JPH10124544A - Subland generating method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the interval with adjacent data from being hardly kept by generating plural sublands when a subland is generated while there is a tear drop formed from plural lines on one land. SOLUTION: The connection to the land is not counted as a line but counted as a group so that the number of connection can be reduced, and the unwanted sublands are decreased so that the interval with adjacent data can be kept. Therefore, this method has a step 1 for extracting data directly touching the land out of data around the land, step 2 for grouping the data extracted in this step 1 at positions on a virtual circumference keeping the fixed distance from the land, step 3 for judging the necessity/unnecessity of the subland from the range on the virtual circumference occupied by the respective groups, and step 4 for calculating the central position of the range (arcuate section) on the virtual circumference occupied by the respective groups and adding the sublands on a line connecting that central position and a land center point when the sublands are required.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for generating sub-brands, and more particularly to a method for generating sub-brands when designing a pattern of a printed wiring board using a CAD / CAM apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional subland generation method, a subland is added to a line connected to a land at a position away from a center point of the land by an offset value. 5A and 5B, reference numeral 20 denotes a land, 19 denotes a line connected to the land 20, and 18 denotes a sub-brand. Here, the offset value is the distance between the land center point and the subland center point. Two methods of generating sub-brands will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 (a) and 7 (b). In FIG. 7, the subland 18 is located between the land 20 and the line 19.
Is generated, an offset circle 24 and line segments 22 and 23 are used as auxiliary lines. The line segment 22 is the core line of the line 19, and the offset circle 24 is a circle whose center is the same as that of the land 20 and whose radius is an offset value.

FIG. 7A shows an example of a land 20 and a line 1.
9 is determined, and a subband is generated at a point separated by an offset value on a line 23 connecting the center point of the land 20 and the intersection, that is, the intersection of the offset circle 24 and the line segment 23.
This is thought to be such that the point of contact of the land with the land is on the centerline of the subland, in the sense that the subland enhances the connection between the land and the line. This position is the position that covers the contact point most in this offset value condition.

Next, a simplified calculation is shown in FIG.
This is an example. The intersection of the offset circle and the line 19 is directly obtained, and a sub-band is generated there. In FIG. 7B,
The point of intersection of the line segment 22 and the offset circle 24 is that point, which requires only one less calculation than the example of FIG. When the line passes through the land center (or is on the passing line), the subland generation positions of both are the same. Also, in the case of a line that does not pass through the center of the land as in the example of FIG. 7, it is clear from the figure that the generation position is different but the function of the sub-brand is sufficient.

In the case where the line connected to the land is a single line, there is no problem with the conventional method. However, the connection between the land and the line is indicated by the hatched portion 2 in FIGS. 8 (a) and 8 (b).
When data called teardrop as shown in FIG. 5 is added, if sub-brands are generated by the method of FIG. 5 for all the lines connected to the land, a plurality of sub-brands are generated as in the example of FIG. You. Teardrop, Figure 6
8 (a), a line formed from a plurality of points as shown in FIG. 8 (a), or a line formed as shown in FIG. 8 (b). It is formed by a circular arc line of a book. A CAD system that forms a teardrop with such a bundle of lines is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-330569.

In the conventional subbrand generation method, no consideration has been given to the case where such teardrop is added.

[0007]

The first problem is that FIG.
When there are a plurality of sub-brands, it is difficult for sub-brands located outside to maintain a gap with adjacent data.

[0008] The reason is that, even though only one sub-band may be provided at the connection reinforcing portion, sub-brand occurs for all of the plurality of lines at the connection reinforcing portion. Subbrands that are not really needed can only be removed manually if the gap cannot be maintained.

An object of the present invention is to suppress the increase in unnecessary subbrand data by automatically generating only necessary subbrands when a plurality of lands and a plurality of lines connecting to the lands exist. An object of the present invention is to reduce defects such as a small gap.

