PCB design method and PCB design interaction system

Abstract

The present application relates to the field of PCB design, in particular to a PCB design method and a PCB design interaction system. The PCB design method is applied to the PCB design interaction system, the system comprising a database; the database stores different types of components and functional attribute data of each component, and further stores module schematic diagrams capable of implementing some specific functions; the database comprises a schematic diagram database storing schematic diagrams and a PCB database applied to PCB design, a logical framework of the schematic diagram database and a logical framework of the PCB database being in a corresponding interconnection relationship. In the method, acquiring a schematic diagram corresponding to a product, and acquiring a module schematic diagram corresponding to the schematic diagram by combining with the database help designers to design a layout of each module on the basis of a layout of the module schematic diagram pre-stored in the database, and adjusting the layout of modules so as to complete an automatic layout of a designed PCB greatly improves the PCB design efficiency of the designers while ensuring product functions.

Description

A PCB design method and a PCB design interactive system

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the Patent Office of China on July 7, 2023, with application number 202310833121.3, and entitled “A PCB design method and a PCB design interactive system”, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to the field of PCB design, and in particular to a PCB design method and a PCB design interactive system. Background Art

[0004] PCB design software is essential for PCB layout engineers. With the increasing popularity of large-scale integrated circuits, the products they design are becoming increasingly complex. From small-scale double-sided PCBs to large, complex boards with more than 10 layers, PCB design software is essential.

[0005] Existing PCB design software can usually provide functions such as schematic design, PCB layout and routing, and simulation. However, it also has some shortcomings. For example, it lacks automated tools and requires manual completion of some repetitive tasks, including routing and assigning component numbers. In addition, its single function cannot achieve high-speed and high-density PCB interconnection design, making it very inconvenient to use. This slows down the progress of electronic R&D and design. It is easy to make mistakes when designing PCB boards using existing software systems, which greatly reduces work efficiency.

[0006] Summary of the Invention

[0007] The implementation method of the present application mainly solves the technical problem that when using existing PCB design software, designers need to manually plan each component to perform PCB layout, which is a huge technical problem.

[0008] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a PCB design method, which is applied to a PCB design interactive system, wherein the system includes a database, which stores components of different models and functional attribute data of each component, and stores module schematics that can realize certain specific functions, including: obtaining a schematic, wherein the schematic includes multiple module schematics divided according to functions; setting a corresponding module layout according to the module schematic; adjusting the module layout based on the PCB version to realize automatic layout of the PCB corresponding to the schematic.

[0009] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application further provides a PCB design interaction system, the system comprising: a database storing components of different models and functional attribute data of each component, and storing module schematics that can realize certain specific functions; a schematic acquisition module for acquiring a schematic, wherein the schematic includes multiple module schematics divided according to functions; a PCB automatic layout module for setting a corresponding module layout according to the module schematic, and also for adjusting the module layout based on the PCB version to realize the automatic layout of the PCB corresponding to the schematic.

[0010] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application further provides an electronic device, comprising: at least one processor, and; a memory communicatively connected to the at least one processor, wherein the memory stores instructions executable by the at least one processor, and the instructions are executed by the at least one processor so that the at least one processor can execute the PCB design method described above.

[0011] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application further provides a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores computer-executable instructions. When the computer-executable instructions are executed by an electronic device, the electronic device executes the PCB design method as described above.

[0012] In a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present application further provides a computer program product, the computer program product comprising a computer program stored on a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium, the computer program comprising program instructions, and when the program instructions are executed by an electronic device, the electronic device executes the PCB design method as described above. 。

[0013] The present application provides a PCB design method and a PCB design interaction system. The PCB design method is applied to the PCB design interaction system, which includes a database storing components of different models and functional attribute data of each component, as well as module schematics that can implement certain specific functions. The database includes a schematic database storing the schematics and a PCB database used for PCB design, and the logical framework of the schematic database and the logical framework of the PCB database are in a corresponding interconnected relationship. The method obtains the schematic corresponding to the product and, in conjunction with the database, obtains the module schematic corresponding to the schematic. Based on the layout of the module schematic pre-stored in the database, the method helps designers design the layout of each module and completes the automatic PCB layout by adjusting the module layout. This method greatly improves the designer's PCB design efficiency while ensuring product functionality. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] One or more embodiments are exemplarily illustrated by pictures in the corresponding drawings. These exemplifications do not constitute limitations on the embodiments. Elements with the same reference numerals in the drawings are represented as similar elements. Unless otherwise stated, the figures in the drawings do not constitute proportional limitations.

