JPH05165919A - Substrate cad system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable entirely optimum block arrangement and wiring pattern formation on a printed circuit board by making plural pcb blocks expressing the patterns of circuit blocks correspondent to one circuit block. CONSTITUTION:This system is provided with a memory 20 for block to store a circuit block and the pcb blocks while making them correspondent by 1:N (N is an integer >=2), reading means 21 to read the plural pcb blocks corresponding to the circuit block used for connection concerning one circuit block, and selecting means 22 to select the optimum pcb block out of the plural read pcb blocks. In this case, the pcb blocks are defined corresponding to one circuit block and in the case of arranging the pcb blocks, the optimum pcb block can be selected out of the plural pcb blocks. Then, the margin of selection is provided for the pcb blocks, and the entirely optimum block arrangement and wiring pattern formation can be executed on the printed circuit board.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement of a board CAD system for designing a printed board by dividing it into blocks.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, in a board CAD system, a printed circuit board is divided into blocks for each circuit that realizes a specific function, and a design is made for each block. For example, such a design is performed when creating a composite substrate in which analog circuits and digital circuits are mixed. Conventionally, as a board CAD system that performs board design by dividing into blocks, for example, FIG.
There was a configuration shown in.

In FIG. 4, reference numeral 1 is a circuit symbol library in which symbols used in a circuit diagram (such symbols are referred to as circuit symbols) are stored. 2 is a block memory, which is circuit block data representing a circuit block,
Printed board (pcb) block data representing a pattern forming a circuit block is stored in association with each other.
This correspondence is one pcb for one circuit block.
It has a shape corresponding to blocks. Here, the circuit block is represented by a circuit diagram, and the pcb block is represented by a pattern diagram. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the correspondence relationship between the circuit block and the pcb block. In FIG. 5, aaa. blk, bbb. blk, ccc. bl
k is a circuit block name, and aaa. pbk, bbb. pb
k, ccc. pbk is the pcb block name. The circuit block data and the pcb block data are designated based on the circuit block name and the pcb block name. The data stored in the block memory 2 is data about a ready-made block and is stored for the purpose of reusing design data. Returning to FIG. 4, reference numeral 3 is a pcb symbol library in which symbols used in the pcb block are stored. Reference numeral 4 is a circuit diagram designing device for designing a circuit diagram of a printed board by using the data stored in the circuit symbol library 1 and the block memory 2, and 5 is a circuit diagram design data memory for storing the designed circuit diagram data, Reference numeral 6 is a netlist extracting means for extracting a netlist from the designed circuit diagram, and reference numeral 7 is a netlist memory for storing information of the extracted netlist. 8 is a pcb design device for designing a pattern diagram of a printed board based on the data in the block memory 2, pcb symbol library 3 and netlist memory 7, and 9 is a pcb design data memory for storing the designed pattern diagram. is there. A display device 10 displays a designed circuit diagram or pattern diagram.

A design work is performed in the following procedure using such a board CAD system. When designing a circuit diagram, the designer calls out reusable circuit block data from the block memory 2. Circuit symbols are called from the circuit symbol library 1 for functions that cannot be realized by existing circuit block data. In this way, the circuit diagram design data is created. Next, the net extractor 6 creates a net list from the circuit diagram design data. The netlist consists of parts information and connection information. In the component information, the block name of the pcb block corresponding to the circuit block used for the design and the pcb symbol corresponding to the circuit symbol are defined. The connection information is pcb block external terminal, pc
Connection information between terminals of the b symbol is defined. Next, the pcb design is entered. In pcb design, the pcb block and pcb symbol are called based on the component information of the netlist to place the components, and the connection pattern is wired based on the connection information of the netlist. FIG. 6 shows an example of the result of designing in the above procedure. In this figure, the block name is B
1, B2 and B3. The connection information is as follows. N001: B1-1, B3-2 N002: B1-2, B3-1 N003: B1-3, B2-1 N004: B1-4, B2-2 N005: B2-3, B3-3 N006: B2-4 , B3-4 In this information, N001 to N006 are net names, and the block name and terminal number connected to each other after the net name are shown. For example, in N001, it is shown that the first terminal of the block B1 and the second terminal of the block B3 are connected.

Such a board CAD system has the following problems. Since only one type of pcb block is prepared for one circuit block, the shape of the pcb block is fixed. As a result, the block may not fit in the printed circuit board whose outer shape is defined. Although the placement and wiring of pcb symbols are optimized in the pcb block, the placement and wiring are not optimized as shown in FIG. 6 when viewed in the entire design printed circuit board to which the pcb blocks are connected. That is, since only one type of pcb block is provided, the position of the external terminal is fixed, and therefore the wiring between blocks is not the shortest. Moreover, an extra space was required for this wiring. If the wiring pattern is modified to optimize the entire board, the same man-hours are required as a new design without using the block data. Moreover, once the block is expanded, it becomes difficult to move the block or change the design.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and a plurality of pcb blocks are made to correspond to one circuit block, so that the width of selection of pcb blocks can be increased. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to realize a board CAD system capable of performing optimum block arrangement and wiring pattern formation as a whole on a printed board.

[0007]

The present invention is a substrate CAD system having the following configuration. (1) Circuit blocks that are divided into blocks for each circuit that realizes a specific function, and p that represents the pattern of the circuit blocks
Create a cb block in advance, connect the circuit blocks to design the entire circuit, and connect the circuit blocks to pc.
In a board CAD system in which a b block is also connected to design the entire printed circuit board, the circuit block and the pc
Corresponding b block to 1: N (N is an integer of 2 or more)
An optimum one is selected from the stored block memory and the reading means for reading a plurality of pcb blocks corresponding to the circuit block used for connection from the block memory for one circuit block, and the plurality of read pcb blocks. A board CAD system comprising: (2) The reading means displays the plurality of read pcb blocks on the screen of the display device, and the selecting means displays the plurality of pcb blocks displayed on the screen by the reading means.
The board CAD system according to (1), characterized in that an optimum one is selected from the blocks. (3) The board CAD system according to (1), further comprising a correction unit that corrects the pcb block selected by the selection unit.

