One embodiment of the invention provides a system for speeding up an
iterative process that simulates and, if necessary, corrects a layout of
a target cell within an integrated circuit so that a simulated layout of
the target cell matches a desired layout for the target cell. The system
operates by determining if the target cell is similar to a preceding cell
for which there exists a previously calculated solution. If so, the
system uses the previously calculated solution as an initial input to the
iterative process that produces the solution for the target cell.