DESIGN RULE CHECKING TOOLS AND METHODS THAT USE WAIVER LAYOUT PATTERNS TO WAIVE UNWANTED DIMENSIONAL CHECK VIOLATIONS

A design rule checking (DRC) tool performs DRC operations by determining a match between one of a plurality of waiver layout patterns and a first portion of an integrated circuit layout containing a suspected violation of a first design rule. This operation is preferably performed automatically during a comprehensive DRC operation on the entire integrated circuit layout. Each violation of a design rule within an integrated circuit layout is preferably treated initially as a “suspected” violation prior to an operation to compare one or more different waiver layout patterns to the portion of the integrated circuit containing the “suspected” violation. A failure to identify a match with any of the waiver layout patterns operates to convert the “suspected” violation into a “confirmed” violation. At the end of the comprehensive DRC operation, separate files may be generated that list each of the occurrences of the suspected violations that have been waived and the confirmed violations that have not been waived.