Patent ID: 8028255

Claim:
A semiconductor integrated circuit manufacturing method, comprising: reading netlist data; extracting a sequence circuit part capable of shifting data, including extracting from the read netlist data the sequence circuit part capable of performing a normal operation and a scan operation; inserting a control circuit that causes the extracted sequence circuit part capable of shifting data to perform the scan operation; making other sequence circuit parts in the read netlist data into scan cells while maintaining the extracted sequence circuit part capable of shifting data if the netlist data read by the read unit are data before insertion of the scan cells, thereby structuring a scan path while maintaining a logic circuit; restoring all or a part of the extracted sequence circuit parts capable of shifting data to flip-flops if the netlist data read by the read unit are data after the insertion of the scan cells, thereby structuring the scan path such that it minimizes a physical area necessary in the semiconductor integrated circuit while maintaining the logic circuit; and outputting the netlist data.