Patent Publication Number: US-2013254729-A1

Title: Device and method for checking signal transmission lines of pcb layout files

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to printed circuit board (PCB) layout checking devices and methods, and particularly, to a device and a method for checking signal transmission lines of a PCB layout file. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     PCB production processes may include designing a PCB layout, and manufacturing a printed wiring board (i.e., a bare board) according to the PCB layout. 
     Now a PCB may include more than one layer and set up with thousands of signal transmission lines in different layers. During the design process of the PCB, a signal transmission line may be laid under an interference source component (such as magnetic component, crystal oscillator or clock chip), and if a signal transmission line laid under an interference source component in a manufactured PCB, the signal transmission line and the interference source component may interfere with each other. Therefore, it is necessary to incorporate design simulations and checks during the design and layout process of the PCB. With the large number of signal transmission lines distributed on the PCB, manual check operations are not only time-consuming, but also error-prone. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of one embodiment of a device for checking signal transmission lines of a PCB layout file. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of one embodiment of function modules of a checking unit in the device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a flowchart of one embodiment of a method for checking signal transmission lines of a PCB layout file. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The disclosure, including the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements, is illustrated by way of examples and not by way of limitation. 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. 
     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, such as, 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 include 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. 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of one embodiment of a device  10  for checking a PCB layout file. The device  10  includes a processor  11 , a display device  12 , and a storage device  13 . The storage device  13  stores a computer aid design (CAD) software  131 , a printed circuit board PCB layout file  132  and a checking unit  133 . The CAD software  131  reads the PCB layout file  132  and provides a graphic user interface (GUI) for displaying and editing the PCB layout file  132 . The checking unit  133  includes a number of function modules (as shown in  FIG. 2 ). The function modules may include computerized code in the form of one or more programs that are stored in the storage device  13 . The computerized code includes instructions that are executed by the processor  11 , to check if there is any signal transmission line laid under any interference source component in the PCB layout file  132 . The PCB layout file  132  can include one or more files detailing arrangement information of interference source components and signal transmission lines of one or more printed circuit boards. The storage device  13  may be a smart media card, a secure digital card, or a compact flash card. The device  10  may be a personal computer, or a server, for example. 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the function modules of the checking unit  133  in the device  10  of  FIG. 1 . In one embodiment, the checking unit  133  includes an extraction module  1331 , a display control module  1332 , a selection module  1333 , a determination module  1334 , a prompt module  1335 . A detailed description of the modules  1331 - 1335  is illustrated in  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 3  is a flowchart of one embodiment of a method for checking signal transmission lines of the PCB layout file  132  implemented by the device  10 . It is noted that additional steps may be added, others removed, and the ordering of the steps may be changed. 
     In step S 301 , the CAD software  131  reads the PCB layout file  132  from the storage device  13  and provides a GUI to allow a user to edit the PCB layout file  132 . 
     In step S 303 , the extraction module  1331  extracts arrangement information of all the interference source components and signal transmission lines from the PCB layout file  132 . As mentioned above, the PCB layout file  132  includes arrangement information of all the interference source components and signal transmission lines of a PCB, such as the number, names and position data of the interference source components and the signal transmission lines arranged on the PCB. 
     In step S 305 , the display control module  1332  displays a selection interface which lists names of all the interference source components extracted from the PCB layout file in the selection interface and allows a user to make a selection of the interference source components from the selection interface. 
     In step S 307 , the selection module  1333  receives an interference source component selection from the user. In the embodiment, the user can select one interference source component at one time. In other embodiments, the user may select more than one interference source components at one time. 
     In step S 309 , the determination module  1334  checks if there is any signal transmission lines laid under the interference source component selected in step S 307 . If the position data of any signal transmission line overlaps with the position data of the selected interference source component, the signal transmission line is determined to be laid under the selected interference source component, and then the procedure goes to step S 311  Otherwise, the procedure goes to step S 307 . 
     In step S 311 , the display control module  1332  displays the arrangement information of the determined signal transmission lines laid under the interference source component selected in step S 307  in the selection interface. The arrangement information includes names and position data of the signal information lines. 
     In step S 313 , the prompt module  1335  marks the signal transmission lines and the interference source component selected in step S 307  in the GUI that displays the PCB layout file  132 . For example, the prompt module  1335  may highlight the interference source component and the signal transmission line in the PCB layout file  132 . 
     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.