Patent ID: 8694936

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for identifying a set of critical terminal metal connectors (TMCs) in an integrated circuit (IC) layout using at least one computer system, the method comprising: identifying a group of necessary terminal metal connectors (TMCs) in the IC layout to form a first portion of the set of critical TMCs using the at least one computer system; forming a rule including a limit on a number of redundant connections that can be noncompliant between each terminal metal connector (TMC) and a connecting surface in the IC layout without impacting a circuit parameter, wherein the circuit parameter includes at least one of a current limit of each TMC or an electromigration effect on each TMC; and inspecting at least one of the IC layout or the connecting surface to identify each TMC that violates the rule, wherein each identified TMC that violates the rule forms a second portion of the set of critical TMCs.