JP3190058B2 - Substrate CAD system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement in a board CAD system for supporting printed circuit board design.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In some conventional board CAD systems, a user performs wiring routing and correction while interacting with a CRT screen. In that case, the cursor and rubber are displayed on the screen.
Perform wiring work while generating bands. For example, FIG.
When moving the corner C1 of the pattern shown in FIG. 2, place the cursor C at the destination corner position and change the direction of the pattern corrected by the corner movement. Rubber band B
1 and B2. Then, a pattern having a designated width is drawn along the rubber bands B1 and B2. When a new pattern is formed, as shown in FIG.
Is placed on a newly formed corner, and the connection end of this corner and the new pattern is connected by rubber bands B1 and B2. Then, a pattern having a designated width is formed along the rubber bands B1 and B2.

[0003] The conventional substrate CAD system in which the pattern is formed or corrected by using the cursor and the rubber band as described above has the following disadvantages. Before the pattern is formed or corrected, the direction of the pattern to be newly drawn is only indicated by the rubber band, so that the pattern to be newly drawn is a line. In the case of wide patterns such as minutes, arcs, and surface figures, the actual pattern size cannot be estimated unless the wide patterns are actually drawn. The formed or modified pattern is the design
When an error occurs during rule check (hereinafter referred to as DRC), how much pattern width can be used to reduce the DR
I don't know if I can clear C. Here, DRC is a pattern
This is a check to determine whether or not the clearance between the components has secured a specified minimum clearance. It is not possible to identify whether the surface on which the wiring work is being performed is the front surface or the back surface of the substrate. When performing wiring work using vias, the wiring surface changes, which is particularly problematic.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in order to solve such a problem, and a pattern on a pattern newly formed by pattern creation or pattern correction is provided. PCB CAD that can be pre-registered before the pattern is drawn, and the wiring surface can be grasped at any time, even before the pattern is drawn.
The purpose is to realize the system.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a substrate CAD system having the following configuration. (1) In a board CAD system that supports the design of a printed board, a pattern width setting unit that stores data of the pattern width of a pattern to be created, and a minimum clearance required between the patterns. A cursor that indicates the position where the pattern to be created is drawn on the screen that displays the printed circuit board to be designed, and the center is located at the center of the cursor. To display the two concentric circles
The inner circle is a circle whose diameter is the pattern width set in the pattern width setting section, and the outer circle is a circle in which the radius of the inner circle is increased by the value of the minimum clearance set in the clearance setting section. And a concentric circle display means. (2) A wiring surface setting section in which data for instructing whether the substrate surface on which the wiring operation is performed is the front surface or the back surface is stored, and the data is stored in the wiring surface setting portion in accordance with the data. (1) The substrate CAD system according to (1), further comprising: a work surface display unit configured to display the two concentric circles in a solid line display or a broken line display. (3) Data of the radius of the arc attached to the pattern corner
When performing the process of attaching an arc to the arc setting section in which the arc is stored, the center is located at the cursor center and the radius is set to the arc setting section instead of displaying the two concentric circles. An arc circle display means for displaying a circle having a radius stored in the substrate CA.
D system.

[0006]

According to the present invention, based on the information on the pattern width and the minimum clearance of the pattern to be created, a circle having the pattern width as the diameter and the minimum clearance are displayed on the cursor. A circle having a range as a diameter is displayed as two concentric circles, and before the pattern is drawn, the range of the pattern width and the minimum clearance is indicated by a circle. The display of the two concentric circles is switched between a solid line display and a broken line display depending on whether the wiring surface is the front surface or the back surface of the substrate. In addition, the pattern corner
When attaching an arc to a circle, a circle whose radius is equal to the radius of the arc to be attached is displayed on the cursor.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG.
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is an input device, 2 is an output device, 3 is a storage device, and 4 is a computer.

In the input device 1, reference numeral 11 denotes a pattern creation unit for inputting data such as the width of a pattern to be created and a wiring surface, and reference numeral 12 denotes a movement of a corner or insertion of a corner. This is a pattern correction unit for instructing a pattern to be corrected. In the output device 2, a display unit 21 updates and displays the printed circuit board to be designed. The storage device 3 has a pattern
The figure data, which represents the connection state of the pattern, the connection data indicating the connection state of the pattern, the APT table, the ASC table, the figure data of the entity, and the wiring parameters are stored. Here, the APT number is obtained by coding the line width of an entity other than a via that becomes a component terminal, a through-hole, or the like. The APT table associates the APT number with the actual line width in a table. An entity is a line that forms a wiring pattern, the coordinates of the start and end points,
It is determined by the line width, the layer of the substrate to be formed, and the like. The ASC number is obtained by expressing the size and shape of the via in each layer of the printed circuit board by the APT number for the prepared via, and coding the combination of these APT numbers. The ASC table is AS
The C number is associated with the APT number in each layer of the printed board in a table. The wiring parameters include data on the pattern currently being wired. Such wiring parameters include an APT number, an active layer indicating the layer of the printed circuit board on which the wiring operation is being performed, a grid interval corresponding to a scale indicating a pattern formation position, a minimum clearance value, and the like. There is data.