[0015] FIG1a and FIG1b are schematic diagrams showing the corresponding relationship between the logical framework of the schematic diagram database and the logical framework of the PCB database provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0016] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of a flow chart of a PCB design method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0017] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of a method for obtaining a schematic diagram according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0018] FIG4 is an example of a requirement selection window for a product design provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0019] FIG5a is an example of a database file provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0020] FIG5 b is an example of a product folder provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0021] FIG6 is an example of an exception handling logic framework diagram provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0022] FIG7 is an example of regional placement of components corresponding to a functional module provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0023] FIG8 is a flow chart of another method for obtaining a schematic diagram provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0024] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of a split logic diagram provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0025] FIG10 is a flow chart of a method for planning a PCB layout according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0026] FIG11 is a schematic diagram of a logical framework of automatic module layout provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0027] FIG12a is an example of a display window of a general module and a special module provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0028] FIG12 b is a window example of a placement model of a universal module provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0029] FIG12c is a window example of a placement model of a special module provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0030] FIG13 is an example of a logic block diagram of automatic PCB layout adjustment provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0031] FIG14a is an example of an interactive window for obtaining signal classification provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0032] Figures 14b to 14d are examples of routing properties corresponding to sensitive signals, power signals, and normal signals, respectively, provided in embodiments of the present application;

[0033] FIG15 is an example of a module automatic routing logic framework diagram provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0034] FIG16a is an example of an automatic routing process interaction window provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0035] FIG16 b is an example of an interactive window for signal classification provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0036] FIG16c is an example of an interactive window for signal type sorting provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0037] FIG16d is an example of an interactive window for automatic routing provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0038] FIG16e is an example of an interactive window for electrical performance inspection provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0039] FIG17 is an example of an interactive window for silk screen settings provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] FIG18 is a schematic structural diagram of a PCB design interaction system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0041] FIG19 is a schematic structural diagram of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] The present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present application and are not intended to limit the present application.

[0043] It should be noted that, if there is no conflict, the various features in the embodiments of the present application can be combined with each other and are all within the scope of protection of the present application. In addition, although the functional modules are divided in the device schematics and the logical order is shown in the flow charts, in some cases, the steps shown or described can be performed in a different order than the module division in the device schematics or the order in the flow charts.

[0044] The terms used in the specification of this application are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not used to limit this application. The term "and / or" used in this specification includes any and all combinations of one or more related listed items.

[0045] PCB design software is essential for PCB layout engineers. To alleviate some of the repetitive manual tasks during the design process and improve the user experience, we attempted to design an interactive system that meets the actual needs of designers. However, we discovered the following technical issues:

[0046] First, let's analyze the schematic design process. When a designer needs to design a PCB product, they need to draw a circuit schematic first. The schematic is the foundation of PCB design. It describes the function and connection method of the entire circuit. The schematic also needs to mark the pins and connection methods of each component to facilitate subsequent PCB layout and wiring.

[0047] Current PCB design software usually allows designers to independently design schematics. However, in actual use, designers are required to manually add various components and circuit connection relationships, mark the pins and connection methods of the components, and finally generate the schematic. Based on this, for some large-scale PCB board designs, designing schematics is a very large workload and the design process is relatively cumbersome.

[0048] To address the above issues, this application creatively proposes a technical solution to design a PCB design interactive system. By designing a database, the functional modularization of schematics is achieved. This helps designers improve the efficiency of schematic design while ensuring product functionality. The details are as follows:

[0049] First, the PCB design interactive system's internal database is prepared. This database stores as many different component models and their functional attribute data as possible, as well as common module schematics that implement specific functions, such as schematics for common power modules. The database includes a schematic database for storing schematics and a PCB database for PCB design. To adapt the database to PCB design, the logical framework of the schematic database and the logical framework of the PCB database are interconnected, as shown in Figures 1a and 1b. This allows the system to quickly locate the corresponding PCB design framework based on the functional module data selected by the designer, and directly access and use it, without requiring the designer to design the schematic from scratch.

[0050] After the designer logs in to the PCB design interactive system, a product design requirement selection window is provided to the designer. The designer can select the product type, function type and module type in the requirement selection window. Selecting one or more function types means selecting the functional effects that the product needs to achieve, and selecting one or more module types means selecting the functional modules that the designed product should include. The selection of function type and module type are both made to obtain the target product and need to correspond to the functions of the target product.

[0051] After receiving the designer's selection result data, the relevant chips, modules and module schematics corresponding to the customer's special needs are extracted from the database based on the selection result data, and then a new PCB project file is created based on these module schematics. According to the circuit connection between the modules, these module schematics are integrated into the schematics corresponding to the product, and the schematics corresponding to the product are imported into the PCB file.

[0052] This embodiment can quickly locate the type, function and functional modules of a product through the above solution. After the designer selects the product type, function type and module type, the system directly retrieves the corresponding module schematic from the database, and then integrates it into the product schematic. After checking that it is correct, it is determined to be the schematic corresponding to the product. This helps the designer design the schematic, and the designer does not need to draw the schematic from scratch, manually add various components and connection relationships, mark the pins and connection methods of the components, etc. Under the premise of ensuring the product function, the designer's schematic design efficiency is greatly improved.

