Patent ID: 7487488

Claim:
A machine implemented method for assigning repeaters to signal paths in an integrated circuit design, the method comprising: reserving, in a first metal layer of the integrated circuit design, metal tracks for routing signals; reserving, in a second metal layer of the integrated circuit design, access points to a plurality of repeaters, wherein each repeater is associated with access points for the repeater, and wherein: (1) at least one repeater has a plurality of distinct access points reserved for its input; or (2) at least one repeater has a plurality of distinct access points reserved for its output; determining a plurality of signal paths, wherein each signal path comprises at least a portion of one or more of the metal tracks; determining which of the signal paths require a repeater to meet a design constraint; and for each of the signal paths that requires a repeater, assigning a route from the signal path to access points of a particular repeater, wherein the signal path is assigned to the particular repeater.