[0010]

The subland generation method of the present invention divides data connected to lands into groups,
Generate no more than one subbrand per group.
More specifically, a step of extracting data directly connected to the land from data around the land (2 in FIG. 1).
And the step of grouping the extracted data by the position on the virtual circle that keeps a fixed distance from the land (3 in FIG. 1), and the necessity / unnecessity of subbrand depending on the range of each group on the virtual circle. (4 in FIG. 1) and, if sub-band is required, calculate the center position of the range (arc portion) occupied on the virtual circumference of each group and connect the center position to the land center point. Adding a sub-brand on the line (5 in FIG. 1).

Another feature is that a plurality of different standards are prepared, and if the minimum gap cannot be satisfied under the first condition, the sub-brand is re-assigned under a new condition. Specifically, a step (14 in FIG. 2) of determining whether the added sub-brand satisfies the minimum gap value, and if the minimum gap cannot be satisfied, the sub-brand is discarded and a new sub-brand is set based on different criteria. To add back (17 in FIG. 2)
And

According to the present invention, data connected to lands is extracted and grouped by position on the offset circle. Then, a subbrand is generated for each relationship between the land and the group. As a result, the number of locations where sub-bands are generated can be reduced, thereby reducing the cause of the small gap. In addition, since the sub-band can be generated at a more central position of the connection, it is possible to reduce the protrusion of the sub-band from the teardrop, and it is possible to make the gap small.

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Referring to FIG. 1, the present invention has the following steps 1 to 7:

Step 1 is a means for acquiring information necessary for generating a sub-brand. Here, the necessary information indicates the size of the sub-band corresponding to each land, an offset value for specifying the generation position of the sub-band, and the like.

The next step 2 is a means for extracting data directly connected to the land from among the data around the land to be processed for the occurrence of the sub-brand. The periphery of the land is a region centered on the land and including a subband in consideration of the offset value. Regardless of the shape of the land, the area is preferably circular or square.

The next step 3 is to set a virtual circle around the land based on the subland occurrence condition, and to group the data connected to the land according to the relationship between the data connected to the land and the virtual circle. It is. For example,
Data that touches on the virtual circumference is determined to belong to the same group. Each group has an occupied area on the virtual circle.

In the next step 4, an occupied area on the virtual circumference is determined for each group, and it is determined whether sub-brand is required. It is judged necessary when the occupied area is smaller than the diameter of the subland.

The next step 5 is a means for calculating a subbrand occurrence point when a subbrand is required. The sub-brand occurrence point is determined by the occupied area of the group that requires the sub-brand and the sub-brand generation condition acquired in step 1.

In the next step 6, it is determined whether or not the subbrand generation process has been completed. The last step 7 is a means for acquiring a new land in the case where a land on which a sub-brand is to be generated remains.

Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. First step 1
In, substandard occurrence criteria are obtained. At this time, the size of the generated sub-brand and the offset value indicating the distance from the land are determined. These values are stored in a storage area (memory or disk) on the computer by giving a variable name, for example.

Next, in step 2, data around the land on which the sub-brand is to be generated is extracted. First,
Identify the range from which you want to extract data. This range is defined as a trajectory when the subland moves on a circumference having a radius centered on the land and an offset value (center distance between the land and the subland), or a rectangle including the trajectory (in this case,
Square). After determining the range, the data included in the range and the data in contact with the range are extracted. The actual calculation approximates the occupied area of the data as a rectangular area, and determines whether the rectangular area is included in the range in which data is extracted or interferes by comparing the X and Y coordinate values.

The extracted data is clearly distinguished depending on whether the data touches the land or not. Actually, a bit area for use in the subbrand generation processing is provided in advance for all data, and different bits are set in the bit area of the extracted data depending on the presence or absence of contact with a land. Thereby, data connected to the land can be stored.

The condition of contact with the land includes not only contact with the land directly but also contact with data that is in direct contact with the land. However, data serving as a bypass for contact with the land must be within the data extraction range. As a result, only data that contacts the land is extracted.