In the computer 4, reference numeral 41 denotes a pattern net setting unit in which data necessary for creating a pattern is set. Based on data read from the storage device 3, data indicating the APT number, the minimum clearance value, and whether the surface on which the wiring is being performed is the front surface or the back surface of the substrate (hereinafter, referred to as "the surface")
This data is referred to as wiring surface data). 4
Reference numeral 2 denotes a correction pattern extraction unit which obtains data relating to the pattern to be corrected based on the data input from the pattern correction unit 12 and the data read from the storage device 3. In the modified pattern extracting section 42, reference numeral 421 denotes a line arc via designating section. If the pattern designated to be modified is a pattern other than a plane figure, the pattern to be modified is changed. APT number, minimum clearance value, and wiring plane data are obtained. Reference numeral 422 denotes a plane instructing unit. When the pattern for which correction is instructed is a pattern of a plane figure,
The radius and the minimum clearance value of the arc attached to the corner of the pattern of this plane figure are obtained. Reference numeral 43 denotes a cursor display control unit, and a pattern / net setting unit 41
The cursor display on the screen of the display unit 21 is controlled based on the data set in the correction pattern extraction unit 42 and the correction pattern extraction unit 42. In the cursor display control unit 43, a wiring surface setting unit 431 displays the cursor as a solid line when the wiring surface is the front surface and a broken line when the wiring surface is the rear surface according to the set wiring surface data. Display. Reference numeral 432 denotes an APT number setting unit. The center is located at the center of the cursor, and a pattern whose diameter is designated is designated.
On the screen. This circle is used as a pattern width display circle. Reference numeral 433 denotes a clearance setting unit which displays a circle which is concentric with the pattern width display circle and whose radius is larger than this circle by the minimum clearance value. This circle is defined as a clearance display circle. When a circle is displayed by the setting units 432 and 433, the cursor becomes as shown in FIG.
Reference numeral 44 denotes a DRC unit, which is data of a creation pattern or a correction pattern set in the pattern net setting unit 41 or the correction pattern extraction unit 42, and an already-connected wiring stored in the storage device 3. Based on the pattern data, the created or modified pattern is the same as the existing wiring pattern and clearance error.
Check to see if it is occurring.

The operation of the substrate CAD system configured as described above will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure for displaying a cursor. In FIG. 3, first, an input operation is determined. If the input operation is a pattern creation operation, the pattern net setting unit 41 obtains data necessary for the pattern creation. On the other hand, if the input operation is a pattern correction operation, the correction pattern extraction unit 42 obtains data necessary for pattern correction. When the data is obtained by the pattern net setting unit 41 or the correction pattern extraction unit 42, the wiring surface is determined. When the wiring surface is the front surface, the circle displayed on the cursor is displayed as a solid line, and when the wiring surface is the rear surface, the circle is displayed as a broken line. Thereafter, a pattern width display circle is displayed in which the pattern width designated by the APT number is the diameter. Next, the radius of the clearance display circle is calculated and displayed from (radius of the clearance display circle) = (radius of the pattern width display circle) + (minimum clearance value).

Next, the processing by the pattern net setting unit 41 shown in FIG. 3 will be described. FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing a specific processing procedure by the pattern net setting unit 41.
It is. In FIG. 4, first, an input operation is determined.
If the input operation is to input an APT number, the APT number is obtained from the input information from the pattern creation unit 11 and the APT table in the storage device 3, and the wiring parameters in the storage device 3 are obtained.
Change the data. If the input operation is to change the wiring surface,
Based on the input information from the pattern creation unit 11, information on the wiring surface to be changed is obtained and the wiring parameters are changed. If the input operation is pattern creation, the input operation is further determined. If the input operation is to create a via, a via is created based on the input information from the pattern creating section 11, the wiring surface is changed, and then the wiring parameters are changed. If the input operation is to create a line plane arc, a line, plane, and arc pattern is created based on the input information from the pattern creation unit 11. If the input operation is a process of changing a pattern that has already been created, the type of the pattern to be changed is determined. If the type of the pattern to be changed is a pattern of a plane figure, the APT number is changed in the wiring parameters for the pattern of the plane figure. If the type of pattern to be changed is line or arc
In the case of the pattern of the line, the APT number is changed in the wiring parameters for the line or the pattern of the arc. By such processing, the APT number for each pattern,
Obtain the minimum clearance and wiring surface data. The APT number and wiring plane data obtained at this time are
This is the data on the starting point side of the application.

