Abstract: A placement tool searches for an optimal placement for a plurality of device modules within an integrated circuit (IC) including symmetry groups formed by device modules that are to be symmetrically placed. The tool employs a hierarchical B*-tree (HB*-tree) representation of a trial placement wherein each symmetry group and each module not included in a symmetry group is represented by a separate node of the HB*-tree. Each symmetry group node maps to a symmetry island placement for the symmetry group satisfying all symmetry and other placement constraints on the symmetry group. The placement tool employs a simulated annealing technique to iteratively perturb the HB*-tree representation to produce a sequence of trial placements, and uses a cost function to evaluate the quality of each trial placement.

Abstract: A schematic diagram generator processes a netlist to generate a schematic diagram based on a set of placement rules, corresponding to a separate characteristic pattern of interconnected devices and specifying a constraint on relative placement within the schematic diagram of symbols representing devices forming the pattern. The generator identifies each set of devices in the netlist that exhibits any rule's interconnection pattern as a separate “soft group”, places a constraint consistent with the rule on relative positioning within the schematic diagram of symbols representing the soft group, resolves any constraint conflicts in accordance with a constraint resolution scheme, and then places all device symbols in the schematic diagram in a manner consistent accordance with the constraints.

Abstract: A computer-based placement and routing (P&R) tool stores a set of circuit patterns, each describing a separate device group by referencing each device of the device group and by indicating which device elements forming the referenced devices are interconnected by nets, a set of placement patterns, each providing a guide for placing IC device elements forming a device group described by a corresponding one of the circuit patterns and a set of routing styles to act as guides for routing nets between device elements placed in particular patterns. To produce a layout for an analog IC described by a netlist, the P&R tool identifies each set of devices in the IC forming a device group described by any of the circuit patterns.

Abstract: A backlight module includes: a light source capable of providing light beams; a light guide plate including a plate body that has a light exit side, a base side and a light incident side, and a plurality of quadrilateral pyramidal light-guiding structures distributed on the plate body and capable of changing optical paths of the light beams propagating through the light guide plate such that the light beams exit the plate body with angles relative to a normal of the light exit side that fall within a predefined range; a reflector layer disposed proximate to the base side; and an optical layer disposed proximate to the light exit side, and having a light collecting side that confronts the light exit side, the optical layer being formed with a plurality of prismatic structures at the light collecting side, the prismatic structures extending parallel to the light incident side.

Abstract: A system for processing a netlist description of a circuit to generate a display of a schematic diagram including representations of cells and nets first determines positions of the cell instance representations within the schematic diagram and then displays the schematic diagram, including the cell instance representations but no representations of the nets. When a user requests a zoom in operation to display a smaller portion of the schematic diagram at a scale at which net representations can be viewed, the system determines routes for representations of nets that are to reside in that portion of the schematic diagram and then displays those net representations upon zooming in to that portion of the schematic diagram.

Abstract: A schematic diagram generator processes a netlist or similar circuit description to determine how to place and orient symbols representing devices forming the circuit based on a set of placement rules. Each rule corresponds to a separate characteristic pattern of interconnected devices, and specifies a constraint on relative positioning and/or orientation within the schematic diagram of a set of symbols representing any set of devices forming the corresponding pattern. For each rule, the schematic diagram generator processes the circuit description to identify each set of devices of the electronic circuit exhibiting the rule's corresponding characteristic pattern as a separate “soft group” and establishes a constraint consistent with that rule on relative positioning within the schematic diagram of a set of symbols representing the identified soft group.

Abstract: A system for processing a netlist description of a circuit to generate a display of a schematic diagram including representations of cells and nets first determines positions of the cell instance representations within the schematic diagram and then displays the schematic diagram, including the cell instance representations but no representations of the nets. When a user requests a zoom in operation to display a smaller portion of the schematic diagram at a scale at which net representations can be viewed, the system determines routes for representations of nets that are to reside in that portion of the schematic diagram and then displays those net representations upon zooming in to that portion of the schematic diagram.

Abstract: A pressure-increasing device driven by liquid includes a body, a power unit, a drive unit and a bottom base. The body has a housing provided with an inner tube in the interior, and a water passage formed between the housing and the inner tube. A drive unit is positioned at the bottom of the body, having a plate body provided thereon with a plurality of centrifugal blades. A plurality of extension wings are respectively disposed at preset locations of the outer ends of the centrifugal blades. Each extension wing extends outward to a preset position in the water passage of the body for holding up the water thereon and pushing it upward by the driving force produced by its rotation to produce a powerful pressure-increasinng force for pushing water easily outward.

Abstract: A liquid pressing device includes mainly a power device consisting of a motor with a spindle, an upper cap on the motor and a lower cap under the motor, a shell for containing the power device, a helical device fitted around the spindle of the motor and having a conical body and a plurality of helical leaves around the conical body. The helical leaves spiral down to form a helical groove between every two helical leaves for water to pass through. The helical leaves have thickness gradually becoming thinner and thinner downward, and the helical grooves gradually become narrower and narrower downward to add pressure to water flowing up therein. Then the conical member functions to add second pressure to water passing through, sending it to a very high location. Then the liquid pressing device can function as a water pump or a propeller.

Abstract: A liquid pressing device includes mainly a power device consisting of a motor with a spindle, an upper cap on the motor and a lower cap under the motor, a shell for containing the power device, a helical device fitted around the spindle of the motor and having a conical body and a plurality of helical leaves around the conical body. The helical leaves spiral down to form a helical groove between every two helical leaves for water to pass through. The helical leaves have thickness gradually becoming thinner and thinner downward, and the helical grooves gradually become narrower and narrower downward to add pressure to water flowing up therein. Then the conical member functions to add second pressure to water passing through, sending it to a very high location. Then the liquid pressing device can function as a water pump or a propeller.