Next, in step 3, the extracted data is grouped. Here, the group is considered as a unit of contact with the land. For example, when a plurality of lines are connected to a land side by side, a group in which the plurality of lines have a connection other than the connection via the land is set as a group. However, unless they are perfectly parallel, the connection between the lines will vary from place to place. Therefore, the location where the connection between lines is determined is set on the virtual circle where the radius is the sum of the offset value and the radius of the subland centering on the land center point. The intersecting range between the data extracted in step 2 and this virtual circumference is clarified on the virtual circumference. 1
The intersection range occupying the virtual circumference of the two data is represented by an arc. After obtaining all the intersection ranges, the intersection ranges are put together by combining arcs sharing the ranges. The intersecting range thus grouped forms one group.

Next, in step 4, the necessity of sub-brand is determined. Normally, the teardrop gets thicker as it gets closer to the land. Due to this fact and the intersection range obtained in step 3 is on the virtual circumference, when the intersection range is larger than the diameter of the sub-band, the sub-band becomes unnecessary. The virtual circumference is a trajectory when the sub-brand moves on the offset circle, and indicates the maximum area affected by the sub-brand. In other words, if a connection has already been made larger than the diameter of the sub-band on the virtual circumference, even if the sub-band is generated, it will be completely buried in the teardrop and will not make sense. Here, if sub-brand is required, the process proceeds to the next step 5, and if not, the process proceeds to step 6.

Next, in step 5, a sub-brand is generated. The occurrence position is a point on the line connecting the center of the group, that is, the center of the intersection range on the virtual circumference and the center of the land, which is offset from the land center point by an offset value. The coordinates of this point are registered on the data as the sub-brand occurrence position.

Next, in step 6, it is determined whether there is any other land to be subjected to the subland generation process. For example, the information of the target land is listed first, and it is checked whether all the information has been processed. If there is an unprocessed land, the process proceeds to step 7. If not, the generation of sub-brand ends.

As described above, a sub-land can be generated for a land where a teardrop exists without generating unnecessary sub-brands.

[0029]

Embodiment 1 Next, a drawing and FIG.
This will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First select the land that will generate the subbrand. At this time, it is assumed that all data are given a form called a structure having a certain size and are stored in a storage area (memory or magnetic disk) on the computer. The target lands are arranged in an array. Alternatively, each structure is linked in advance. In each case, the structures of the lands are arranged like a rosary to make it easier to process in order.

In step 1, data serving as a substandard occurrence reference is obtained. The sub-brand is required at the time of manufacturing a printed wiring board, and its generation standard differs depending on the product. Therefore, if a sub-band occurs, an offset value for determining the size of the sub-band or the sub-band generation point may be input, or a land and a hole diameter on the land (a diameter of what is generally called a through hole). May be automatically derived by These values are
A variable name is given to a storage area and stored, since it is required when calculating the subbrand occurrence point in step 5.

In step 2, data directly connected to the land is extracted. In FIG. 3A, a line 19 and a line 21 around the land 20 are to be extracted. The wavy arc 24 is an imaginary circle with the center of the land as the center point, the radius of which is the offset value and the radius of the subland. The extraction range may be inside the virtual circle 24, but here, the smallest rectangle that can include the virtual circle (that is, in this example,
Square 27) is the range. By making the extraction range rectangular, calculations for extracting data can be simplified. In the case of a circle, it is necessary to calculate an intersection with each peripheral data. In the case of a rectangle, it can be determined by comparing coordinate values whether an area occupied by each data interferes with the rectangular area.

Next, the presence / absence of contact with the land is examined for the line data extracted here. In order to check the contact, the intersection of the land arc and the line is calculated. For line data having an intersection directly with the arc of a land, a flag for specifying that the line is in contact with the land is attached to a structure arranged on a storage area on a computer indicating the line. (Hereinafter, it is referred to as adding a contact flag. Similarly, in the case where it is specified that no contact is made with the land, a non-contact flag is added.) In the example of FIG.
Since all the extracted lines are in direct contact with the lands, a contact flag is unconditionally added.

