Patent ID: 6077307
Filing Date: 2000-06-20
Classification: G06F,G06T

Abstract:
A computer system comprising:a computer;a computer monitor coupled to the computer for displaying a design feature, a second-design feature and a design-rule halo, the design feature and the second-design feature each having a corresponding location and outline; anda CAD software program operating on the computer for controlling the location and the outline of the design feature and the second-design feature, and the design-rule halo on the computer monitor, the CAD software program comprising:(a) instructions for obtaining design-rule information;(b) instructions for obtaining the outline and the location of the design feature;(c) instructions for defining the design-rule halo;(d) instructions for displaying the design feature on the computer monitor; and(e) instructions for displaying the design-rule halo on the computer monitor(f) instructions for obtaining the location and an outline of the second-design feature;(g) instructions for displaying the second-design feature on the computer monitor, wherein said design-rule halo is associated with the design feature and has a movement stop such that said design-rule halo stops automatically upon intersection with a second-design feature;(h) instructions, when the design rule is violated:and when an override of the movement stop of the design feature is not activated:for defining the location and the outline of the design-rule halo to stop at an intersection of the outline of the design-rule halo and the outline of the second-design feature;for defining the location and the outline of the design feature to be a design-rule distance from the design-rule halo; andfor activating a stop indicator;and when the override of the movement stop of the design feature is activated:for removing the stop indicator; andfor defining the location and the outline of the design feature and the design-rule halo.