Patent ID: 8677291

Claim:
A method comprising: determining a boundary abutting first and second cells in an integrated circuit (IC); determining a side of a first edge pin in the first cell facing a side of a second edge pin in the second cell determining a side of a third edge pin in the first cell facing the side of the second edge pin; determining a first vertical segment of at least a portion of the side of the first edge pin and a second vertical segment of at least a portion of the side of the second edge pin determining a third vertical segment comprising at least a portion of the side of the third edge pin; designating an area between the first vertical segment and the boundary as a first portion of a routing zone; designating, by a processor, an area between the second vertical segment and the boundary as a second portion of the routing zone, wherein a route placed inside the routing zone is designated to be decomposable; and designating an area between the third vertical segment and the boundary as a third portion of the routing zone.