An example of a line that does not directly contact the land but contacts the land within the extraction range will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 4, a line 19 is a line that does not directly contact the land. In this case, a non-contact flag is added to the line 19. After all of the extracted data has been determined, the data with the non-contact flag
The contacting data is checked to see if a contact flag has been added to the data. In FIG. 4, a line 21 is found by searching for data that contacts the line 19 to which the non-contact flag is added. The line 21 has a contact flag because it is in contact with the land. At this time, the non-contact flag on line 19 is discarded, and a new contact flag is added.
A contact / non-contact flag is added to all the extracted data in this way, and only data having a contact flag is extracted.

In step 3, a virtual circle is set, and data having a contact flag is grouped. 24 in FIG.
Is a virtual circle. Here, an arc at the intersection of the virtual circle 24 and the line 21 to which the contact flag has been added in step 2 is determined. Specifically, an intersection of the virtual circle 24 and the contour of the line 21 is determined, and an arc on the circumference of the virtual circle 24 sandwiched between the intersections is determined. This is performed for all data having a contact flag. However, the line 21 in FIG. 4 is entirely included in the virtual circle and has no intersection. In such a case, this line is unnecessary.

Next, the obtained arcs are summarized. Since all the arcs are located on the same circumference, a part of the arcs overlaps. When the arcs overlap, the end points of the arcs are replaced with the directions in which the arcs spread, respectively, to form one arc. In this way, the dense arc becomes one large arc. In the example of FIG. 3, one large arc is finally obtained. This is a group. If lines are connected to lands from multiple directions, they are grouped together.

In step 4, it is checked whether or not the length of the chord of the grouped arc (26 in FIG. 3A) is larger than the diameter of the subland. If it is larger, it means that it already has a contact area larger than the subland diameter on the imaginary circumference, so the subbrand is unnecessary.

In step 5, as shown in FIG. 3B, the sub-brand 18 is drawn on a line connecting the center of the group and the center of the land.
Generate. That is, the center position of the arc is calculated, a straight line passing through that point and the land center is obtained, and a point on the straight line that is separated from the land center by an offset value is set as a coordinate value for generating a subband.

In step 6, it is determined whether or not the processing has been completed for all the target lands. For example, it is determined whether the end of the array of the target land has been reached or the end of the chain has been reached. If it is the last, the process ends.

In step 7, if there is an unprocessed land, the next land is acquired. After getting land,
Return to step 2.

As described above, even when a plurality of lines such as teardrops are connected to a land, it is possible to generate the minimum necessary sub-brand without generating unnecessary sub-brands.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Referring to FIG. 2, another embodiment of the present invention has the following 8 to 17 steps.

Step 8 is a means for acquiring information necessary for generating a sub-brand. Here, the necessary information indicates the size of the sub-band corresponding to each land, an offset value for specifying the sub-band generation position, the minimum gap value after the sub-band generation, and the like.

The next step 9 is a means for extracting data around the land to be processed for the occurrence of the sub-brand. The periphery of the land is a region centered on the land and including a subband in consideration of the offset value.
Regardless of the shape of the land, the area is preferably circular or square. The next step 10 is a means for distinguishing the extracted data with the land. Clarify what connects to the land and what does not.

The next step 11 is to set a virtual circle derived from subland occurrence conditions around the land, and to group the data connected to the land according to the relationship between the data connected to the land and the virtual circle. It is. For example, data that touches on the virtual circumference is determined to belong to the same group. Each group has an occupied area on the virtual circle.

In the next step 12, an occupied area on the virtual circumference is determined for each group, and it is determined whether sub-brand is necessary. It is judged necessary when the occupied area is smaller than the diameter of the subland.

The next step 13 is a means for calculating a subbrand occurrence point when a subbrand is required. The sub-brand occurrence point is determined by the occupied area of the group requiring the sub-brand and the sub-brand generation condition acquired in step 8.

In the next step 14, it is determined whether or not the generated subband satisfies the minimum gap value. In the range where the radius of the subland is the sum of the minimum gap value and the radius of the subland, it is checked whether the data is close to or in contact with data other than the data that is distinguished when connected to the land in step 10. If there is proximity or contact, step 1
At 7, the sub-brand is changed and the process returns to step 13.
The content of the change is the size (sub-brand diameter) of the sub-brand and the offset value.

