JP4366834B2 - Pattern design support device and wiring board pattern design method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to, for example, a pattern designing method of pattern design support apparatus and the wiring board in the case of performing pattern design of the printed wiring board by using a plurality of CAD.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, a printed wiring board (PWB) having a high density has been designed and manufactured by using a computer system such as CAD (Computer Aided Design). In particular, due to intensifying competition for device development in recent years, improvement of the CAD function and improvement of its use environment have become important issues in order to shorten the design lead time.
[0003]
When designing a PWB pattern using CAD, the wiring work accounts for the majority, and this efficiency improvement is important. However, in high-density mounting boards typified by current PC boards, automatic wiring is used. PWB pattern design is performed by partially performing automatic wiring while reflecting the opinions of the designer in the direction of improving the efficiency of interactive design as a result of software performance not catching up.
[0004]
There are various CAD tools used for the above-mentioned PWB pattern design, and various CAD tools are sold by various companies, but since they have various features due to the difference in development philosophy, It is effective to create a total system.
Therefore, in recent years, instead of designing a single PWB pattern with a single CAD as in the past, the PWB is divided into functional blocks, designed using a CAD suitable for each functional block, and edited. It has become necessary to improve the design efficiency by combining the data, and it is desired that the data conversion between the CADs be performed efficiently and accurately.
For this reason, since the data format is different for each CAD unit, there are various conversion tools to meet these needs.
[0005]
FIG. 6 shows the display on the display in a state where the land 2 and the conductor pattern 3 are formed on the substrate and connected using CAD.
The land 2 is a portion that is connected to a lead or the like of a mounted component. The land shape may be either a circle or a square, and the square may be a polygon with a corner dropped. For example, the land shape is selected depending on the positional relationship between adjacent conductor patterns (not shown), the positional relationship between the conductor pattern 3 and the land 2 to be connected, and the like.
The conductor pattern 3 is used when connecting wiring components such as the land 2. When the land shape is small, when the land 2 and the land 2 are connected, they are connected by one conductor pattern 3.
[0006]
FIG. 7A shows a connection method using the conductor pattern 3 when the shape of the land 2 is large.
When the land shape is small (when connection by one conductor pattern is sufficient), the lands are connected by one conductor pattern 3 as shown in FIG. 6, but as shown in FIG. On the other hand, when the land shape is large, two identical conductor patterns 3 are created along the outside of the land shape, and after connection, the region between the two identical conductor patterns 3 is converted into region data 4. To form the final connection status.
There are many CADs having an editing function for automatically converting the region between the conductor patterns 3 into the region data 4. These can be given sequentially at the time of drawing, or can be given at once after drawing.
[0007]
FIG. 7B shows design data when the design data shown in FIG. 7A is converted into CAD having a different system using an existing conversion tool.
As shown in FIG. 7B, when the area data 4 is formed by the same conductor pattern 3, the design data can be accurately converted into CAD having different systems.
[0008]
Next, FIG. 8A shows an example in which region data is formed with different conductor patterns.
As shown in FIG. 8A, two conductor patterns (3a, 3b) having two different widths are formed along the outside of the land 2, and after the connection, the conductor patterns (3a, 3b) having two different widths are formed. It is also possible to convert the area between them into area data 4 to form a final connection state.
Most of the existing CAD also has the function of converting the area between the two different conductor patterns (3a, 3b) into the area data 4 as described above.
[0009]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, when the design data shown in FIG. 8A is created by CAD and then converted into CAD having a different system by using an existing conversion tool and pattern design is performed again, FIG. As shown in b), the area data 4 may be released and the area data 4 may be erased without data conversion.
[0010]
The above problem is that after data conversion, it is possible to convert to area data using the CAD editing function after conversion, but in this case, whether or not the area data has disappeared visually from the display screen on the display. It is necessary to make a judgment and to manually convert the area data that has disappeared into the area data one by one by designating the area.
Therefore, even if a total system design utilizing the advantages of each CAD tool is constructed, it is necessary to convert the area data every time the design data is converted into a CAD having a different system, which improves the design efficiency in pattern design. It becomes difficult to plan.
Further, in the case of a large PWB or the like, the above-mentioned operation takes a very long time, and may be missed particularly when the formed area data is small.
[0011]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems. Therefore, when the pattern design of a printed wiring board is performed using a CAD having a plurality of different systems, between the CADs having different systems, the original design data before the conversion can be completely and efficiently convert, and an object thereof is to provide a pattern design support apparatus and pattern design of a wiring board which can improve the design efficiency in pattern design.
