Distributed electronic design automation environment

• US 7,546,571 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2004
• Issued: 06/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Industry Software Limited (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Mentor Graphics Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Mankin, Richard, Tera, Reddy, Potts, Henry
• Primary Examiner(s): ROSSOSHEK, YELENA
• Application Number:
  US10/935,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20060095882A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,735 Days
• Field of Search: 716/1, 716/5, 716/6, 716/11, 716/15, 716/21, 717/103, 715/511, 707/203, 705/34, 703/1, 700/96, 700/110, 365/1
• US Class Current: 716/137
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/02 CAD in a network environment, e.g. collaborative CAD or distributed simulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/30 Circuit design

Abstract

PCB Logical design data is stored in a database according to a connectivity-based data model. Circuit functional blocks, inputs and outputs of functional blocks, and signals are stored as separate data structures. Those structures may be edited by users at separate clients during concurrent editing sessions. Profile data for each of multiple users specifies logical design data elements accessible by, and PCB design software to be provided to, that user. The PCB design software may be plug-ins executable within a web browser at a client, and the client computers may communicate with the database via the Internet. Layout data may also be stored in the database, with elements of the layout data mapped to elements of the logical design data. Constraint data may also be stored in the database, with elements of the constraint data being mapped to elements of the layout data.

Claims

1. A method for editing a printed circuit board (PCB) design, comprising:

storing logical design data for a PCB in a database;

receiving a request from a first of plural users to begin generating a description of an edit pertaining to one or more elements of the logical design data;

prohibiting the first user form proceeding with generating the description of the edit;

notifying the first user that a request for approval is required in order to modify the logical design data;

after said notifying, receiving initiation of an approval request;

in response to initiation of the approval request, permitting the first user to proceed with generating a description of the edit;

sending a message to others of the plural users corresponding to the initiated approval request and indentifying the described edit, wherein

the message is created as the first user generates a description of the edit, and

the message notifies the others of the plural users of an ability to approve the described edit; and

upon receiving approvals from at least two of the plural users receiving the message, automatically updating the database to include the described edit.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a voting threshold, said voting threshold representing a minimum number of the plural users required to approved the described edit, and wherein said step of automatically updating comprises automatically updating the database upon receiving approvals from the minimum number of the plural users.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of receiving the indication of a voting threshold comprises receiving that indication from the first of the plural users.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the message comprises an email sent to each of the plural users.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the email includes a hyperlink to a source of information concerning the described edit.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the source of information includes information concerning multiple requested edits in addition to the described edit.