[0053] It should be noted that when designing a product, a designer may need a certain functional module but this functional module is not stored in the database, that is, there is no pre-stored functional module and corresponding schematic diagram. In this case, the designer can set up the schematic diagram of the functional module and upload it to the PCB design interactive system after design. After verification by the back-end staff, the functional module and the corresponding module schematic data can be added to the database, and the database content can be updated and expanded so that subsequent designers with the same needs can directly retrieve the functional module from the database.

[0054] Secondly, the PCB layout process is analyzed. After the schematic design is completed, it needs to be converted into a PCB layout. PCB layout involves placing circuit components on the PCB according to specific rules and layout methods to meet the circuit performance requirements and PCB manufacturing requirements. During PCB layout, factors such as component position, orientation, signal transmission paths, and power lines need to be considered. This process is also a process that requires designers to spend a lot of time and effort.

[0055] It's understandable that once the designer finalizes the schematic, the software can generate the corresponding netlist (also known as a network table) based on the schematic. In the PCB design process, the netlist is the bridge between the electrical schematic and the PCB board. The netlist generally consists of a component table and a connection network table. The component table describes the three major attributes of each component in the schematic, including component number, component package type, and component model. The connection network table contains all the electrical connection networks in the schematic, including network names, node information in the network, network connection descriptions, etc. Subsequent PCB layout or routing processes will be designed based on the information in the schematic and netlist.

[0056] In existing PCB design software, subsequent PCB layout based on the schematic diagram is usually completed manually by the designer. When the PCB board is large, manual PCB layout is also a heavy workload for the designer: the connections on the PCB board can be roughly regarded as connections on a two-dimensional plane. The connection lines between the components to be set on the PCB board must be as non-overlapping and non-crossing as possible. The designer needs to consider the specifications of the PCB board and determine the position of each component on the PCB board. At the same time, the impact of the electrical connection relationship between modules or components on the layout position must be considered. This is a heavy workload for the designer.

[0057] In response to the above technical problems, this embodiment also proposes an improved method, which is as follows:

[0058] After the schematic diagram is imported into the PCB design interactive system, the components contained in the schematic diagram are automatically classified according to their functions, and divided into multiple functional modules according to their functions in the PCB drawing, and the components corresponding to each functional module are placed in a regionalized manner.

[0059] Typically, the functional modules and their connections correspond to the circuit relationships in the schematic diagram, and placing these functional modules on the PCB also requires consideration of circuit wiring. Some designers may not have specific placement habits for chips or modules and will arrange the PCB placement arbitrarily. Others may have their own preferences for the placement of certain chips or modules based on their own habits. For example, they may prefer to place the power module at the edge of the PCB, such as the lower left or lower right corner; or they may prefer to place the control chip in the center of the PCB; or they may have other placement preferences based on personal habits.

[0060] Based on this, according to the circuit connection relationship of the schematic diagram, the present application provides an automatic PCB layout method. Combined with the schematic diagram, after the components corresponding to each functional module are divided according to the function, the components corresponding to each functional module are regionalized and placed, and at least three possible placement example templates are provided for each functional module according to the PCB layout for the designer to choose. The example templates are divided with corresponding input and output ends. The designer can directly select the desired template in the interactive window and retrieve the corresponding model from the database. After determining the placement model of all functional modules, the system automatically displays the layout of each functional module on the PCB display interface according to the circuit connection relationship in the schematic diagram.

[0061] After setting the layout of each functional module, the layout is adjusted according to the PCB layout to obtain a complete PCB layout, so that the PCB layout adapts to the PCB layout required by the current product, and then automatic routing is performed based on the complete PCB layout. Specifically, it is possible to first detect whether there are large gaps or open spaces around each functional module. If not, it means that the arrangement around the functional module is relatively compact and there is no need to readjust the positions of nearby functional modules. If so, it means that there is a large open space around the module, which may result in a waste of PCB board layout space. At this time, the position of each functional module can be appropriately adjusted based on the PCB layout to make the arrangement between the functional modules relatively compact and make the best use of the gaps / open spaces between the functional modules.

[0062] After setting up a complete PCB layout, automatic routing is first performed on each functional module according to the divided functional modules. After the routing of all functional modules is completed, automatic routing is performed on the entire PCB board. The system can automatically obtain the block schematic corresponding to the entire circuit and automatically route the modules or the entire board based on the various signals in the module schematic. This eliminates the need for designers to manually complete various wiring settings in the circuit, saving a considerable amount of time and helping designers improve design efficiency.

[0063] Based on the above-mentioned design concept of this embodiment, this embodiment is further elaborated in combination with specific scenarios.

[0064] FIG2 illustrates a PCB design method provided in an embodiment of the present application. The method is applied to a PCB design interaction system. The system includes a database storing components of different models and functional attribute data of each component, as well as module schematics that implement specific functions. The database includes a schematic database storing schematics and a PCB database used for PCB design. To adapt the database to PCB design, the logical framework of the schematic database and the logical framework of the PCB database are interconnected, as shown in FIG1a and FIG1b. Thus, once one or more functional modules are determined, the PCB design framework corresponding to the schematic of the functional module can be quickly found and directly retrieved for use.

