Patents by Inventor Michel L. Cote
Michel L. Cote has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
-
Handling of flat data for phase processing including growing shapes within bins to identify clusters
Patent number: 8977989Abstract: Definition of a phase shifting layout from an original layout can be time consuming. If the original layout is divided into useful groups, i.e. clusters that can be independently processed, then the phase shifting process can be performed more rapidly. If the shapes on the layout are enlarged, then the overlapping shapes can be grouped together to identify shapes that should be processed together. For large layouts, growing and grouping the shapes can be time consuming. Therefore, an approach that uses bins can speed up the clustering process, thereby allowing the phase shifting to be performed in parallel on multiple computers. Additional efficiencies result if identical clusters are identified and processing time saved so that repeated clusters of shapes only undergo the computationally expensive phase shifter placement and assignment process a single time.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2009Date of Patent: March 10, 2015Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.Inventors: Michel L. Cote, Christophe Pierrat -
Patent number: 8566757Abstract: A method for defining a full phase layout for defining a layer of material in an integrated circuit is described. The method can be used to define, arrange, and refine phase shifters to substantially define the layer using phase shifting. Through the process, computer readable definitions of an alternating aperture, dark field phase shift mask and of a complimentary mask are generated. Masks can be made from the definitions and then used to fabricate a layer of material in an integrated circuit. The separations between phase shifters, or cuts, are designed for easy mask manufacturability while also maximizing the amount of each feature defined by the phase shifting mask. Cost functions are used to describe the relative quality of phase assignments and to select higher quality phase assignments and reduce phase conflicts.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2009Date of Patent: October 22, 2013Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.Inventors: Michel L. Cote, Christophe Pierrat
-
Patent number: 7739649Abstract: A method for defining a full phase layout for defining a layer of material in an integrated circuit is described. The method can be used to define, arrange, and refine phase shifters to substantially define the layer using phase shifting. Through the process, computer readable definitions of an alternating aperture, dark field phase shift mask and of a complimentary mask are generated. Masks can be made from the definitions and then used to fabricate a layer of material in an integrated circuit. The separations between phase shifters, or cuts, are designed for easy mask manufacturability while also maximizing the amount of each feature defined by the phase shifting mask. Cost functions are used to describe the relative quality of phase assignments and to select higher quality phase assignments and reduce phase conflicts.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2007Date of Patent: June 15, 2010Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.Inventors: Michel L. Cote, Christophe Pierrat
-
Publication number: 20100050149Abstract: A method for defining a full phase layout for defining a layer of material in an integrated circuit is described. The method can be used to define, arrange, and refine phase shifters to substantially define the layer using phase shifting. Through the process, computer readable definitions of an alternating aperture, dark field phase shift mask and of a complimentary mask are generated. Masks can be made from the definitions and then used to fabricate a layer of material in an integrated circuit. The separations between phase shifters, or cuts, are designed for easy mask manufacturability while also maximizing the amount of each feature defined by the phase shifting mask. Cost functions are used to describe the relative quality of phase assignments and to select higher quality phase assignments and reduce phase conflicts.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2009Publication date: February 25, 2010Applicant: Synopsys, Inc.Inventors: Michel L. Cote, Christophe Pierrat
-
Handling Of Flat Data For Phase Processing Including Growing Shapes Within Bins To Identify Clusters
Publication number: 20090125867Abstract: Definition of a phase shifting layout from an original layout can be time consuming. If the original layout is divided into useful groups, i.e. clusters that can be independently processed, then the phase shifting process can be performed more rapidly. If the shapes on the layout are enlarged, then the overlapping shapes can be grouped together to identify shapes that should be processed together. For large layouts, growing and grouping the shapes can be time consuming. Therefore, an approach that uses bins can speed up the clustering process, thereby allowing the phase shifting to be performed in parallel on multiple computers. Additional efficiencies result if identical clusters are identified and processing time saved so that repeated clusters of shapes only undergo the computationally expensive phase shifter placement and assignment process a single time.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 12, 2009Publication date: May 14, 2009Applicant: Synopsys, Inc.Inventors: Michel L. Cote, Christophe Pierrat -