In the next step 15, it is determined whether or not the sub-brand generation process has been completed. The last step 16 is a means for acquiring a new land when a land for which a sub-brand is to be generated remains.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described in detail with reference to FIG. First, in step 8, a subbrand occurrence criterion is obtained. At this time, the size of the generated sub-band, the offset value indicating the distance from the land, and the minimum gap value that the sub-band after the sub-band has to maintain with the surrounding data are determined. These values are stored in a storage area (memory or disk) on the computer by giving a variable name, for example.

Next, in step 9, data around the land on which the sub-brand is to be generated is extracted. First,
Identify the range from which you want to extract data. This range is defined as a trajectory when the subland moves on a circumference having a radius centered on the land and an offset value (center distance between the land and the subland), or a rectangle including the trajectory (in this case,
Square). After determining the range, the data included in the range and the data in contact with the range are extracted. The actual calculation approximates the occupied area of the data as a rectangular area, and determines whether the rectangular area is included in the range in which data is extracted or interferes by comparing the X and Y coordinate values.

Next, in step 10, the data extracted in step 9 is distinguished by the presence or absence of contact with the land. Actually, a bit area for use in the subbrand generation processing is provided in advance for all data, and different bits are set in the bit area of the extracted data depending on the presence or absence of contact with a land. This makes it possible to distinguish between data connected to the land and data not connected to the land. The condition of contact with the land includes not only contact with the land directly, but also contact with data that is in direct contact with the land. However, data serving as a bypass for contact with the land must be within the data extraction range.

Next, in step 11, the data that comes into contact with the lands among the extracted data is grouped. Here, the group is considered as a unit of contact with the land. For example, when a plurality of lines are connected to a land side by side, a group in which the plurality of lines have a connection other than the connection via the land is set as a group. However,
Unless they are perfectly parallel, the connections between the lines will vary from place to place. Therefore, the location where the connection between lines is determined is set on the virtual circle where the radius is the sum of the offset value and the radius of the subland centering on the land center point. In step 11, an intersecting range between the data that is distinguished from the contact with the land and the virtual circumference is clarified on the virtual circumference. The intersection range of one piece of data on the virtual circle is represented by an arc. After obtaining all the intersection ranges, the intersection ranges are put together by combining arcs sharing the ranges. The intersecting range thus grouped forms one group.

Next, in step 12, the necessity of the sub-brand is determined. Normally, the teardrop gets thicker as it gets closer to the land. Due to this fact and the intersection range obtained in step 11 is on the virtual circumference, the subrange is unnecessary when the intersection range is larger than the diameter of the subland. The virtual circumference is a trajectory when the sub-brand moves on the offset circle, and indicates the maximum area affected by the sub-brand. In other words, if a connection has already been made larger than the diameter of the sub-band on the virtual circumference, even if the sub-band is generated, it will be completely buried in the teardrop and will not make sense. Here, if a sub-brand is required, the process proceeds to the next step 13, and if not, the process proceeds to a step 15.

Next, in step 13, a sub-brand is generated. The occurrence position is a point on the line connecting the center of the group, that is, the center of the intersection range on the virtual circumference and the center of the land, which is offset from the land center point by an offset value. The coordinates of this point are registered on the data as the sub-brand occurrence position.

Next, at step 14, it is checked whether or not the generated sub-brand satisfies the given minimum gap value. First, surrounding data is extracted within a range in which the radius is the radius of the subland and the minimum gap value around the subband. The extraction method is the same as in step 9. Next, the relationship between the subbrand and the extracted data is examined. At this time, bits for discrimination in step 10 are used. The data that is discriminated as the data that comes into contact with the land in step 10 is, of course, in a state of being in contact with or in proximity to the sub-brand.
Therefore, even if the data is in the range, data that is distinguished from contact with the land is excluded. If there is data in contact with or in proximity to the sub-brand, the process proceeds to step S17. Here, the term “contact” means a short-circuit (short) due to the sub-band, and the term “close” means a small gap.

