Technology retargeting for IC layout

The ability to recognize polygon-based layout as a collection of objects representing circuit elements connected by path-based wires, enables existing designs implemented using an older fabrication process to be reimplanted quickly in a new process. The approach taken here, based on layout generator technology, is to create a collection of parameterized circuit objects that, with appropriate arguments, are able to represent the devices (e.g., transistors, contacts) implicitly described in the flattened design. The recognition engine is fully programmable, is independent of any particular technology or device set, and is not restricted to manhattan or even octilinear geometries. In this paper, we describe a novel three-phase approach to object recognition: device recognition, exact wire recognition, and wire synthesis. We believe exact wire recognition to be entirely new and cover it in detail. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the algorithms on actual layout.