Patent ID: 8683422

Claim:
An apparatus for supporting design of a print circuit board, comprising: an obtaining section, configured to obtain layout information indicating a layout of circuits on the print circuit board; a specifying section, configured to specify a connection portion, which electrically connects a ground pattern of the print circuit board and an external ground of the print circuit board, with reference to the layout information; an identifying section, configured to identify a pin, which is included in a connector laid out on the print circuit board, and is connected to the ground pattern, with reference to the layout information; and a first determiner, configured to determine a discharge route between the pin and the connection portion, wherein the specifying section comprises: an acquiring unit configured to acquire information indicating a drill hole, information indicating a metal exposure region, and information indicating a specifying range of the connection portion; a determining unit configured to determine whether or not the metal exposure region and the ground pattern overlap each other within the specifying range of the connection portion around the drill hole on the print circuit board; and a setting unit configured to set the drill hole as the connection portion if it is determined that the metal exposure region and the ground pattern do overlap each other, and to set the drill hole as a non-connection portion if it is determined that the metal exposure region and the ground pattern do not overlap each other.