2023 Volume 16 Issue 4 Pages 239-246
Sequence-Pair, which is a topological representation for packing rectangles, was invented in Japan and has become one of the standard electronic design automation（EDA）techniques used in the physical designs of integrated circuits. In this article, I try to share how people started this unique research in a new university in 1994, what efforts were taken later in the industry to apply the idea in chip designs, and what challenges still remain today. If I contributed some parts in this history, it was mostly because I was happened to be a student with some work experience in the original research team. Thus, I hope that this article motivates young engineers in the industry, and refreshes them academically.
