Patent US 5,673,201

A computer-implementable method for wiring congested areas in a VLSI design detects overflows indicating an area of congestion in the VLSI design and defines a bounding area around the area of congestion. Attachment points are created at locations where wires cross the bounding area and the entire bounding area, with the attachment points, is extracted from the VLSI design as a sub-design. Initial wire weights are assigned to wiring parameters associated with the sub-design. Thereafter, an iterative process is commenced to derive a wiring solution for the sub-design. In a first step of the iterative process, an attempt is made to wire the sub-design with the assigned wire weights. In subsequent steps, at least one wire weight is changed and a new attempt is made to wire the sub-design using the new wire weight values. The process continues in this manner until a wiring attempt completes successfully. The wired solution for the sub-design is then placed back into the VLSI design.