Distributed Autorouting of Conductive Paths

• US 20080034342A1
• Filed: 10/10/2007
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Industry Software Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Mentor Graphics Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Smith, Edwin, Starkov, Alexander, Natarajan, Venkat, Petunin, Vladimir, Pfeil, Charles
• Granted Patent: US 7,788,622 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 716/15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/02 CAD in a network environment, e.g. collaborative CAD or distributed simulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/394 Routing G06F30/396 takes precedence

Abstract

A server computer maintains a master database for a PCB design, and a copy of the PCB design is provided to multiple client computers. The server assigns each client a different pair of pins for which a connection must be routed. When a client completes an assigned routing task, it requests that the server update the PCB master design with the route found by the client for its assigned pin pair. After forwarding the request, the client does not update its copy of the PCB design to reflect the found route. Instead, the client returns its copy to the state occupied prior to assignment of the pin pair by the server. Upon receiving notification that the server incorporated the found route, the client updates its copy of the design to include that route.

Claims

1. A method for routing conductive paths for a printed circuit board (PCB), comprising:

(a) receiving a pin pair assignment, the assignment identifying pins of one or more components of an electronic circuit for which a connecting conductive path is to be routed;

(b) automatically finding a route for a conductive path between the identified pins;

(c) transmitting an edit request, the edit request proposing the found route;

(d) receiving an indication that the proposed route is incorporated into a PCB design; and

(e) updating, subsequent to receipt of the indication, a local copy of the PCB design to include the found route.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(f) receiving, subsequent to receipt of the indication in step (d), a second pin pair assignment identifying pins of one or more components of the circuit;

(g) automatically finding a route for a conductive path between the pins of the second pin pair assignment;

(h) transmitting an edit request proposing the route found in step (g);

(i) receiving an indication that the route proposed in step (h) is incorporated into the PCB design; and

(j) updating, subsequent to receipt of the indication in step (i), the local copy of the PCB design to include the route found in step (g).

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(f) receiving, subsequent to receipt of the indication in step (d), a second pin pair assignment identifying pins of one or more components of the circuit;

(g) automatically finding a route for a conductive path between the pins of the second pin pair assignment;

(h) transmitting an edit request proposing the route found in step (g);

(i) receiving an instruction to find another route between the pins of the second pin pair assignment;

(j) automatically finding a second route between the pins of the second pin pair assignment; and

(k) transmitting an edit request proposing the second route.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

step (d) comprises receiving one or more indications that other routes are incorporated into the PCB design, the other routes found by one or more computers other than a computer performing steps (a) through (e), and

step (e) comprises updating the local copy of the PCB design to include the other routes.

5. The method of step 1, further comprising:

(f) receiving, subsequent to receipt of the indication in step (d), a second pin pair assignment identifying pins of one or more components of the circuit;

(g) receiving an indication of a limit upon the number of vias permitted in a conductive path routed between the pins of the second pin pair assignment;

(h) automatically seeking a route for a conductive path between the pins of the second pin pair assignment; and

(i) transmitting an indication of an inability to route a connection between the pins of the second pin pair assignment.

6. 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 pin pair assignment, the assignment identifying pins of one or more components of an electronic circuit for which a connecting conductive path is to be routed;

(b) automatically finding a route for a conductive path between the identified pins;

(c) transmitting an edit request, the edit request proposing the found route;

(d) receiving an indication that the proposed route is incorporated into a PCB design; and

(e) updating, subsequent to receipt of the indication, a local copy of the PCB design to include the found route.

7. The machine-readable medium of claim 6, comprising further instructions for performing steps comprising:

(f) receiving, subsequent to receipt of the indication in step (d), a second pin pair assignment identifying pins of one or more components of the circuit;

(g) automatically finding a route for a conductive path between the pins of the second pin pair assignment;

(h) transmitting an edit request proposing the route found in step (g);

(i) receiving an indication that the route proposed in step (h) is incorporated into the PCB design; and

(j) updating, subsequent to receipt of the indication in step (i), the local copy of the PCB design to include the route found in step (g).

8. The machine-readable medium of claim 6, comprising further instructions for performing steps comprising:

(f) receiving, subsequent to receipt of the indication in step (d), a second pin pair assignment identifying pins of one or more components of the circuit;

(g) automatically finding a route for a conductive path between the pins of the second pin pair assignment;

(h) transmitting an edit request proposing the route found in step (g);

(i) receiving an instruction to find another route between the pins of the second pin pair assignment;

(j) automatically finding a second route between the pins of the second pin pair assignment; and

(k) transmitting an edit request proposing the second route.

9. The machine-readable medium of claim 6, wherein:

step (d) comprises receiving one or more indications that other routes are incorporated into the PCB design, the other routes found by one or more computers other than a computer performing steps (a) through (e), and

step (e) comprises updating the local copy of the PCB design to include the other routes.

10. The machine-readable medium of claim 6, comprising further instructions for performing steps comprising:

(f) receiving, subsequent to receipt of the indication in step (d), a second pin pair assignment identifying pins of one or more components of the circuit;

(g) receiving an indication of a limit upon the number of vias permitted in a conductive path routed between the pins of the second pin pair assignment;

(h) automatically seeking a route for a conductive path between the pins of the second pin pair assignment; and

(i) transmitting an indication of an inability to route a connection between the pins of the second pin pair assignment.