preferable it is.

Next, processing step 13 will be explained as shown in FIG.
), in processing steps 13-1 to 13-4, the deviation AC1 processing operation and replacement target identification number saved and stored in the previously described processing step 12-4 are sequentially selected as a set, and the targets I and J are sequentially selected as a set. The value of -C is displayed in the vicinity of the arrow connecting the arrows.

Program 8 has been explained in detail above.

Next, the present invention will be explained using a specific layout example.What is taken here as an example is a two-dimensional layout planning problem with the layout state shown in FIG. 4 as an initial condition. When proceeding with a layout plan through interactive processing, the following two processing operations that are units of layout change can be considered as local methods for increasing the evaluation value of the layout plan. The first is to swap the positions of two layout objects as a unit, and the second is
This is a parallel movement using one layout object as a unit. Here, we will first discuss the application of the first method, then the second method.
The application of this method will be explained.

In FIG. 4, objects 23 to 27 are respectively
1 and the Y coordinate axis 22, the position is predetermined on the XY plane.

Now, in the first processing step 11 described above, position (layout) data 5. Cost data 6
and target data 7 are input.

FIG. 5 shows an example of position data. The data in this figure corresponds to the layout state shown in FIG. 4. The position data is basically of a nature that should be updated as the layout plan progresses. Figure 6 shows the required specifications for the positional relationship between two objects in the layout.In this example, objects 23, 24, and 23
, 26.24.26.24, 27.25.26, etc. 0 indicates that there is a good or bad relationship regarding the positional relationship for five combinations such as between 26.24.26.24 and 27.25.26 0 For example, object 23.24
The relationship is that it is better to place them close together. The relationship is as shown in FIG.

In FIG. 7, the distance between the centers of objects 23 and 24 is a variable corresponding to the horizontal axis 31, and the cost function, which is the evaluation value for the positional relationship between the two, is a variable corresponding to the vertical axis 32. The relationship for the pair of objects 23 and 24 is shown by a curve 33, and the positional relationship between the two objects is such that the larger the center-to-center distance, the higher the evaluation value.

by the way.

If the distance between the two is less than 4, the evaluation value is set to be quite large, but this is because if the distance is less than 4, overlap will occur and it is not desirable for the layout, and therefore a high evaluation value is set. be. Since the evaluation value increases with distance when the distance is 4 or more, target 2
3.24 is known from the cost function that it is better to arrange them as close as possible without overlapping.

Note that the arrow 34 indicates that the evaluation value for the distance 1I114 is 4.

In FIG. 8, the relationship between objects 24 and 27 is similar to that in FIG. 7. In this case, when the distance is less than 4, it is the same as the case in FIG. 7, but when the distance is between 4 and 18, the evaluation value decreases with the distance, and when the distance is #1118 or more, the evaluation value is unrelated to the distance. Therefore, it is known from the cost function that it is better to arrange objects 24 and 27 as far apart as possible as long as they do not overlap.

FIG. 9 shows the relationship between the positional relationship and the evaluation value, which is commonly applied between the object 26 and each of the objects 23, 24, and 25. Target 26 is other targets 23, 24.2
It can be seen that there is a relationship in which it is better to arrange all 5 as close as possible.

Note that FIGS. 7, 8, and 9 show the first processing step 1.
Although examples of cost data 6 input in step 1 are shown, cost data is usually not updated as the layout plan progresses.

FIG. 10 shows an example of target data.

The object data is unrelated to changes in the position of the object and indicates properties specific to the object. The shape and dimensions of the layout object shown in FIG. 1 represent the simplest example. The target data is usually updated as the layout plan progresses.

As already mentioned, in the second processing step 12, the amount to be displayed in the third processing step 13 is calculated based on the above data.

In this second processing step 12, as a method of locally changing the layout, a unit operation is performed by swapping the positions of the objects, and the amount of change in the evaluation value due to the swap is calculated for the pair of objects to be swapped. For example,
It is known that if objects 23 and 24 are exchanged with each other, the evaluation value will decrease by 10, and therefore the cost will be improved by 10. This is executed for all combinations of objects that can be replaced, and in this example, there are 10 such combinations. However, cost functions are not necessarily prepared for the target combinations.
For example, combinations of objects for which cost functions are not prepared are ignored in processing.

