Abstract:
In a method and system for automatically generating a circuit diagram for a wiring design of a circuit board, a preset output format of wiring attributes of the wiring design for the circuit board is received. A board file is created. Initial parameters of the wiring design for the circuit board are preset. The wiring attributes of the wiring design are determined by simulating and analyzing the wiring design, and be backed up into a document. The wiring attributes are imported into the board file according to the preset output format. A circuit diagram is generated according to the wiring design and the initial parameters, and is adjusted using the wiring attributes in the board file.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to systems and methods for circuit board design, and more particularly to a system and a method for automatically generating a circuit diagram according to a wiring design of a circuit board. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Designs of an electronic device (e.g., a computer, or a mobile phone) usually include a wiring design for a circuit board of the electronic device, and simulating and analyzing the wiring design, to determine wiring attributes of the wiring design. The wiring attributes of the wiring design include electronic rules (e.g., a max via count on the circuit board) and physical rules (e.g., a net physical type, and a net spacing type). A circuit diagram of the circuit board is designed according to the wiring design. 
         [0005]    Design Entry HDL is a software platform for design of circuit boards of electronic devices provided by CADENCE. However, using the Design Entry HDL, the circuit diagram cannot be automatically adjusted according to the wiring attributes, but needs to be manually adjusted by layout engineers. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a system for automatically generating a circuit diagram according to a wiring design for a circuit board. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of function modules of a circuit diagram generation unit in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is an example of an output format of wiring attributes of a wiring design. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating one embodiment of a method for automatically generating a circuit diagram according to a wiring design for a circuit board. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]    The application is illustrated by way of examples and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one. 
         [0011]    In general, the word “module” as used hereinafter, refers to logic embodied in hardware or firmware, or to a collection of software instructions, written in a programming language, for example, Java, C, or assembly. One or more software instructions in the modules may be embedded in firmware. It will be appreciated that modules may comprised connected logic units, such as gates and flip-flops, and may comprise programmable units, such as programmable gate arrays or processors. The modules described herein may be implemented as either software and/or hardware modules and may be stored in any type of computer-readable medium or other computer storage device. 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a system for automatically generating a circuit diagram according to a wiring design for a circuit board. In some embodiments, the system is a computer  1  that includes a circuit diagram generation unit  10 , a Design entry HDL platform  11 , a storage unit  12 , a processor  13 , and a display device  14 . The circuit diagram generation unit  10  includes a plurality of function modules (see below descriptions referring to  FIG. 2 ), to automatically generate and adjust a circuit diagram according to a wiring design and wiring attributes of the wiring design on the Design entry HDL platform  2 . The function modules of the circuit diagram generation unit  10  may include one or more computerized codes in the form of one or more programs that are stored in the storage unit  12 . The one or more computerized codes include instructions that are executed by the processor  13 , to provide functions for the function modules of the circuit diagram generation unit  10 . 
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating the function modules of the circuit diagram generation unit  10 . In some embodiments, the function modules of the circuit diagram generation unit  10  may include an output format setting module  100 , a board file creation module  101 , an initial parameter setting module  102 , a wiring attribute determination module  103 , a wiring attribute backup module  104 , a wiring attribute import module  105 , a circuit diagram generation module  106 , and a determination module  107 . 
         [0014]    The output format setting module  100  receives a preset output format of wiring attributes of the wiring design for the circuit board. The wiring attributes include electronic rules (e.g., a max via count on the circuit board) and physical rules (e.g., a net physical type, and a net spacing type). In the present embodiment, the preset output format is for the physical rules. One example of the preset output format of the physical rules is shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0015]    The board file creation module  101  creates a board file by designating a file name (e.g., “123.brd”). 
         [0016]    The initial parameter setting module  102  sets initial parameters of the wiring design for the circuit board. In some embodiments, the initial parameters may include stepped construction of the circuit board and a number of power supplies on the circuit board, for example. 
