Neural network parallel computing for multi-layer channel routing problems

Multi-layer channel routing is one of cumbersome jobs in automatic layout design of VLSI chips and PCBs. As VLSI chips have been used in every field of electrical engineering, it becomes more important to reduce the layout design time. With the advancement of the VLSI technology, four-layer problems can be treated and the algorithms for more than four-layer problems will be demanded in the near future. Proposed algorithm can treat 2 x n-layer problems in parallel. In this paper, the algorithm is introduced and implemented on a multiprocessor system. By minimizing the communication overhead and load unbalance between processors, the performance with 8 processors is improved by between 6 and 6.5 times compared with the sequential version.