Patent ID: 7078930

Claim:
An integrated circuit chip with an improved area utilization rate comprising: a plurality of logic circuits in a logic area of the integrated circuit chip; a first input and output circuit near a first side of the logic area for exchanging signals with the logic circuit; a second input and output circuit near a second side of the logic area for exchanging signals with the logic circuit; a plurality of first probe pads coupled to the first and the second input and output circuits for inputting or outputting signals to the first and the second input and output circuits; and a corner cell comprising: a plurality of wires coupled to the first and the second input and output circuits for exchanging signals between the first and the second input and output circuits; a first process monitor circuit formed in the corner cell for monitoring a semiconductor property of the integrated circuit chip; and a second probe pad formed in the corner cell and coupled to the first process monitor circuit for inputting or outputting signals to the first process monitor circuit.