Floorplanning A Hierarchical Physical Design To Improve Placement And Routing

Abstract

Methods for floorplanning a hierarchical physical design to improve placement and routing are provided and described. In one embodiment, a method of floorplanning a hierarchical physical design includes arranging a plurality of blocks in a top-level of the hierarchical physical design. Each block includes a plurality of linear edges. Additionally, at least one of the blocks is selected. Furthermore, at least one linear edge of the selected block is rasterized. This rasterization includes converting the linear edge to a stepped-shape edge.

1 . A method of floorplanning a hierarchical physical design, said method comprising: 
 performing an initial flat placement using a netlist of said hierarchical physical design;    identifying a plurality of partitions of said netlist in said initial flat placement, wherein each partition has a boundary; and    generating a top-level floorplan for said hierarchical physical design using said initial flat placement, wherein said generating said top-level floorplan includes generating a corresponding block for each identified partition by converting said boundary of said identified partition into a plurality of edges, and wherein said plurality of edges includes at least one stepped-shape edge.    
   
   
       2 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein said generating said top-level floorplan includes: 
 using a curve fitting technique to form said stepped-shape edge.    
   
   
       3 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein said hierarchical physical design is an abutted-pin hierarchical physical design.  
   
   
       4 . The method as recited in  claim 3  wherein said abutted-pin hierarchical physical design includes a top-level and a block-level.  
   
   
       5 . A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions stored therein for performing a method of floorplanning a hierarchical physical design, said method comprising: 
 performing an initial flat placement using a netlist of said hierarchical physical design;    identifying a plurality of said netlist in said initial flat placement, wherein each partition has a boundary; and    generating a top-level floorplan for said hierarchical physical design using said initial flat placement, wherein said generating said top-level floorplan includes generating a corresponding block for each identified partition by converting said boundary of said identified partition into a plurality of edges, and wherein said plurality of edges includes at least one stepped-shape edge.    
   
   
       6 . The computer-readable medium as recited in  claim 5  wherein said generating said top-level floorplan includes: 
 using a curve fitting technique to form said stepped-shape edge.    
   
   
       7 . The computer-readable medium as recited in  claim 5  wherein said hierarchical physical design is an abutted-pin hierarchical physical design.  
   
   
       8 . The computer-readable medium as recited in  claim 7  wherein said abutted-pin hierarchical physical design includes a top-level and a block-level.