Next, a modified pattern extraction unit 42 shown in FIG.
Will be described. FIG. 5 shows a modified pattern extraction unit 42.
Is a flowchart showing a specific processing procedure according to the present invention. In FIG. 5, first, the type of the correction pattern is determined. Correction pattern type is a plain figure pattern
If it is a pattern, pattern data of the pattern is obtained based on the input information from the pattern correction unit 12 and the information stored in the storage device 3. If the corrected portion is a corner with an arc, data of the radius of the arc after the correction is obtained from the correction pattern instructing section 12. Thereafter, data of the minimum clearance between the pattern of the plane figure and the pattern of the line figure is obtained from the storage device 3. Further, data on the wiring surface of the plane figure is obtained. On the other hand, if the modified pattern is other than the pattern of the plane figure, the figure data of the modified pattern is obtained, and if there are a plurality of modified patterns, these patterns are obtained. The largest pattern among the APT numbers
Get the APT number that has become wider. Thereafter, data of the minimum clearance between the patterns of the line is obtained from the storage device 3. Next, data on the wiring surface is obtained. If there are a plurality of wiring surfaces, first obtain data on the wiring surface on which the wiring work is being performed. In this way, the pattern net setting unit 41 and the correction pattern extraction unit 42 perform the processing necessary for the wiring work.

Next, the processing by the system shown in FIG. 1 will be described with reference to an example of a wiring pattern. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a wiring pattern to be created. In FIG. 6A, an instruction is given to form a wiring pattern with A as the starting point, B as the end point, and the position of the cursor C as a corner. At this time, A
Rubber bands B1, B from point B to cursor C from point B
2 occurs. On the cursor C, a pattern width display circle having a diameter equal to the pattern width of the wiring pattern on the point A side and a clearance display circle having a larger radius by the minimum clearance are displayed. Since the clearance display circle touches an adjacent pattern between the point B and the cursor position, if the pattern is pulled during this time, an error occurs in the DRC. Therefore, FIG.
As shown in (b), the pattern is drawn only between point A and the cursor position.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a pattern to be corrected. In FIG. 7A, it is instructed to move the corner D with via to the position of the cursor C. At this time,
Rubber bands B1 and B2 between nails E and F and cursor C
Occurs. Via D, a circle having a diameter equal to the outer diameter of via D having the largest pattern width among the two patterns connected to via D is defined as a pattern width display circle, and this circle is defined as a minimum. A circle whose radius is increased by the clearance is set as a clearance display circle, and these circles are displayed. At this time, if the clearance display circle on the outside does not touch another pattern, the corner is moved to correct the DRC pattern.
Since no error occurs, the pattern can be modified as shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a plane figure in which a corner is moved. As shown in FIG. 8A, the movement destination of the corner G of the pattern of the plane figure is indicated by the cursor C.
Instruct. At this time, rubber bands B1 and B2 are generated from corners H and I for a new corner. Further, a circle having a radius equal to the radius of the arc attached to the corner G is displayed on the cursor C. By giving an instruction with the cursor in this way, the cursor becomes as shown in FIG.
A corner is created along the circle displayed on the sol.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a plane figure into which a corner with an arc is inserted. As shown in FIG. 9A, the position of the corner to be inserted is designated by the cursor C. At this time, rubber bands B1 and B2 are generated from both ends of the line for the designated corner. Also, a circle having a radius equal to the radius of the arc attached to the corner to be inserted is displayed on the cursor. When the insertion position is designated in this manner, as shown in FIG. 9 (b), a corner with an arc along the displayed circle is created.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing a processing procedure for changing the display of a circle in real time when a change in the pattern width or the wiring surface is instructed while a wiring pattern is being created. It is a chart. In FIG. 10, first, the type of the input operation is determined. If the input operation is to change the APT number, set the changed APT number in the wiring parameter, set the radius of the clearance display circle based on this APT number, and re-insert the two circles on the cursor. indicate. If the input operation is to change the wiring surface by creating a via, the setting of the wiring surface data is reversed after the via is created. If the input operation is the creation of a pattern, it is checked whether or not the creation of the pattern has been completed. If not, the determination of the type of the input operation is repeated.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a specific example of the processing performed according to the flowchart of FIG. First, FIG.
As shown in (a), since the surface on which the wiring work is performed is the rear surface at present, the broken line circle is displayed on the cursor C. Next, as shown in FIG. 11B, when the work surface is switched to the front surface, the display of the circle changes to a solid line. Then, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1C, a pattern of a line having a pattern width corresponding to the diameter of the pattern width display circle is created. Here, when the via V is generated as shown in FIG. 11D, the work surface automatically changes from the front surface to the back surface. Next, FIG.
As shown in (e), an instruction to change the pattern width is issued. Thereby, the display of the circle is changed in real time according to the changed pattern width. Then, as shown in FIG. 11F, a pattern having a width corresponding to the diameter of the changed circle is created. This pattern is formed on the back surface. In this way, the wiring operation is performed while displaying the circle showing the pattern width and the minimum clearance on the cursor.