[0065] As shown in FIG2 , the method includes:

[0066] S11. Obtaining a schematic diagram corresponding to the product, wherein the schematic diagram includes multiple module schematic diagrams divided according to functions. In conjunction with Figure 3, obtaining a schematic diagram corresponding to the product includes:

[0067] S111. Provide at least one product type option and at least one functional module option for user selection, and determine the product demand data based on the user's selection result.

[0068] Product requirement data includes product type data and functional requirement data. For example, after a designer logs in to the PCB design interactive system, a product design requirement selection window is presented to the designer, as shown in Figure 4. In this window, the designer can select the product type, function type (illustrated as function selection in the figure), and module type. Taking product type as an example, products can be categorized by different fields, such as aerospace, home appliances, and industrial machinery. They can also be categorized by different types within the same field, such as televisions, refrigerators, and washing machines. They can also be categorized by different application conditions within the same field, such as central air conditioners, cabinet air conditioners, and wall-mounted air conditioners. It is understood that these selection windows can be designed based on specific application scenarios in different situations, and this is not limited here. During the selection process, the user can click the triangle icon to bring up a drop-down menu and select from multiple function examples. They can also search for keywords in the search box on the right to quickly find the target function. For example, if the user selects TV in the product type, the function selection window will include TV-related function types for the user to choose from, such as HDMI, antenna, and USB. If the user selects antenna in the function type, the module type selection window will include multiple antenna types for the user to choose from.

[0069] S113 , extracting relevant chips, modules, and module schematics corresponding to the customer's special requirements from the database based on the product requirement data.

[0070] Furthermore, the database can also be divided into a chip database, which is used to store the functions corresponding to each chip, and the corresponding schematic diagram when the chip implements a certain (or certain) function (including the chip and the peripheral circuits corresponding to the function, such as crystal oscillator, reset, power supply, etc.); a functional module database, which is used to store modules that implement different functions and the corresponding schematic diagrams; and a customer special needs database, which is used to store customer special needs and functional module design examples corresponding to special needs. Among them, the customer special needs database can be updated and expanded according to the product needs of different customers.

[0071] Figures 5a and 5b illustrate an example process for extracting relevant chips, modules, and module schematics corresponding to customer-specific requirements from the database and storing them in corresponding product folders. As shown in Figure 5a, Figure 5a shows an example of a chip database, a functional module database, and a customer-specific requirements database. Assume that the chip database includes schematics (PCB versions) corresponding to three chip modules, named Chip A, Chip B, and Chip C; the customer-specific requirements database includes three customer-specific requirements, named Customer A, Customer B, and Customer C; and the functional module database includes schematics (PCB versions) corresponding to five functional modules, named Function 1 through Function 5. Based on the product requirement data obtained in the above steps, the corresponding files are retrieved. Assuming that the product is an air conditioner, the corresponding PCB design requires schematics corresponding to Chip B, Function 1, Function 3, and Function 4, and that the customer-specific requirements corresponding to Customer B must be met. An example of the integrated product folder is shown in Figure 5b.

[0072] [Corrected 31.07.2024 according to Rule 91] In order to make it easier for users to find files, the product folder can be automatically named by selecting the product type according to the interface shown in Figure 4 and combining it with the suffix of the version number (for example, "_A0"), for example, it is named "Air Conditioning Product_A0" in Figure 5b.

[0073] S115. Create a new PCB project file based on the module schematic, generate a product schematic, and check the circuit in the schematic.

[0074] Import the module schematics into the PCB design software in the system, create a new PCB project file, and synchronize the project file to the product folder. After the software runs, these module schematics are integrated into the corresponding schematic diagram for the product based on the circuit connections between the modules. The circuits in the schematics are checked, including checking the completeness of the line connections and whether there are any duplications in the component number naming. If any problems are found, an error report is output. The error content is obtained and classified based on the error report. The error location in the schematic is then located based on the error content, and corresponding treatment suggestions are given to facilitate the designer to adjust / modify the schematic to obtain the correct schematic.

[0075] Based on the components and circuit connections in the schematic, the PCB interface verifies whether the corresponding PCB footprints of each component are correct, and then imports the components to the PCB (this process can also be called importing the netlist to the PCB). During the process of importing the netlist from the schematic to the PCB, if there is an exception, the execution process is suspended and an exception report is output, listing the exception items and the causes of the exception one by one. The exception handling logic framework diagram is shown in Figure 6. After the exception is detected, an error is reported, the abnormal position is located, and the problem points where the abnormality occurs are summarized. The problem points are sorted and analyzed, the cause of the error is found and the recommended treatment method is found. The problem points are classified according to the error cause, and a processing window pops up so that the user can adjust or modify the schematic according to the treatment suggestions.