Now, in the third processing step 13, the amount of change in the evaluation value is displayed for the permutation combination determined in the processing step 12, and FIG. 11 shows an example of the display. Combinations that can be swapped are shown by connecting objects with line segments, and the amount of change in evaluation value for each swap is shown numerically near the line segment. For designers who proceed with layout planning through interactive processing, the information displayed in step 13 serves as a guideline for optimizing the layout plan, but this information is not used in the current layout during the layout planning design cycle through interactive processing. On the other hand, when a processing operation is executed as a unit of changing the layout, that is, the layout state of the minus hand is suggested as an evaluation value. Therefore, the designer can combine this local information to efficiently plan the layout. After this tube 4
In step 14, the position data related to the correction is input to the input device to update the position data! It has been imported since 1.

Above, we have explained the case where swapping the positions of two objects is used as a unit operation as a method for layout planning.First, let us explain the case where we focus on one object and move it parallelly as a unit operation. In this case, the first processing step and the fourth processing step are the same as in the previous cases. However, in the second processing step, one object is focused on, and the evaluation value is calculated when the object is moved by a unit distance in at least one of the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction without rotating. The amount of change in the evaluation value can be determined in combination with the method of movement. In this case, for each of the five objects, the movement direction is the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction.
Since there are only two possible axial directions, there are a maximum of ten possible directional movements. Note that the method of calculating the cost, which is the evaluation value of the layout, is the same as in the previous case.

Now, in the third processing step, the direction of movement of the object obtained in the second processing step and the amount of change in the evaluation value are displayed as a pair, and FIG. This is a display example.

Regarding the direction of movement, the direction in which cost improvement is possible is indicated by an arrow, and the degree of cost improvement is relatively indicated by the length of the arrow.

Although the present invention has been specifically explained above, the cost, which is an evaluation value of a layout, is expressed by the thickness of a line or the size of a figure (for display) instead of being expressed by a numerical value or the length of an arrow.

It is also conceivable to display figures (for display) using nine colors. In addition, the cost function that evaluates the quality of the positional relationship between two objects uses the distance between centers as an independent variable to simplify the explanation, but there are also other variables such as X-axis coordinates, Y-axis coordinates, direction, etc. It is also possible to apply a cost function that evaluates the quality of the positional relationship. Furthermore, although cost data and the like are stored separately from the program in the storage device, it is also possible to incorporate the cost data directly into the program that is the processing procedure. Furthermore, although two-dimensional layout planning has been described, the present invention is directed to layout planning in general, and is therefore applicable to three-dimensional layout planning as well.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, in the case of the present invention, in layout planning through interactive processing, layout design guideline information is generated in the form of a combination of a processing operation that is a layout change unit and a change in the evaluation value of the layout expected as a result of the processing operation. Since it is provided as a system, it is possible not only to systematically optimize the design, but also to improve the processing efficiency of layout design.

[BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of an example of a layout design support device according to the present invention using a computer, and FIG.
FIGS. 3(a) to 3(d) are diagrams showing the flow of processing in an example of the control program according to the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a diagram showing partial processing in the program in more detail. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a layout state for explanation; FIG. 5 is a diagram showing position data corresponding to objects; FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of required specifications for the positional relationship between two objects; FIG. 8 and 9 each show an example of a cost function as cost data, FIG. 10 shows an example of target data regarding shape and dimensions, and FIG. 11 shows an example of a cost function as cost data.
A diagram showing an example of displaying the amount of change in evaluation value related to the acceptance of the target,
FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a display example of the amount of change in evaluation value related to parallel movement of the object. 1... Input device, 2... Computer main body, 3...
- Output device, 4... Central processing unit, 5... Position data, 6... Cost data, 7... Target data, 8.
··program.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An input means for inputting control data and various data related to a layout object for calculating evaluation values regarding the quality of the layout, and various data from the means and a control processing procedure program. is stored, and the current layout is based on the position data corresponding to a plurality of layout objects and the cost data regarding the combination of the two layout objects, in which the various data mentioned above are included under the control of the control data and the control processing procedure program. While determining the reference evaluation value for the state, when the above position data is virtually changed by a processing operation as a layout change unit, the evaluation value of the layout state related to the change is calculated and the comparison with the reference evaluation value is calculated. A layout characterized by a configuration consisting of an arithmetic processing means for calculating a deviation between the two, and an output display means for combining the deviation from the means with a processing operation related to the deviation and displaying the result in the vicinity of the object of the currently displayed layout state. Design support equipment. 2. In the arithmetic processing means, the layout design support device according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation value of the layout state is obtained by adding evaluation values based on combinations of two objects for all combinations. . 3. The layout design support device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the processing operation as a unit of layout change is a mutual exchange of the positions of two objects. 4. The processing operation as a layout change unit is defined as a parallel movement of one object in claim 1 or 2.
Layout design support device described in Section 1.