JPH09167172A - Device and method for designing substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the efficiency of design by eliminating data preparing work from the deginning by fetching mechanism data having no attribute excepting for graphical attributes and afterward, adding attributes excepting for graphical attributes to these data. SOLUTION: The mechanical data fetched corresponding to the mechanical data fetching instruction of operator are transformed into data format for substrate designing device by a mechanical data transforming part 3 and stored in a mechanical data storage part 56 as graphic data having linear, circular, arcuate and rectangular graphical attributes, etc. When an outline data processing part 1 is activated, for example, a mechanical data processing part 13 successively checks whether the closed graphic is designated or not and whether the plural closed graphics are designated or not and judges whether it is suitable to circulate the designated graphic data or not. When it is suitable, an arranging/wiring area is prepared by an area processing part 12, the attribute of outline is added to these data, and these data are stored in an outline data storage part 4 as outline data.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a board designing apparatus and method for designing a circuit board using a computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, computer-aided design, that is, CAD (Computer A), has been used to design a circuit board.
ided Design) is often used. In this board design, its size and shape are often determined by the housing that houses the board. Further, this housing uses CAD for drawing, commonly called "mechanical CAD", and the outer shape of the substrate is often designed by mechanical CAD.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a conventional board designing apparatus using mechanical data. In FIG. 4, this apparatus includes an outer shape data processing unit 51 having an input data processing unit 511 and an area processing unit 512, a cutout data processing unit 52 having an input data processing unit 521 and a prohibited area processing unit 522, and a mechanical data processing unit 52. Data conversion unit 53, outer shape data storage unit 54, cutout data storage unit 55, mechanical data storage unit 56, graphic display 57, mouse 5
8, a keyboard 59, a data output unit 60 and the like. Here, the "outer shape data" is data for expressing the outer shape of the board, and the "folded-out data" is a groove such as V or a perforation on the board, and the board is easily broken by hand or the like. This is the data for doing so.

In this device, design instructions are input from a keyboard 59 or a mouse 58, and work is exchanged in such a manner as to interact with the front graphic display 57. Next, the flow of this data will be described. First, when an operator gives an instruction to import mechanical data, the mechanical data conversion unit 53 converts the data into a data format for a board design device, and the converted data is stored in a mechanical data storage unit 56 in a straight line, a circle, an arc, a rectangle, or the like. It is stored as graphic data having the graphic attribute of. Although this stored data can be displayed on the graphic display 57, it has attributes such as an outline, a cutout, a layout / wiring area, a layout / wiring prohibited area, etc. necessary for board design. Not available, so not available. Therefore, in order to design the same substrate as that designed by mechanical CAD, first output the drawing that is the base of the substrate, and while watching it, mouse 58 on the graphic display 57.
Alternatively, the keyboard 59 is used to create the outer shape data and the cutout data of the board in the form of straight lines, circles, arcs, rectangles, and the like. Then, in the case of creating the outer shape data, the input data processing unit 511 expands the coordinates of the figure, and the area processing unit 512 creates a layout / wiring area and stores it in the outer shape data storage unit 54 as the outer shape data. In the case of creating the notch data, the input data processing unit 521 expands the coordinates of this figure, and the prohibited area processing unit 522 arranges the data.
A wiring prohibited area is created and stored in the notch data storage unit 55 as the notch data.

[0005]

However, the above-described conventional board designing apparatus does not have any attributes necessary for board designing, such as an outer shape other than a figure, a notch, a layout / wiring area, a layout / wiring prohibited area. The mechanical data could not be used. Therefore, no matter how much time is spent for creating mechanical data, the conventional board designing apparatus needs to create data while looking at the drawing again, which causes a problem of poor design efficiency.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and the purpose thereof is to improve the design efficiency by eliminating the data preparation work from the beginning by providing the function of utilizing the mechanical data. A substrate designing apparatus and method are provided.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a device for designing a circuit board using a computer, in which mechanical data having no attribute other than the graphic attribute is fetched and then the graphic attribute is added to the data. A means for adding attributes other than is provided. Further, it is more preferable to provide means for judging whether or not the attributes other than the graphic added to the captured mechanical data are appropriate.

According to this, by adding an attribute other than the graphic attribute to the fetched data, the data can be reused in the board design apparatus, and it is not necessary to create the data from scratch, thus improving the design efficiency. be able to. Further, in the case where a means for determining whether the attribute other than the graphic added to the captured mechanical data is appropriate, more appropriate diversion can be achieved.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a board designing apparatus according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, this apparatus includes an input data processing unit 11 and an area processing unit 12.
And an outer shape data processing unit 1 having a mechanical data processing unit 13.
And a folded data processing unit 2 having an input data processing unit 21, a prohibited area processing unit 22 and a mechanical data processing unit 23.
And a mechanical data conversion unit 3, an outer shape data storage unit 4, a cutout data storage unit 5, a mechanical data storage unit 6, a graphic display 7, a mouse 8, a keyboard 9, a data output unit 10, and the like. Here, the "outer shape data" is data for expressing the outer shape of the substrate, and the "folding-out data" is a groove such as V or perforation on the substrate, and the substrate is easily folded by hand or the like. This is the data to be deleted, and is the same as the case of the conventional device described in FIG.