[0076] S117: Based on the schematic diagram, the components are classified by function, and divided into multiple functional modules according to function in the PCB drawing. The components corresponding to each functional module are regionalized to determine the module schematic diagram. An example of placement is shown in Figure 7. It should be noted that although the above step S117 is distinguished from step S115, in the actual process, the regionalization of the classified components according to function and the import of the schematic diagram into the netlist can be performed simultaneously.

[0077] In some embodiments, in some cases, the designer may already have a complete schematic diagram and want to design a PCB based on the schematic diagram instead of obtaining the schematic diagram through the above steps S111-S117. In this case, in conjunction with FIG8 , the method for obtaining the schematic diagram may further include:

[0078] S112: Obtain an initial schematic diagram provided by the user. The schematic diagram splitting logic block diagram is shown in FIG9 .

[0079] S114: Summarize the initial schematic diagrams, and classify the information of the summarized initial schematic diagrams.

[0080] It is understandable that the initial schematic provided by the designer may be a complete schematic or a summary of multiple schematics. After obtaining the initial schematic, it is first analyzed. Based on the circuit connection relationship and the marked components, device pins and connection methods in the schematic, the relevant attribute information of each component in the schematic is statistically calculated.

[0081] It is understandable that after summarizing the initial schematic diagram, the circuit in the schematic diagram can also be checked. If an error is reported during the check process, the designer can also modify the schematic diagram based on the error report. This is similar to the process of checking the circuit in the schematic diagram in the above step S115, and will not be repeated here.

[0082] S116 , splitting the initial schematic diagram into functional modules according to the classified information to obtain at least one functional module corresponding to the initial schematic diagram and a module schematic diagram corresponding to the functional module.

[0083] As shown in Figure 9, each component is classified according to chip information, package pin information, network name and other remarks information, and schematic pages of different functional modules are established through the split processing window. The schematic is split according to function through the classification module to obtain multiple functional module schematics, and the components of each functional module are classified accordingly, such as the power module, chip module, terminal functional module and other unknown named modules shown in the figure, and finally a split report is output. Among them, an example of the split report can be found in Figure 9, which divides the components into module one and module two (and possible module three and module four not shown in the figure...) according to function, and correspondingly splits the initial schematic into functional module 1 schematic and functional module 2 schematic (and possible functional module 3 schematic and functional module 4 schematic... not shown in the figure).

[0084] S12. Plan the PCB layout according to the divided functional modules.

[0085] Specifically, with reference to FIG10 , planning the PCB layout according to the divided functional modules includes:

[0086] S121: Set the corresponding module layout according to the module schematic. As shown in FIG8 , based on the package pin information or network name of each component in the schematic and netlist, the components are classified into power components, signal filter components, and signal matching resistor components, and layout condition ranges are set for each component.

[0087] As shown in Figure 11, an example of layout condition range is as follows: for power components, layout condition range 1 can be set. For example, the power pin filter capacitor can be set to be arranged close to the chip and within a distance of 0.8mm-2mm from the chip pin; for signal filter components, layout condition range 2 can be set. For example, the signal filter capacitor can be set to be arranged close to the chip and within a distance of 0.8mm-2mm from the chip pin; for signal matching resistor components, it can be set as follows: under the premise of layout condition range 1 and layout condition range 2, the matching resistor components are arranged according to the principle of proximity based on the remaining space around the chip.

[0088] It can be understood that the above layout condition range example only provides a better component layout setting, and does not limit the arrangement of components to the above layout condition range 1 or layout condition range 2. In some embodiments, the layout of components can be set according to settings different from the above layout condition range.

[0089] Based on this, one or more placement example templates can be displayed for each functional module for the designer to choose from, and the designer can select the desired model for each functional module. In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 12a, 12b, and 12c, the functional modules are specifically divided into general modules and special modules. A window as shown in Figure 12a is displayed. The general modules include functional modules that are relatively common in PCB design and are generally not significantly modified when retrieved and used. As shown in Figure 12b, five placement example models of components corresponding to a functional module are shown in the figure. These models stored in the database are retrieved and displayed in the window for the designer to choose from. Special modules include modules that can be modified by the designer according to customer requirements. As shown in Figure 12c, similarly, several models corresponding to these modules stored in the database are retrieved and displayed in the window for the designer to choose from. If in some cases, the designer is not satisfied with the displayed models, he or she can click the Add button in the figure to set the placement model himself or herself and edit the component arrangement, connection relationship, and input and output terminals of the functional module. Without violating the logic of the basic circuit principle, the designer can adjust the position model corresponding to each component in the functional module.

[0090] In some embodiments, the platform can also offer appropriate reward mechanisms. For example, after a user's uploaded functional module placement template passes review, the user will be awarded a certain number of points as a reward, thereby encouraging their creative confidence. Furthermore, reviewers can authorize the development of approved placement templates into the database, expanding the database content so that designers can directly use the template next time or make it available to other designers for use.

