Abstract: Techniques and systems for determining a route from a start point to a target point in an integrated circuit (IC) design using topology-driven line probing are described. Some embodiments can create a data structure to store a set of nodes, wherein each node is located on a horizontal probe or a vertical probe, and wherein each node has a cost. The embodiments can then perform a set of operations in an iterative loop, the set of operations comprising: selecting a lowest cost node from the set of nodes; terminating the iterative loop if the lowest cost node is located at the target point; extending a probe from the lowest cost node if the lowest cost node is not located at the target point; creating at least one new node on the probe or on an ancestor of the probe; and adding the new node to the set of nodes.

Abstract: Techniques and systems for determining a route from a start point to a target point in an integrated circuit (IC) design using topology-driven line probing are described. Some embodiments can create a data structure to store a set of nodes, wherein each node is located on a horizontal probe or a vertical probe, and wherein each node has a cost. The embodiments can then perform a set of operations in an iterative loop, the set of operations comprising: selecting a lowest cost node from the set of nodes; terminating the iterative loop if the lowest cost node is located at the target point; extending a probe from the lowest cost node if the lowest cost node is not located at the target point; creating at least one new node on the probe or on an ancestor of the probe; and adding the new node to the set of nodes.