[0019]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention,
According to the above, the following effects are obtained. When the data of the created pattern is set, a circle indicating the pattern width and a circle indicating the minimum clearance are displayed on the cursor. Thus, it is possible to preliminarily estimate the width of the pattern to be newly drawn without drawing the pattern. Immediately
In the stage before pattern formation or correction,
The pattern is a wide pattern such as a line segment, arc, surface figure, etc.
The pattern before actually drawing the wide pattern.
Have an idea of the actual size of the. It can also be formed or modified
When the pattern that has become error in DRC,
How narrow can you clear the DRC?
I know immediately. Conversely, as much as possible in relation to the applied current
Even if you want to get a wide pattern, the maximum wide pattern
You can immediately get a visual indication. In addition, it is possible to check whether the pattern to be newly drawn causes an error in the DRC. Pattern during wiring work
Even if the pattern width or wiring surface is changed, the display state of the circle changes, so that the pattern width, minimum clearance and wiring surface can be grasped in real time. According to claim 2 of the present invention,
It has an effect. In order to switch the display of the circle on the cursor between the solid line display and the broken line display, depending on whether the surface on which the wiring work is being performed is the front surface or the back surface of the board,
It is easy to grasp the surface where the wiring work is currently performed. Book
According to the third aspect of the invention, the following effects can be obtained. When modifying a corner with a plane figure pattern arc, a circle with a radius equal to the radius of the arc to be attached to the corner is displayed on the cursor. Since it is displayed, the shape of the plane figure after correction can be grasped in advance.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a cursor and a circle displayed by the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an operation explanatory diagram of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory diagram of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an operation explanatory diagram of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an operation explanatory diagram of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is an operation explanatory diagram of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is an operation explanatory diagram of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is an operation explanatory diagram of the system of FIG. 1;

11 is an operation explanatory diagram of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a wiring operation by a conventional board CAD system.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a wiring operation by a conventional board CAD system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 input device 11 pattern creation unit 12 pattern correction unit 2 output device 21 display unit 3 storage device 4 computer 41 pattern / net setting unit 42 correction pattern extraction unit 43 cursor display control unit 431 Wiring surface setting unit 432 APT number setting unit 433 Clearance setting unit 44 DRC unit

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A board CA for supporting printed circuit board design
In the D system, a pattern width setting section that stores the data of the pattern width of the pattern to be created, and a clearance setting section that stores the data of the minimum clearance required between the patterns. On the screen that displays the printed circuit board to be designed,
A cursor indicating the position to draw the pattern and two concentric circles whose center is located at the center of the cursor are displayed, and the inner circle indicates the pattern width set in the pattern width setting section. And a concentric circle display means for making the outer circle a circle obtained by increasing the radius of the inner circle by the value of the minimum clearance set in the clearance setting section. 2. A wiring surface setting section in which data indicating whether a substrate surface on which a wiring operation is performed is a front surface or a back surface is stored, and the data is stored in the wiring surface setting portion. 2. The substrate CAD system according to claim 1, further comprising: a work surface display unit for displaying the two concentric circles in a solid line display or a broken line display. 3. An arc setting section in which data of the radius of an arc to be attached to a corner of a pattern is stored. When performing the process of attaching an arc, the two concentric circles are used. Arc circle display means for displaying a circle whose center is located at the cursor center and whose radius is the radius stored in the arc setting section, instead of the display of The substrate CAD according to claim 1,
system.