[0091] S122: Adjust the module layout based on the PCB layout to achieve automatic PCB layout corresponding to the schematic diagram. As shown in FIG13 , this can be done by detecting whether there is a large open space around the functional module, that is, whether there is a large area without components. For example, in the example of FIG13 , it is detected whether there is an open space larger than 200 mil*200 mil around the functional module. If not, it indicates that the layout around the functional module is relatively compact, and the current functional module can be skipped to continue detecting the next functional module. If it is, it indicates that there is a large open space around the module, and the positions of the surrounding functional modules can be appropriately moved to make the arrangement between the functional modules relatively compact.

[0092] It should be noted that the setting of 200mil*200mil in the above-mentioned open space detection process is only used as an example value for convenience of explanation, and is not limited to being set according to this numerical example. In actual usage, the range judgment value can be set according to the usage scenario.

[0093] In some embodiments, the position of the functional module or surrounding functional modules can be adjusted by setting a movement rule to obtain an overall circuit layout that fits the PCB version. Among them, the movement rule can be set to: determine a reference point, for example, the center of the lower right corner module or the lower left corner functional module of the PCB board range frame can be used as the reference point, and the functional modules around the functional module are moved as a whole, that is, while keeping the layout of the components in the functional module unchanged, the entire functional module is moved up and down, left and right to the position of the open space, and each functional module near the reference point is moved in sequence from near to far according to this rule. For example, still using the above example numerical values ​​for explanation, assuming that there is an open space range greater than 200mil*200mil around a functional module on the leftmost side of the PCB board range, then, taking the center of the functional module as the reference point, assuming that there are 3 functional modules arranged in sequence on its right, starting from the leftmost functional module among the three functional modules, move to the left (or to the upper left or lower left) in sequence to make use of the open space range.

[0094] It should be noted that, in the embodiment of the present application, the setting method of the movement rule is only an example. Specifically, the arrangement of each functional module can be adjusted based on the PCB layout and product requirements. For example, for some products with small PCB boards and low requirements for circuit accuracy, the arrangement of each functional module can be set to be more compact; for example, for some products with high requirements for circuit accuracy, in order to reduce some electromagnetic interference or noise factors during signal transmission, some space can be appropriately reserved around components, connecting lines or functional modules that may cause influence.

[0095] S13, performing automatic PCB routing based on the PCB layout. After the PCB layout is determined, automatic routing simulation is performed on each functional module until the routing simulation of all functional modules in the schematic diagram is completed. Specifically, performing PCB routing based on the PCB layout includes:

[0096] S131 , performing corresponding module routing according to the module layout.

[0097] When the system determines that the above-mentioned PCB layout process has been completed, the system can present the window shown in Figure 14a to enter the automatic routing simulation process. Specifically, after the designer selects a functional module, the system automatically obtains the module schematic corresponding to the functional module, identifies the network symbols in the module schematic, filters out common signals, power signals, and sensitive signals, and then adjusts the corresponding signal properties and routing requirements respectively. It should be noted that the module schematics stored in the database are already defined schematics. According to the schematics, all signals corresponding to the functional module can be obtained. Here, these signals are summarized and classified to facilitate the subsequent routing simulation design of different constraints for these signals according to different products and signal types.

[0098] In Figure 15, signal classification is obtained based on the module schematic. If the module schematic cannot obtain all corresponding signal classifications, such as due to an incomplete schematic resulting in missing network symbols, or if the designer wants to add additional signals, in Figure 14a, the designer can manually add signal types using the Add button in the diagram window and categorize them as sensitive signals, power signals, or normal signals. As shown in Figure 15, in terms of routing priority, sensitive signals are generally given the first priority, power signals the second priority, and normal signals the last priority. After setting the corresponding constraints, signal routing is performed according to the routing priority.

[0099] Specifically, Figures 14b-14d illustrate examples of selectable signal routing attributes or routing requirements for three signal classification categories. Based on these, designers can set and adjust various attributes, namely, the constraints corresponding to each signal category, including setting the signal's priority routing layer and the number of vias required when switching layers. For example, for sensitive signals, you can set the required distance from specific networks during routing, as well as the distance range from interference sources and interfering signals. For power signals and general signals, you can set the line width and the distance from other network routings.

[0100] It is understandable that the "Net Name, Trace Width, Line Spacing Width, Priority Trace Layer, and Number of Vias" shown in Figures 14b-14d are merely examples of common, general settings. If the designer needs to define additional settings, they can add the properties that need to be adjusted or changed using the Add button. Furthermore, if there are specialized functional modules involving special signals other than the three signal classifications in the examples above, the window shown in Figure 14a can also provide the designer with an Add button to facilitate their own adjustments to the routing of special signals. If the designer is dissatisfied with certain routing results automatically completed by the system, they can also manually optimize the signal routing.