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a pattern design support apparatus according to the present invention includes a storage unit that stores design data of a wiring board, and wiring between lands of the wiring board that is included in the design data read from the storage unit. Extraction means for extracting region data to be represented; data conversion means for creating a conductor pattern that connects two lands in contact with the region data and generating pattern data of a wiring pattern that connects the two lands; and Replacing the pattern data of the wiring pattern with the area data read from the storage means, generating new design data, and storing the new design data in the storage means; and the data The conversion means has a first conductor pattern connecting between the first outer edges of the two lands, and a line width different from that of the first conductor pattern. A second conductor pattern extending between the first conductor pattern and maintaining a predetermined distance and connecting between the second outer edges of the two lands, and creating the first conductor pattern. Pattern data of the wiring pattern including a conductor pattern, the second conductor pattern, and a region between the first conductor pattern and the second conductor pattern is generated.
[0013]
In order to achieve the above object, according to the wiring board pattern design method of the present invention , the extraction means includes an area representing wiring between lands of the wiring board included in the wiring board design data read from the storage means. A first step of extracting data; and a data conversion unit that generates a conductor pattern that connects the two lands in contact with the region data and generates pattern data of a wiring pattern that connects the two lands. Step 2 and the replacement means generate new design data by replacing the pattern data of the wiring pattern with the area data read from the storage means, and store the new design data in the storage means. A first conductor pattern connecting between the first outer edges of the two lands, and the first conductor pattern. A second conductor pattern having a different line width and extending from the first conductor pattern at a constant interval and connecting between the second outer edges of the two lands. Pattern data of the wiring pattern including the first conductor pattern, the second conductor pattern, and a region between the first conductor pattern and the second conductor pattern is generated.
[0026]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[0027]
A pattern design support apparatus according to the present invention, which is used for a pattern design / development process of a wiring board, will be described.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the pattern design support apparatus 1.
The pattern design support apparatus 1 includes a processing unit 10, a display unit 20, an input unit 30, a mouse 40, a storage unit 50, and the like.
[0028]
The processing unit 10 controls each unit of the pattern design support apparatus 1 and performs input / output control with the outside.
[0029]
The processing unit 10 can also be connected to an external system via the interface unit. As a result, the pattern design support apparatus 1 can sequentially realize each process of wiring board design and development in cooperation with an external system. Examples of external systems include a host computer and a CAD-dedicated terminal for circuit design.
Therefore, for example, the circuit design is performed by the CAD dedicated terminal, and the host computer is used to perform a predetermined process using the result, and the pattern design is verified by the host computer while the pattern design support apparatus 1 performs the pattern design process. The configuration is such that the processing to be performed can be efficiently performed via the network.
[0030]
The display unit 20 can display circuit diagram data 51, design data 52, and the like, and further displays a message from the processing unit 10.
[0031]
The input unit 30 is an input device such as a keyboard, for example, for an operator to instruct the processing unit 10 to perform processing or processing target data.
[0032]
The mouse 40 is a pointing device used in conjunction with a pointer displayed on the display unit 20. For example, in the image data such as the circuit diagram data 51 and the design data 52 displayed on the display unit 20, the mouse 40 is desired. This is used to select a certain object or to perform a predetermined process on the object.
[0033]
The storage unit 50 is a storage device that stores circuit diagram data 51 and design data 52 to be processed.
The configuration up to the above is the same as that of a conventional CAD device.
[0034]
Next, a pattern design support apparatus according to the present invention realized by incorporating the design data conversion apparatus according to the present invention into the processing unit 10 of the pattern design support apparatus 1, a design data conversion method implemented by the apparatus, and A circuit board pattern design method will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of the design data conversion apparatus incorporated in the processing unit 10.
First, as shown in FIG. 2, in the present invention, the processing unit 10 includes an extraction unit 11, a conversion unit 12, and a replacement unit 13 (design data conversion device).
[0035]
The extraction unit 11 receives the design data 52 stored in the storage unit 50, extracts region data from the design data, and outputs the region data to the conversion unit 12. Also, the original design data 52 is output to the replacement unit 13.
The conversion unit 12 identifies the shape indicated by the region data from the input region data (second data), generates pattern data approximation data corresponding to the shape information of the region data, and replaces the data with the replacement unit 13 to output.
The replacement unit 13 replaces the region data in the input original design data with the region data converted into pattern data, creates new design data, and outputs the design data to the storage unit 50.
Actually, the processing unit 10 includes an arithmetic processing device such as a microprocessor for controlling processing, a ROM (Read Only Memory) in which processing procedures (programs) in the arithmetic processing device are recorded, and processing. It is composed of a RAM (Random Access Memory) in which various variable values are recorded, an interface unit with an external device or an external network, etc., and achieves the functions of the extraction unit 11, the conversion unit 12 and the replacement unit 13. .