Also in the case of this device, design instructions are input from the keyboard 9 and the mouse 8 and work is exchanged in such a manner as to interact with the front graphic display 7. 2 and 3 show the flow of data in the board design apparatus shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is an overall flow chart thereof, and FIG. 3 is a flow chart of processing A in FIG. Therefore, next, the control procedure in the board designing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 will be described with reference to the flows of FIGS.

First, when the operator gives an instruction to import mechanical data, the operation is started (START), and the import of mechanical data is started (step S1). The mechanical data fetched here is converted into a data format for the board design device by the mechanical data conversion unit 3, and the converted data is stored in the mechanical data storage unit 56 as graphic attributes such as straight lines, circles, arcs, and rectangles. It is stored as possessed graphic data (step S2). Next, the outer shape data creating function (outer shape data processing unit 1) or the cutout data creating function (breakout data processing unit 2) is activated (step S3). Further, the mechanical data diversion function (mechanical data processing unit 13 or 23) is activated (step S4), and the stored mechanical data is displayed on the graphics display 7. continue,
A figure to be used as outer shape data or cutout data is designated from the displayed ones with the mouse 8 (step S5).

If the outer shape data creating function is activated (step S61), the mechanical data processing unit 13 is started.
Then, isn't an unclosed figure specified (step S
62), it is sequentially checked whether or not a plurality of closed figures are designated (step S63), and it is judged whether the designated figure data is appropriate to be used. Then, if appropriate, the area processing unit 12 creates a layout / wiring area, and adds an attribute of outline to these data (step S
7), and stored as outer shape data in the outer shape data storage unit 4 (step S8). On the other hand, if the designated figure data is inappropriate for diversion, the designation itself is invalidated.

On the other hand, when the notch data creating function is activated (step S64), the mechanical data processing unit 2
Whether a figure that does not fit in the outer shape in 3 is specified (step S65), a closed figure is specified (step S66), or a curve is not specified (step S67).
Are sequentially checked, and it is judged whether or not the designated graphic data is appropriate to be used. Then, if appropriate, the prohibited area processing unit 22 creates a layout / wiring prohibited area, adds an attribute of creases to these data (step S7), and stores them in the crease data storage unit 5 as crease data. . On the other hand, if the designated figure data is inappropriate for diversion, the designation itself is invalidated.

Therefore, it is possible to divert the mechanical data by repeating the above steps S5 to S8 when the outer shape data creating function is activated and when the notch data creating function is activated.
There is no need to create data from scratch in the board design device.

[0015]

As described above, according to the present invention,
By adding an attribute other than the graphic attribute to the captured mechanical data, it can be reused by the board design apparatus, and the design efficiency can be improved because it is not necessary to create the data from scratch. Further, in the case where the means for determining whether the attribute other than the graphic added to the captured mechanical data is appropriate, more appropriate diversion becomes possible, and the design efficiency and the design accuracy can be further improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration block diagram showing an example of one embodiment of a board designing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a data flow in the device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of processing A in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a conventional device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 External Data Processing Unit 2 Folded Data Processing Unit 3 Mechanical Data Conversion Unit 4 External Data Storage Unit 5 Folded Data Storage Unit 6 Mechanical Data Storage Unit 7 Graphic Display 8 Mouse 9 Keyboard 10 Data Output Unit

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A circuit board designing device using a computer, further comprising means for taking in mechanical data having no attributes other than graphic attributes and then adding attributes other than the graphic attributes to the data. Board design equipment. 2. A device for designing a circuit board using a computer, which fetches mechanical data having no attributes other than graphic attributes and then adds attributes other than the graphic attributes to the mechanical data, and the added attributes. A board designing device comprising: a means for determining whether or not is appropriate. 3. A means for processing the mechanical data by dividing it into outer shape data for expressing an outer shape of the substrate and notch data having grooves or perforations. The board design apparatus described in 1. 4. A circuit board designing method using a computer, wherein after fetching mechanical data having no attributes other than graphic attributes, the mechanical data has attributes other than graphic attributes that can be used by a board design device. A board designing method characterized in that a board is added and stored. 5. In a circuit board designing method using a computer, after capturing mechanical data having no attributes other than graphic attributes, the data is provided with attributes other than graphic attributes that can be used by the board design apparatus. A board designing method characterized in that it is added while judging whether or not an attribute to be added is appropriate. 6. The processing according to claim 5, wherein the processing of the mechanical data is divided into external shape data for expressing the external shape of the substrate and cutout data having grooves or perforations. The described board design method.