Patents by Inventor Dick Liu

Dick Liu 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).

  • Publication number: 20130074024
    Abstract: Roughly described, a system enables quick and accurate depiction to a user of multi-patterning layout violations so that they may be corrected manually and in real time, and without interfering with normal manual editing process. In one embodiment, the system involves iteratively building tree structures with nodes identifying islands and arcs identifying multi-patterning spacing violations between the connected islands. The system detects coloring violations during the building of these tree structures, using the relationships previously inserted. The coloring violations preferably are reported to a user in the form of visual indications of the cycles among the candidate spacing violations, with the candidate spacing violations also themselves indicated visually and individually. The user can see intuitively how to move the islands around, and in which directions and by what distance, in order to remove a multi-patterning spacing violation and thereby break the cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Inventors: Scott I. Chase, Zuo Dai, Dick Liu, Ming Su
  • Patent number: 8352887
    Abstract: Roughly described, a design rule data set is developed offline from the design rules of a target fabrication process. A design rule checking method involves traversing the corners of shapes in a layout region, and for each corner, populating a layout topology database with values that depend on respective corner locations. After the layout topology database is populated, the values are compared to values in the design rule data set to detect any design rule violations. Violations can be reported in real time, while the user is manually editing the layout. Preferably corner traversal is performed using scan lines oriented perpendicularly to edge orientations, and scanning in the direction of the edge orientations. Scans stop only at corner positions and populate the layout topology database with what information can be gleaned based on the current scan line. The different scans need not reach each corner simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.
    Inventors: Zuo Dai, Dick Liu, Ming Su
  • Publication number: 20120227023
    Abstract: Roughly described, while manually dragging shapes during IC layout editing, editing operations determine which edges of which shapes are moving at what speed ratios. Based on the edge information and the DRC rules, the system calculates and keeps track of the minimum of the maximum distance the edges are allowed to move with the cursor without violating DRC rules, in four linear directions and all corner directions. Once a next cursor destination point is known, a DRC clean destination point is calculated based on the linear and corner bounds. If the next cursor position is beyond a the push-through distance ahead of the new DRC clean point, the editing objects are moved to the user's destination point. Otherwise, the editing objects are moved to the new DRC clean destination point, thereby stopping movement at that point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Inventors: Jon Bendicksen, Randy Bishop, Zuo Dai, John Hapli, Dick Liu, Ming Su
  • Publication number: 20120144355
    Abstract: Roughly described, a design rule data set is developed offline from the design rules of a target fabrication process. A design rule checking method involves traversing the corners of shapes in a layout region, and for each corner, populating a layout topology database with values that depend on respective corner locations. After the layout topology database is populated, the values are compared to values in the design rule data set to detect any design rule violations. Violations can be reported in real time, while the user is manually editing the layout. Preferably corner traversal is performed using scan lines oriented perpendicularly to edge orientations, and scanning in the direction of the edge orientations. Scans stop only at corner positions and populate the layout topology database with what information can be gleaned based on the current scan line. The different scans need not reach each corner simultaneously.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: SYNOPSYS, INC.
    Inventors: ZUO DAI, DICK LIU, MING SU
  • Publication number: 20120144349
    Abstract: Roughly described, a design rule data set includes rules on derived layers. The rules are checked by traversing the corners of physical shapes, and for each corner, populating a layout topology database with values gleaned from that corner location, including values involving derived layers. After the layout topology database is populated, the values are compared to values in the design rule data set to detect any design rule violations, including violations of design rules defined on derived layers. Violations are reported in real time during manual editing of the layout. Preferably corner traversal is performed using scan lines oriented perpendicularly to edge orientations, scanning in the direction of the edge orientations. Scans stop only at corner positions on physical layers, and populate the layout topology database with what information can be gleaned based on the current scan line, including information about derived layers. The scans need not reach corners simultaneously.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: SYNOPSYS, INC.
    Inventors: Zuo Dai, Dick Liu, Ming Su
  • Publication number: 20070168737
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a debugging device using an LPC interface and capable of recovering the BIOS functions and a debugging method therefor. The debugging device comprises a firmware hub, an LPC interface, a decoder, and a display unit. The LPC interface electrically connects to the decoder, the firmware hub, and a computer system. The decoder receives a POST code of the computer system to monitor a startup state of the computer system through the LPC interface, and then decodes and provides the decoded POST code to the display unit for showing every startup step of the computer system. When the original BIOS of the computer system is damaged, the firmware hub provides a backup BIOS for the computer system to start up, and recovers the original damaged BIOS. The present invention improves the stability of the computer system, and saves the cost and time of recovering the BIOS.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2006
    Publication date: July 19, 2007
    Inventors: Wei-Ming Lee, Dick Liu
  • Publication number: 20060214917
    Abstract: A key function switching method and a key function switching system are applicable to an electronic device. The system makes the electronic device generate a key function switching operating interface to provide an option of activating specific key function switching for a user. The system makes the electronic device store a setting received by the key function switching operating interface. During a Power-on Self-Test procedure of the electronic device, the system makes the electronic device read the stored setting and temporarily store it in a memory unit. The system then makes the electronic device detect whether a key being used corresponds to the key having a function of the specific key function switching, if so, determining whether the setting stored in the memory unit indicates the specific key function switching is activated, and if the specific key function switching is activated, performing the specific key function switching.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2005
    Publication date: September 28, 2006
    Applicant: Inventec Corporation
    Inventor: Dick Liu