Patent ID: 8901959

Claim:
A method of designing a hybrid IO (input-output) cell, comprising: determining a width of the hybrid IO cell based on a minimum pad width and a minimum pad spacing for a technology; determining a length of the hybrid IO cell based on the determined width; storing a definition of the hybrid IO cell including the determined width and length in a library stored on a computer useable storage medium; and determining whether spacing is present between adjacent ones of the hybrid IO cell, wherein: when spacing is present between adjacent ones of the hybrid IO cell, the width and the length are determined according to Length=Width=(n+1)*W+n*X, where “W” is the minimum pad width, “X” is the minimum pad spacing, and “n” is an IO circuitry area multiple; and when spacing is not present between adjacent ones of the hybrid IO cell, the width and the length are determined according to Length=Width=(n+1)*W+(n+1)*X.