Patent number: 7435513Abstract: A method for defining a full phase layout for defining a layer of material in an integrated circuit is described. The method can be used to define, arrange, and refine phase shifters to substantially define the layer using phase shifting. Through the process, computer readable definitions of an alternating aperture, dark field phase shift mask and of a complimentary mask are generated. Masks can be made from the definitions and then used to fabricate a layer of material in an integrated circuit. The separations between phase shifters, or cuts, are designed for easy mask manufacturability while also maximizing the amount of each feature defined by the phase shifting mask. Cost functions are used to describe the relative quality of phase assignments and to select higher quality phase assignments and reduce phase conflicts.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2004Date of Patent: October 14, 2008Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.Inventors: Michel L. Cote, Christophe Pierrat
-
Patent number: 7348108Abstract: A method for defining a full phase layout for defining a layer of material in an integrated circuit is described. The method can be used to define, arrange, and refine phase shifters to substantially define the layer using phase shifting. Through the process, computer readable definitions of an alternating aperture, dark field phase shift mask and of a complimentary mask are generated. Masks can be made from the definitions and then used to fabricate a layer of material in an integrated circuit. The separations between phase shifters, or cuts, are designed for easy mask manufacturability while also maximizing the amount of each feature defined by the phase shifting mask. Cost functions are used to describe the relative quality of phase assignments and to select higher quality phase assignments and reduce phase conflicts.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2004Date of Patent: March 25, 2008Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.Inventors: Michel L. Cote, Christophe Pierrat
-
Patent number: 7312003Abstract: A method for defining a full phase layout for defining a layer of material in an integrated circuit is described. The method can be used to define, arrange, and refine phase shifters to substantially define the layer using phase shifting. Through the process, computer readable definitions of an alternating aperture, dark field phase shift mask and of a complimentary mask are generated. Masks can be made from the definitions and then used to fabricate a layer of material in an integrated circuit. The separations between phase shifters, or cuts, are designed for easy mask manufacturability while also maximizing the amount of each feature defined by the phase shifting mask. Cost functions are used to describe the relative quality of phase assignments and to select higher quality phase assignments and reduce phase conflicts.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2004Date of Patent: December 25, 2007Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.Inventors: Michel L. Cote, Christophe Pierrat
-
Patent number: 7028285Abstract: Phase information is incorporated into a cell-based design methodology. Standard cells have four edges: top, bottom, left, and right. The top and bottom edges have fixed phase shifters placed, e.g. 0. A given cell C will have a phase set created with two versions: 0-180 (left-right) as well as 180-0. Alternatively, the same phase set: 0—0 and 180—180 could be created for a cell. The phase sets are selected based on the ability to phase shift the features within the cell C. By creating a phase set for most of the cells of a cell library, standard cell placement and routing techniques can be used and phase can then be quickly assigned using a simple ripple technique. This ensures a phase compliant design upfront for the standard cell areas.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2002Date of Patent: April 11, 2006Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.Inventors: Michel L. Côté, Christophe Pierrat
-
Patent number: 6978436Abstract: Definition of a phase shifting layout from an original layout can be time consuming. If the original layout is divided into useful groups, i.e. clusters that can be independently processed, then the phase shifting process can be performed more rapidly. If the shapes on the layout are enlarged, then the overlapping shapes can be grouped together to identify shapes that should be processed together. For large layouts, growing and grouping the shapes can be time consuming. Therefore, an approach that uses bins can speed up the clustering process, thereby allowing the phase shifting to be performed in parallel on multiple computers. Additional efficiencies result if identical clusters are identified and processing time saved so that repeated clusters of shapes only undergo the computationally expensive phase shifter placement and assignment process a single time.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2002Date of Patent: December 20, 2005Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.Inventors: Michel L. Côté, Christophe Pierrat