Patent ID: 8832637

Claim:
A design support apparatus for supporting design of a printed circuit board, comprising: an obtaining section configured to obtain, from a memory, layout information indicating at least locations of components and conductive layers on the printed circuit board, and layouts of conductor patterns on the respective conductive layers and vias which electrically connect between the conductive layers; a first generator configured to generate path information indicating a path of one signal line with reference to the layout information; a detector configured to detect a divide portion where a path of a return current corresponding to a signal current of the signal line is divided with reference to the layout information and the path information; and a second generator configured to generate information indicating a detour path of the return current in a neighborhood of the divide portion based on first and second divide points and first and second divide neighboring points at the divide portion, wherein the first and second divide points are located on an adjacent layer as a conductive layer adjacent to a signal layer as a conductive layer on which the signal line is wired, wherein the first divide neighboring point is located on the signal layer and located in a neighborhood of the first divide point, and the second divide neighboring point is located on the signal layer and located in a neighborhood of the second divide point, and wherein the second generator comprises a first generating section configured to generate a neighboring path which joins between the first and second divide neighboring points along an edge of a constant potential wiring pattern of the signal layer to which a constant potential is applied so as to generate the information indicating the detour path.