Patent ID: 8656325
Filing Date: 2014-02-18
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method of designing an integrated circuit, said method comprising: determining, by a computer system and for a metal component of said integrated circuit, a first maximum direct current as a function of a given temperature for a given expected lifetime of said integrated circuit, said metal component having a length that is shorter than a Blech length; determining, by said computer system and for said metal component, a second maximum direct current based on said Blech length; automatically selecting, by said computer system, a higher one of said first maximum direct current and said second maximum direct current as a design constraint; and, synthesizing, by said computer system, a description of said integrated circuit into a netlist using said design constraint, said integrated circuit comprising an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), said metal component comprising a local interconnect providing a series connection from a first cell to a second cell in said application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and said synthesizing of said description into a netlist using said design constraint comprising automatically selecting said first cell from a cell library such that an output pin of said first cell has a maximum direct current load that is no greater than said higher one of said first maximum direct current and said second maximum direct current at said given temperature.