[0036]
A design data conversion method according to the present invention implemented by the processing unit 10 will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of the design data conversion method according to the present invention performed by the data converter 12, and FIGS. 4 and 5 show the design data shown on the display unit 20 in the process of data conversion. It is a thing.
[0037]
FIG. 4 (a) shows a pattern design CAD that creates two conductor patterns (3a, 3b) having different widths along the outside of the land 2 and the land 2 on the substrate data. The display on the display unit 20 when the region between the conductor patterns (3a, 3b) having different widths is converted into the region data 4 is shown.
[0038]
The land 2 is a portion connected to the lead of each mounting component on the board, and the mounting components mounted on the land 2 are electrically connected by the conductor pattern (3a, 3b).
The conductor patterns (3a, 3b) electrically connect the land 2 and the land 2, and when the land shape is large, two conductor patterns are created along the outside of the land shape, and after the connection, The area between the two conductor patterns is converted into area data to form a final connection state. In the embodiment of the present invention, particularly, as shown in FIG. A conversion method in the case where the area data 4 is formed with the conductor patterns (3a, 3b) is shown.
The area data 4 specifies the area surrounded by the two conductor patterns (3a, 3b) as wiring as attribute data of the conductor patterns (3a, 3b).
[0039]
In the present embodiment, a method for converting not only the area data 4 but also the conductor patterns (3a, 3b) and the area data 4 between them into pattern data will be described.
Since the conductor pattern (3a, 3b) and the area data 4 between them are areas on the substrate, they are referred to as a wiring pattern 5. The data of the wiring pattern 5 is called wiring data.
Accordingly, in FIG. 4A, the wiring data is composed of pattern data and area data of different conductor patterns (3a, 3b).
[0040]
The conductor patterns (3a, 3b) are converted into data, for example, as lines having a constant width. Therefore, the conductor patterns (3a, 3b) are converted into pattern data by specifying the line width and the coordinates of the ends of the conductor pattern.
As described above, the wiring data of the wiring pattern 5 in FIG. 4A is converted into pattern data by a method similar to that for converting the conductor pattern into pattern data.
[0041]
That is, assuming a coordinate axis consisting of x and y axes in the computer (procedure S2), for example, the coordinates of the end points 51 and 52 are specified as the end points of the wiring pattern 5 (step S3).
Next, the line width d of the wiring pattern 5 is specified (procedure S4).
If the line width d does not exceed the maximum pattern data line width (for example, d1) that can be handled by the CAD (step S5), the wiring data of the wiring pattern 5 is stored as shown in FIG. Pattern data can be obtained, and two pattern data and area data can be converted into one pattern data (step S7).
As described above, by converting to pattern data, the data of the wiring pattern 5a can be converted into CAD having different systems, and the original design data can be completely converted.
[0042]
Next, pattern data conversion when the line width d of the wiring pattern exceeds the maximum pattern data line width (for example, d1) that can be handled by CAD will be described.
[0043]
FIG. 5A shows a connection state between lands when the shape of the land 2 is larger than that of FIG. 4A. The land 2 on the substrate is formed by the pattern design CAD. Two conductor patterns (3a, 3b) having two different widths are created along the outside of the land 2, and after connection, the region between the two conductor patterns (3a, 3b) having different widths is converted into region data 4. The display in the display part 20 in a case is shown.
As in FIG. 4A, the conductor patterns (3a, 3b) and the area data 4 between them are called wiring patterns 5, and the data of the wiring patterns 5 are called wiring data.
Accordingly, in FIG. 5A, the wiring data is composed of pattern data and area data of different conductor patterns (3a, 3b).
[0044]
An example of a method for causing the computer to convert the wiring pattern 5 into pattern data will be described.
That is, in the same manner as described above, a coordinate axis composed of x and y axes is assumed in the computer (procedure S2). For example, the coordinates of the end points 51 and 52 of the wiring pattern 5 (step S3) and the line width d of the wiring pattern 5 are set. Specify (step S4).
Next, as shown in FIG. 5A, when the line width d exceeds the maximum pattern data line width (for example, d1) that can be handled by each CAD (step S5), For example, an area having a line width d1 which is the maximum pattern line width is converted into pattern data (step S6).
Next, if the remaining line width d2 does not exceed the maximum pattern data line width (for example, d1) that can be handled by the CAD (step S5), the wiring data of the wiring pattern 5 can be converted into pattern data.
Thereby, the wiring data of the wiring pattern 5 can be made into two pattern data (5a, 5b) from two different pattern data and area data (step S7).
Note that the above method is an example, and pattern data can be generated using pattern data within various maximum pattern line widths.
