Patent ID: 8560982

Claim:
An integrated circuit (IC) structure, comprising: a silicon wafer; a plurality of first circuit elements implemented on the silicon wafer; a plurality of second circuit elements implemented on the silicon wafer; a plurality of first through silicon vias (TSVs) extending from a first surface of the silicon wafer to a second surface of the silicon wafer; and a plurality of second TSVs extending from the first surface of the silicon wafer to the second surface of the silicon wafer, wherein the first and second circuit elements and the first and second TSVs together comprise a circuit block configuration; wherein the circuit block configuration is symmetric with respect to at least one axis of symmetry; and wherein at least one of the first TSVs is a dummy TSV without which the circuit block configuration would not be symmetric, and the dummy TSV and one of the second plurality of TSVs are equidistant from one of the first plurality of circuit elements.