Patent ID: 8575761

Claim:
An integrated circuit, comprising: an array of functional cells including a subset of functional cells powered by at least one supply rail to which each functional cell of the subset is connected, wherein said supply rail comprises: a first rail segment extending on a first metallization level in a first direction; a second rail segment extending on a second metallization level also in the first direction and aligned with the first rail segment; a third rail segment extending on the first metallization level also in the first direction and aligned with the first and second rail segments and further separated on the first metallization level from said first rail segment; a fourth rail segment extending on the second metallization level also in the first direction and aligned with the first through third rail segments and further separated on the second metallization level from said second rail segment, and conductor elements which extend between said first and second metallization levels and connect two successive ones of said first through fourth segments extending in the first direction, and wherein at least one of the first through fourth segments has a length which does not extend outside a boundary of a single functional cell.