Hughes S&CG Custom LSI Layouts - 'We Did it Our Way'

Abstract

The following will describe a custom Large Scale Integration (LSI) microelectronic circuit layout software system written by the design engineers who use it. The key elements of the system are as follows: Layout is done with meaningful logical elements rather than at the geometrical mask level, thereby minimizing errors and requiring less skilled users to layout chips; computer generated check artwork and mask generation is produced direct]y from a logical layout rather than from digitized inputs; completion of the design loop is accomplished by automatic generation of an interconnection list from the actual graphical layout; programs are living, with new features and capabilities being added as requirements change; programs attempt first to solve the engineers problems and be user oriented, then to be elegant and efficient.