[0101] S132: When the module routing is successful, the entire board performs automatic routing.

[0102] Specifically, after the internal routing of each functional module is simulated, the automatic routing process begins, displaying the window interface shown in Figure 16a, which automatically routes the entire board. First, based on the network names in the schematic diagram, each signal is classified in more detail (different from the classification of sensitive signals, power signals, and normal signals in the above steps). After the designer clicks the net classify button, the window diagram shown in Figure 16b is displayed. Each class represents a signal. For example, class 1 can be an HDMI signal, class 2 can be a USB signal, and so on.

[0103] [Corrected 31 July 2024 in accordance with Rule 91] After completing signal classification, the designer can directly click the Next button on the current interface to proceed to the subsequent signal class sorting process; or click the Exit button to exit the current interface and return to the interface shown in Figure 16a, then click the Priorities button to continue the subsequent signal class sorting process: all signal classes are automatically sorted based on the circuit connections and signal types in the schematic. After the designer clicks the Next button or the Priorities button, the sorting panel diagram shown in Figure 16c is displayed based on the sorting results. The designer can make adjustments to any unsatisfactory sorting, such as manually entering the signal class priority using the Num button.

[0104] [Corrected 31.07.2024 according to Rule 91] After setting the signal sorting, the designer can directly click the next button on the current interface to enter the interface corresponding to the subsequent automatic routing process; or click the exit button to exit the current interface and return to the interface shown in Figure 16a, and then click the auto rout button to continue the subsequent automatic routing process and automatically route each signal class. After the designer clicks the next button or the auto rout button, the window interface shown in Figure 16d is displayed. The system automatically routes each class signal in turn and displays the routing progress of the class signal on the window panel for the designer to view: if the routing of the class is successfully completed, the OK button corresponding to the class is lit; if the routing fails, the NG button corresponding to the class is lit. At this time, if the designer clicks the NG button, the circuit network (or circuit structure) corresponding to the class where the routing failed is displayed to facilitate the designer to adjust the signal routing.

[0105] Once the signal routing for the entire board is complete, the designer can click the Exit button to exit the interface and return to the interface shown in Figure 16a, indicating that the classified signal routing is complete. If a small number of unclassified signals remain, the designer can be prompted to manually process them. If the designer is dissatisfied with the automatic routing results, they can also manually optimize the unsatisfactory routing sections. The entire board's signal routing is then subjected to an electrical DRC check (Design Rule Check, a DRC check that detects design violations in real time during the PCB layout process). Clicking the Electrical Check button displays the window shown in Figure 16e, automatically performing an electrical check on each signal class. The progress of the class check is displayed on the window panel for the designer to review. If no changes are made to the class after the check, the corresponding OK button illuminates; if changes are made, the corresponding NG button illuminates. If the designer clicks the NG button, the details of the changes are displayed to facilitate adjustments.

[0106] After completing the automatic PCB routing, the method also includes automatically adjusting the component position number silk screen. After determining that the automatic PCB routing is complete, the system can prompt the user to enter the silk screen setting interface. The user can choose which components to operate, for example, choosing to silk screen the back of the front component, the front of the front component, the front of the back component, or the back of the back component, and then enter the silk screen setting interface. Figure 17 shows an example of an interactive window for silk screen settings. As shown in Figure 17, the user can check the corresponding function according to different products and customer needs. For example, the silk screen font for a single panel can be set to Arial with a font size of 2mm; the silk screen font for a multi-layer board can be set to Arial with a font size of 1.27mm, etc. After the user selects confirmation in the illustrated interface, the system automatically adjusts the component position number silk screen according to the user's selection. If there is an abnormality in the silk screen setting, the system will report an error and output an abnormality report. For example, if the silk screen font is set to be within 2mm from the component body, if it exceeds the range, an error will be reported and an abnormality report will be output, making it convenient for designers to manually adjust the position number silk screen according to the abnormality report. It should be noted that FIG17 is merely an example of an interactive window for users to set silk screen printing for the convenience of explanation, and is not intended to limit the form and display content of the silk screen printing setting interactive window.

[0107] S14: Output the production file and save the production file to the product folder.

[0108] Specifically, after the entire PCB layout and routing are finalized, the PCB design results are output according to different product and customer requirements. Production files, including gerber files, stencil files, bill of materials (BOM), production silkscreen drawings, and repair PCB files, are also output to the product folder. After the entire PCB design process is completed, the system can be set up to automatically publish the design results to notify relevant personnel. For example, notification emails can be sent to relevant personnel regarding matters related to the PCB design.

[0109] The PCB design method provided in the embodiment of the present application is applied to a PCB design interactive system. By collecting the design requirements of the target product, the corresponding functional modules and schematics are directly extracted from a database, replacing the designer's repetitive operations such as obtaining components and designing connections in the schematic design. This helps the designer design the schematic corresponding to the product. The method can also classify the components according to their functions based on the schematic and arrange the components in zones according to the functional modules to complete the PCB layout. This greatly improves the designer's PCB design efficiency while ensuring the product's functionality.