In step 17, the sub-brand is changed. Since the change of the sub-brand occurs only when the gap cannot be maintained, a spare sub-brand generation standard is set in advance or determined automatically. Usually, the size of the subland (the subland diameter) is reduced, the offset value is reduced, or both are combined. First, the sub-band (actually the center coordinate value) once generated in step 13 is discarded. Next, the new subbrand standard is given and the process returns to step 13.

Next, in step 15, it is determined whether there is any other land to be subjected to the subland generation process. For example, the information of the target land is listed first, and it is checked whether all the information has been processed. If there is an unprocessed land, the process proceeds to step S16. If not, the generation of sub-brand ends.

As described above, a subland can be generated for a land where a teardrop exists without generating unnecessary subbrands.

[0059]

The first effect is that even when a sub-band is generated in data having a tear drop on a land, a small gap due to the sub-band is unlikely to be generated. The reason is that for one land with teardrop,
This is because only necessary ones are generated without generating a plurality of sub-brands. This will reduce the sub-brand from protruding significantly from the teardrop.

The second effect is that even when a defect such as a small gap occurs after the occurrence of a sub-band, only the defective portion can be corrected. The reason is that each time a sub-brand is generated, processing is performed while checking whether a gap is maintained, and the correction can be made on the spot.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing one embodiment of a subbrand generation method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing another embodiment of the subbrand generation method of the present invention.

FIG. 3A is an explanatory diagram showing a data extraction range around a land. (B) is an explanatory view showing a subbrand occurrence position.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example where there is data that does not directly contact a land.

5A and 5B are explanatory diagrams showing an example of a conventional occurrence of a sub-brand (when a line is a single line), wherein FIG. 5A shows a case where there is one sub-brand, and FIG. 5B shows a case where there are two sub-brands. .

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a conventional example of occurrence of a sub-brand (when there is a teardrop).

7A and 7B are explanatory diagrams of a conventional method of calculating a subband occurrence position, wherein FIG. 7A shows a normal example and FIG. 7B shows a simplified example.

8A and 8B are explanatory diagrams showing types of conventional teardrops, in which FIG. 8A shows an example of branching from a plurality of points, and FIG. 8B shows an example formed by two arc lines.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 processing (acquisition of subbrand occurrence criteria) 2 processing (data extraction around land) 3 processing (setting of virtual circles and grouping of connection data) 4 judgment (whether subbrand is necessary) 5 processing (calculation of subbrand occurrence coordinates) (Calculation) 6 Judgment (whether all lands were processed) 7 Processing (acquiring the next land) 8 Processing (acquisition of sub-brand occurrence criteria) 9 Processing (extracting data around lands) 10 Processing (extracting data with lands 11) Processing (setting of virtual circles and grouping of connection data) 12 Judgment (whether sub-brand is necessary) 13 Processing (calculation of sub-brand occurrence coordinates) 14 Judgment (whether sub-brand satisfies the gap criterion) 15 Judgment (whether all lands were processed) 16 Processing (acquiring the next land) 17 Processing (changing sub-brand standards) 18 Sub-brand 19 Line (run) 20 Land 21 Line connecting to land 22 Auxiliary line for calculation (core line of line) 23 Auxiliary line for calculation 24 Offset circle 25 Teardrop 26 Grouped arc 27 Extraction range rectangle (square )

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A method for generating a sub-brand, comprising: (1) extracting data directly in contact with a land from data around the land; and (2) extracting the data extracted in (1) above. (4) determining the necessity / unnecessity of sub-brand based on the position of each group on the virtual circumference that keeps a certain distance from the land on the virtual circumference; Calculating a center position of a range (arc portion) occupied on the virtual circumference of each group when sub-branding is required, and adding a sub-brand on a line connecting the center position and the land center point. The method of generating sub-brands. 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: after adding the sub-brand, determining whether the added sub-brand satisfies a minimum gap value. If the minimum gap cannot be satisfied, the sub-brand is discarded; 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of re-adding a new sub-brand on the line with a different criterion.