
Layout-database file control: the missing link
The authors descirbe a new signature-based approach to resolving the content of layouts in GDSII, OASIS and other formats.
Companies and mask shops already have plans and policies to secure the storage and transmission of sensitive layout VLSI data. These include confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements, and encryption. However, traditional VLSI file formats such as GDSII never popularized the type of constructs that facilitate intellectual property (IP) protection. The OASIS format does have these constructs. […]