[0008]

In the present invention as described above, a plurality of types of pcb blocks are prepared for one circuit block. Then, with regard to the circuit block used in the board design, the optimum one is selected from a plurality of corresponding pcb blocks,
A printed circuit board is designed by connecting the selected pcb blocks. Also, regarding the selection of pcb blocks, a plurality of types of pcb blocks corresponding to one circuit block are displayed on the screen, and the optimum one is selected while talking to the screen. Further, the selected pcb block is modified as necessary.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. 4 in FIG.
The same symbols as those of are attached. In FIG. 1, 20
Is a block memory that stores circuit block data and pcb block data in a form in which one circuit block is associated with a plurality of pcb blocks. An example of this correspondence relationship is shown in FIG. In FIG. 2, for example, one circuit block aaa. 6 pcb blocks aaa. pbk01-aaa. It corresponds to pbk06. 6 pcb blocks aaa. pbk01-aa
a. All of the pbk06 are electrically equivalent, and the arrangement of pcb symbols in the block, the position of the external terminal, the overall shape, etc. are different. Reference numeral 21 is a reading means which stores a plurality of pcb blocks corresponding to the circuit blocks designated by the circuit diagram designing device 4 into the block memory 20.
Read from. The read pcb block is displayed on the screen. Reference numeral 22 denotes a selection unit that selects the pcb block read by the reading unit 21. Selection is done while interacting with the screen. 23 is a correction means, and the selection means 2
The shape and external terminal position of the pcb block selected in 2 are corrected. Make corrections while interacting with the screen.

A design work is performed in the following procedure using the board CAD system configured as described above. First, the circuit block and the pcb block are registered. That is, in the block memory 20, a plurality of pcb blocks are registered in association with one circuit block. At this time, the circuit block is registered from the circuit diagram designing device 4. Also, pc
The b block is registered from the pcb design device 8. For the pcb block, designed pcb blocks can be sequentially registered and accumulated. In pcb design, the CAD of FIG.
As with the system, p based on the parts information of the netlist
These components are arranged by calling the cb block and pcb symbol, and the wiring of the connection pattern is performed based on the connection information of the netlist. However, in the CAD system of FIG. 1, when calling a pcb block, the optimum pcb block for the design printed circuit board is selected by a conversation operation on the display screen. For example, when the circuit block and the pcb block have the correspondence relationship shown in FIG. 2, the circuit block a
aa. When calling the pcb block corresponding to blk, aaa. pbk01-aaa. pbk06 is sequentially displayed each time the key is pressed, and the optimum pcb block can be selected. In this case, the reading means 21 calls the plurality of pcb blocks, and the selecting means 22 selects the pcb block. This operation is similar to selecting the most suitable kanji for kana-kanji conversion in word processing. In addition, the block shape of the pcb block selected by the correction unit 23, the position of the external terminal, and the like are corrected as necessary.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the result of designing a board by the CAD system of FIG. 1 for the same circuit diagram as the printed board shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, since the pcb block having the optimum block shape, the position of the external terminal, and the like is selected, both the overall arrangement space and the inter-block connection are improved as compared with FIG.

[0012]

According to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained. A plurality of pcb blocks are defined for one circuit block, and when the pcb blocks are arranged, the optimum one can be selected from the plurality of pcb blocks.
As a result, the optimum pcb for the actual printed circuit board
The blocks can be selectively arranged, and the pcb blocks can be arranged without protruding to the printed circuit board whose outline is defined. In addition, the space of the entire substrate can be minimized and the connection pattern for connecting the blocks can be minimized. After arranging the pcb block, the position of the external terminal can be corrected while maintaining the connection information of the pcb block.
As a result, only the positions of the external terminals are slightly different p
It is not necessary to register the cb blocks in duplicate, and the number of pcb blocks to be registered can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

2 is a circuit block and pcb in the system of FIG.
It is the figure which showed the correspondence of a block.

3 is a diagram showing an example of a printed circuit board designed by the system of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a conventional board CAD system.

5 is a circuit block and pcb in the system of FIG.
It is the figure which showed the correspondence of a block.

6 is a diagram showing an example of a printed circuit board designed by the system of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 4 circuit diagram designing device 8 pcb designing device 10 display device 20 block memory 21 reading means 22 selecting means 23 correcting means

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A circuit block that is divided into blocks for each circuit that realizes a specific function and a pcb block that represents the pattern of the circuit block are created in advance, and the circuit block is connected to design the entire circuit. For a board CAD system in which pcb blocks are connected together with the connection of blocks to design the entire printed circuit board, the circuit blocks and the pcb blocks are stored corresponding to 1: N (N is an integer of 2 or more) and stored. A memory, a reading means for reading a plurality of pcb blocks corresponding to a circuit block used for connection from the block memory for one circuit block, and a selecting means for selecting an optimum one from the plurality of read pcb blocks. A board CAD system comprising: 2. The reading means comprises a plurality of read pcs.
The b block is displayed on the screen of the display device, and the selecting means selects an optimum one from the plurality of pcb blocks displayed on the screen by the reading means. The board CAD system according to item 1. 3. The substrate CAD system according to claim 1, further comprising a correction unit that corrects the pcb block selected by the selection unit.