SIMILAR CIRCUIT RETRIEVAL DEVICE AND ITS METHOD

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a similar circuit retrieval device and its method for establishing a database appropriate to retrieve a similar circuit and also for easily retrieving the similar circuit from the database so as to select an examination method of a designed circuit. SOLUTION: A similar circuit retrieval device 10 has a matrix creating unit 12 for creating a circuit matrix that is a square matrix on the basis of circuit diagram data; a circuit matrix database 15 for storing circuit matrixes created previously; a correlation operation unit 13 for calculating correlation values between a circuit matrix newly created by the matrix creating unit 12 and the circuit matrixes stored in the database 15; and a selection unit 14 for selecting circuit matrixes having high correlation values calculated by the operation unit 13 among the circuit matrixes stored in the database 15. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT