6.4 Complex Methodology for Reverse Engineering …
575
– design elements: scale, dot grid, large cursor, etc.
The program also allows the user to print the topology drawing with the printer
or plotter after selecting the proper scale.
In order to communicate with other topology design systems, the program includes
the function of calling utilities of topology conversion from the SOURCE format to
the more common GDSII format and back.
6.5 Methods for Restoring Electrical Circuit
from the Microcircuit Topology
6.5.1 Methods of Automating the Process of Placing
Elements in the Bitmap Image of the Topology
The process of recovering the extraction of the electrical circuit from the topology of
the analyzed chip is the most difficult stage of the process; therefore one of the most
significant factors for reliable and efficient implementation of this phase is software
support for topology-circuitry transformations. The sequence of the main steps of
reverse engineering [14] is shown in Fig. 6.50.
The main difficulty in development of automation programs is the fact that many
tasks of image analysis are difficult to formalize, while some of them cannot be
Fig. 6.50 Main stages of the reverse-engineering process of an IC chip
575
– design elements: scale, dot grid, large cursor, etc.
The program also allows the user to print the topology drawing with the printer
or plotter after selecting the proper scale.
In order to communicate with other topology design systems, the program includes
the function of calling utilities of topology conversion from the SOURCE format to
the more common GDSII format and back.
6.5 Methods for Restoring Electrical Circuit
from the Microcircuit Topology
6.5.1 Methods of Automating the Process of Placing
Elements in the Bitmap Image of the Topology
The process of recovering the extraction of the electrical circuit from the topology of
the analyzed chip is the most difficult stage of the process; therefore one of the most
significant factors for reliable and efficient implementation of this phase is software
support for topology-circuitry transformations. The sequence of the main steps of
reverse engineering [14] is shown in Fig. 6.50.
The main difficulty in development of automation programs is the fact that many
tasks of image analysis are difficult to formalize, while some of them cannot be
Fig. 6.50 Main stages of the reverse-engineering process of an IC chip