[0045]
As described above, by converting to pattern data, the wiring data of the wiring pattern 5 can be converted into CAD having different systems, and the original data can be completely converted.
[0046]
According to the above-described embodiment of the present invention, when the area data of the original design data is formed by conductor patterns having different line widths, the wiring data composed of the pattern data and the area data is converted into the pattern data. This makes it possible to convert all the CAD data.
In addition, since the wiring data composed of the pattern data and the area data is converted into only the pattern data, the number of data components can be reduced.
Further, since the pattern data has few calculation parameters, it is possible to speed up the conversion process of the area data.
Furthermore, since the design data can be completely converted into all CAD, it is not necessary to form the area data again, and since it is converted into pattern data, even after the design data is converted to CAD having a different system, It is easy to perform editing work such as changes, and the design efficiency can be improved by adopting the total system.
[0047]
The present invention is not limited to the above description. For example, the pattern data conversion of the wiring pattern is not limited to the above method, and the object of the present invention can be achieved by adopting the pattern data conversion method and approximation method in each CAD.
In addition, various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
[0048]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, the design data can be completely converted into all CAD data, and the wiring pattern is converted into the first data approximation data for specifying the wiring shape. It is easy to perform editing work such as, and the design efficiency can be improved by adopting the total system.
In addition, since the wiring pattern composed of the first data and the second data is converted into data approximate to the first data, the number of data components can be reduced.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a pattern design support apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a processing unit of a design pattern support apparatus incorporating a design data conversion apparatus of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a design data conversion method according to the present invention.
FIGS. 4A and 4B show wiring data in the display unit when the design data conversion method according to the present invention is used. FIG. 4A shows a state before the wiring data conversion, and FIG. 4B shows the wiring data. The state after converting into pattern data is shown.
FIG. 5 shows wiring data in the display unit when the design data conversion method according to the present invention is used when the wiring pattern is large, (a) is a state before wiring data conversion; b) shows a state after the wiring data is converted into pattern data.
FIG. 6 shows a method of connecting lands according to the prior art by a conductor pattern.
FIG. 7 shows design data when a large-sized land according to the prior art is connected by two identical conductor patterns, (a) is the original design data, and (b) is the original design data. The design data after data conversion to CAD which has a different system is shown.
FIG. 8 shows design data when a large-sized land according to the prior art is connected by two conductor patterns having different line widths, where (a) is the original design data; ) Shows design data after data conversion to CAD having different systems.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Pattern design support apparatus, 2 ... Land data, 3, 3a, 3b ... Conductor pattern, 4 ... Area data, 5, 5a, 5b ... Wiring pattern, 51, 52 ... End part of wiring pattern, 10 ... Processing part, DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Extraction part, 12 ... Conversion part, 13 ... Replacement part, 20 ... Display part, 30 ... Input part, 40 ... Mouse, 50 ... Memory | storage part, 51 ... Circuit diagram data, 52 ... Design data, d ... Wiring pattern Line width.

Claims (2)

Storage means for storing design data of the wiring board;
Extraction means for extracting area data representing wiring between lands of the wiring board included in the design data read from the storage means ;
Data conversion means for creating a conductor pattern that connects two lands in contact with the area data and generating pattern data of a wiring pattern that connects the two lands ;
Replacing means for replacing the pattern data of the wiring pattern with the area data read from the storage means to generate new design data, and storing the new design data in the storage means ;
Have
The data conversion means includes
A first conductor pattern connecting between the first outer edges of the two lands;
A second line having a line width different from that of the first conductor pattern and extending from the first conductor pattern at a predetermined interval and connecting between the second outer edge portions of the two lands. Create a conductor pattern,
Generating pattern data of the wiring pattern including the first conductor pattern, the second conductor pattern, and a region between the first conductor pattern and the second conductor pattern;
Pattern design support device. A first step of extracting area data representing wiring between lands of the wiring board included in the design data of the wiring board read from the storage means;
A second step in which the data conversion means creates a conductor pattern that connects the two lands in contact with the region data and generates pattern data of a wiring pattern that connects the two lands;
A third step of replacing the pattern data of the wiring pattern with the area data read from the storage unit to generate new design data, and storing the new design data in the storage unit; ,
Have
The second step includes
A first conductor pattern connecting between the first outer edges of the two lands;
A second line having a line width different from that of the first conductor pattern and extending from the first conductor pattern at a predetermined interval and connecting between the second outer edge portions of the two lands. Create a conductor pattern,
Generating pattern data of the wiring pattern including the first conductor pattern, the second conductor pattern, and a region between the first conductor pattern and the second conductor pattern;
Wiring board pattern design method.

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