         [0017]    The wiring attribute determination module  103  determines the wiring attributes of the wiring design by simulating and analyzing the wiring design on the Design entry HDL platform  2 . The wiring attributes may include max via count, stub length, a max/min/relative trace length, a phase tolerance, a net physical type, and/or a net spacing type, for example. The net physical type may include a trace width and a routing layer, for example. The net spacing type may include intra-pair spacing, inter-pair spacing, spacing to others, and router layer, for example. 
         [0018]    The wiring attribute backup module  104  backs up the wiring attributes into a document. In some embodiments, the document is a dcf document. It may be appreciated that, the dcf document is a document having a dcf format. 
         [0019]    The wiring attribute import module  105  imports the wiring attributes into the board file according to the preset output format. 
         [0020]    The circuit diagram generation module  106  generates a circuit diagram according to the wiring design and the initial parameters, applies the wiring attributes to the circuit diagram using the board file, and displays the circuit diagram on the display device  14  of the computer  1 . 
         [0021]    The determination module  107  determines if there are any mistakes of the wiring attributes applied to the circuit diagram, obtains the dcf document and fetches the wiring attributes from the dcf document if there are any mistakes of the wiring attributes applied to the circuit diagram, to import the new fetched wiring attributes into the board file and newly generate a circuit diagram. 
         [0022]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart illustrating one embodiment of a method for automatically generating a circuit diagram according to a wiring design for a circuit board. In one embodiment, the method runs on the Design entry HDL platform  2 . 
         [0023]    In block S 10 , the Design Entry HDL platform  2  is opened. 
         [0024]    In block S 11 , the output format setting module  100  receives a preset output format of wiring attributes of the wiring design for the circuit board. The wiring attributes includes electronic rules (e.g., a max via count on the circuit board) and physical rules (e.g., a net physical type, and a net spacing type). In the present embodiment, the preset output format is for the physical rules. One example of the preset output format of the physical rules is shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0025]    In block S 12 , the board file creation module  101  creates a board file by designating a file name (e.g., “123.brd”). 
         [0026]    In block S 13 , the initial parameter setting module  102  sets initial parameters of the wiring design for the circuit board. In some embodiments, the initial parameters may include stepped construction of the circuit board and a number of power supplies on the circuit board, for example. 
         [0027]    In block S 14 , the wiring attribute determination module  103  determine the wiring attributes of the wiring design by simulating and analyzing the wiring design on the Design entry HDL platform  2 . The wiring attributes may include max via count, stub length, max/min/relative trace length, phase tolerance, a net physical type, and/or a net spacing type, for example. The net physical type may include trace width and routing layer, for example. The net spacing type may include intra-pair spacing, inter-pair spacing, spacing to others, and router layer, for example. 
         [0028]    In block S 15 , the wiring attribute backup module  104  backs up the wiring attributes into a document. In some embodiments, the document is a dcf document. It may be appreciated that, the dcf document is a document having a dcf format. 
         [0029]    In block S 16 , the wiring attribute import module  105  imports the wiring attributes into the board file according to the preset output format. 
         [0030]    In block S 17 , the circuit diagram generation module  106  generates a circuit diagram according to the wiring design and the initial parameters, applies the wiring attributes to the circuit diagram using the board file, and displays the circuit diagram on the display device  14  of the computer  1 . 
         [0031]    In block S 18 , the determination module  107  determines if there are any mistakes of the wiring attributes applied to the circuit diagram. Block S 19  is implemented if there are any mistakes of the wiring attributes applied to the circuit diagram. Otherwise, the flow ends. 
         [0032]    In block S 19 , the determination module  107  obtains the dcf document, and obtains the wiring attributes from the dcf document. After block S 19 , blocks S 16  to S 18  are repeated. 
         [0033]    Although certain inventive embodiments of the present disclosure have been specifically described, the present disclosure is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various changes or modifications may be made to the present disclosure without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.