Integrating multiple electronic design applications

• US 20050114865A1
• Filed: 11/08/2004
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Industry Software Limited (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Mentor Graphics Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Petunin, Vladimir V.
• Granted Patent: US 7,590,963 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/310
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/39 Circuit design at the physical level physical level design for reconfigurable circuits G06F30/347

Abstract

Multiple printed circuit board (PCB) application programs simultaneously execute on a computer. Each application stores data regarding a PCB design in a separate database. The databases are based on compatible data models such that each application is able to receive data from other applications and understand what is to be done with that data. When an edit to a PCB design is made by an application, data for the edit is stored in that application'"'"'s database. The data for the edit is also automatically provided, via a message server program, to other PCB applications. Each PCB application then stores that edit data in its own database.

Claims

1. A method for integrating execution of, and data sharing between, a plurality of printed circuit board (PCB) application programs simultaneously executing upon a computer, comprising:

(a) receiving a first input from a user and directed to a first application of the plurality;

(b) generating data regarding a PCB design, said data being generated by the first application in response to the first input;

(c) storing the generated data within a first database associated with the first application;

(d) storing at least a portion of the data generated in step (b) within a second database associated with a second application of the plurality;

(e) receiving a second input from the user and directed to the second application; and

(f) generating additional data regarding the PCB design, said additional data being generated with the second application in response to the second input and using at least a portion of the data stored in step (d), and wherein;

step (d) occurs without manual user invocation of a separate command to import data from the first database to the second database.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(g) storing at least a portion of the data generated in step (b) within a third database associated with a third application of the plurality;

(h) receiving a third input from the user and directed to the third application; and

(i) generating further data regarding the PCB design, said further data being generated with the third application in response to the third input and using at least a portion of the data stored in step (g), and wherein;

step (g) occurs without manual user invocation of a separate command to import data from the first database to the third database.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

(j) storing at least a portion of the data generated in step (i) within the first and second databases;

(k) generating subsequent data regarding the PCB design with the first application using at least a portion of the data stored in step (j) within the first database; and

(l) generating more data regarding the PCB design with the second application using at least a portion of the data stored in step (j) within the second database.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the data stored in step (d) includes first and second data elements,

the data stored in step (g) also includes the first and second data elements,

the first data element is at least a part of the data used in step (f),

the second data element is not usable by the second application for generating data regarding the PCB design, and

the second data element is at least a part of the data used in step (i).

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first data element is not usable by the third application when generating data regarding the PCB design.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(g) notifying a message server program of the data generated in step (b); and

(h) receiving notification from the message server of the data generated in step (b).

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second applications comprises a software program for placing components on a PCB design and for routing connections between placed components.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(g) initiating execution on the computer of a third application program which was not executing during performance of steps (a) through (f);

(h) storing at least a portion of the data stored in steps (c) and (d) in a third database associated with the third application;

(i) receiving a third input from the user and directed to the third application; and

(j) generating further data regarding the PCB design, said further data being generated with the third application in response to the third input and using at least a portion of the data stored in step (h), and wherein;

step (h) occurs without manual user invocation of a separate command to import data from the first or second database to the third database.

9. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon data representing sequences of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform steps comprising:

(a) receiving a first input from a user and directed to a first application program, the first application being one of a plurality of printed circuit board (PCB) application programs simultaneously executing upon a computer;

(b) generating data regarding a PCB design, said data being generated by the first application in response to the first input;

(c) storing the generated data within a first database associated with the first application;

(d) storing at least a portion of the data generated in step (b) within a second database associated with a second application of the plurality;

(e) receiving a second input from the user and directed to the second application; and

(f) generating additional data regarding the PCB design, said additional data being generated with the second application in response to the second input and using at least a portion of the data stored in step (d), and wherein;

step (d) occurs without manual user invocation of a separate command to import data from the first database to the second database.

10. The machine-readable medium of claim 9, comprising further instructions for performing steps comprising:

(g) storing at least a portion of the data generated in step (b) within a third database associated with a third application of the plurality;

(h) receiving a third input from the user and directed to the third application; and

(i) generating further data regarding the PCB design, said further data being generated with the third application in response to the third input and using at least a portion of the data stored in step (g), and wherein;

step (g) occurs without manual user invocation of a separate command to import data from the first database to the third database.

11. The machine-readable medium of claim 10, comprising further instructions for performing steps comprising:

(j) storing at least a portion of the data generated in step (i) within the first and second databases;

(k) generating subsequent data regarding the PCB design with the first application using at least a portion of the data stored in step (j) within the first database; and

(l) generating more data regarding the PCB design with the second application using at least a portion of the data stored in step (j) within the second database.

12. The machine-readable medium of claim 10, wherein:

the data stored in step (d) includes first and second data elements,

the data stored in step (g) also includes the first and second data elements,

the first data element is at least a part of the data used in step (f),

the second data element is not usable by the second application for generating data regarding the PCB design, and

the second data element is at least a part of the data used in step (i).

13. The machine-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the first data element is not usable by the third application when generating data regarding the PCB design.

14. The machine-readable medium of claim 9, comprising further instructions for performing steps comprising:

(g) notifying a message server program of the data generated in step (b); and

(h) receiving notification from the message server of the data generated in step (b).

15. The machine-readable medium of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first and second applications comprises a software program for placing components on a PCB design and for routing connections between placed components.

16. The machine-readable medium of claim 9, comprising further instructions for performing steps comprising:

(g) initiating execution on the computer of a third application program which was not executing during performance of steps (a) through (f);

(h) storing at least a portion of the data stored in steps (c) and (d) in a third database associated with the third application;

(i) receiving a third input from the user and directed to the third application; and

(j) generating further data regarding the PCB design, said further data being generated with the third application in response to the third input and using at least a portion of the data stored in step (h), and wherein;

step (h) occurs without manual user invocation of a separate command to import data from the first or second database to the third database.