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 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 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.