[0110] An embodiment of the present application also provides a PCB design interaction system. As shown in Figure 18, the PCB design interaction system 100 includes: a database 101, a schematic acquisition module 102, a PCB automatic layout module 103, a PCB automatic routing module 104 and a file output module 105.

[0111] Specifically, the database 101 stores components of different models and functional attribute data of each component, and stores module schematics that can realize some specific functions. The schematic acquisition module 102 can obtain the schematic, wherein the schematic includes multiple module schematics divided according to functions. The PCB automatic layout module 103 can set the corresponding module layout according to the module schematic, and can also adjust the module layout based on the PCB version to realize the PCB automatic layout corresponding to the schematic. The PCB automatic routing module 104 can perform PCB automatic routing based on the PCB layout. The file output module 105 can output production files and save the production files to the product folder.

[0112] The PCB design interactive system can execute the above-mentioned PCB design method and has the corresponding functional modules and beneficial effects of the execution method. For technical details not fully described in the PCB design interactive system embodiment, please refer to the PCB design method provided in the embodiment of this application.

[0113] FIG19 is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of an electronic device for implementing the PCB design method according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG19 , the electronic device 200 includes at least one processor 201 and a memory 202 in communication with the at least one processor 201. The memory 202 stores instructions executable by the at least one processor 201. The instructions are executed by the at least one processor 201 to enable the at least one processor 201 to perform the PCB design method according to the above method embodiment. The processor 201 and the memory 202 may be connected via a bus or other means. FIG19 illustrates a bus connection as an example.

[0114] Processor 201 may be a general-purpose processor, including a central processing unit (CPU), a network processor (NP), a hardware chip, or any combination thereof; it may also be a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic device (PLD), or any combination thereof. The PLD may be a complex programmable logic device (CPLD), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a generic array logic (GAL), or any combination thereof.

[0115] Memory 202, as a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, can be used to store non-transitory software programs, non-transitory computer executable programs, and modules. Processor 201, by executing the non-transitory software programs, instructions, and modules stored in memory 202, can implement the PCB design method described in any of the above method embodiments, i.e., the entire process illustrated in FIG. 2 .

[0116] The above-mentioned product can execute the method provided in the embodiment of this application, and has the functional modules and beneficial effects corresponding to the execution method. For technical details not fully described in this embodiment, please refer to the PCB design method provided in the embodiment of this application.

[0117] The electronic devices of the embodiments of the present application exist in various forms, including but not limited to: a. Ultra-mobile personal computer devices, which belong to the category of personal computers, have computing and processing functions, and generally also have mobile Internet access features. Such devices include: PDA, MID and UMPC devices, such as laptop computers. b. Server: A device that provides computing services. The server is composed of a processor, hard disk, memory, system bus, etc. The server is similar to a general computer architecture, but because it needs to provide highly reliable services, it has higher requirements in terms of processing power, stability, reliability, security, scalability, manageability, etc. c. Other electronic devices with data interaction functions.

[0118] An embodiment of the present application provides a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium, which stores computer-executable instructions. The computer-executable instructions are executed by one or more processors, such as a processor 201 in Figure 19, so that the one or more processors can execute the PCB design method in any of the above method embodiments, for example, execute the method steps in Figure 2 described above to realize the functions of the module in Figure 18.

[0119] An embodiment of the present invention provides a computer program product, which includes a computer program stored on a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium, and the computer program includes program instructions. When the program instructions are executed by the electronic device, the electronic device is enabled to execute the PCB method in any of the above-mentioned method embodiments, for example, execute the method steps in Figure 2 described above to implement the functions of the module in Figure 18.

[0120] The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate, and the components shown as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the modules may be selected based on actual needs to achieve the objectives of this embodiment.

[0121] Through the description of the above embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that each embodiment can be implemented by means of software plus a general hardware platform, or of course by hardware. Those skilled in the art can understand that all or part of the processes in the above embodiment methods can be implemented by instructing the relevant hardware through a computer program, and the program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. When the program is executed, it can include the processes of the embodiments of the above methods. Among them, the storage medium can be a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a read-only memory (ROM) or a random access memory (RAM), etc.

[0122] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them. Based on the concept of the present application, the technical features in the above embodiments or different embodiments can also be combined, the steps can be implemented in any order, and there are many other variations in different aspects of the present application as described above. For the sake of simplicity, they are not provided in detail. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some of the technical features therein. These modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application.

Claims

1. A PCB design method, applied to a PCB design interactive system, characterized in that: The system includes a database, in which components of different models and functional attribute data of each component are stored, and module schematics capable of realizing certain specific functions are stored, including: Obtaining a schematic diagram corresponding to the product, wherein the schematic diagram includes a plurality of module schematic diagrams divided according to functions; Setting the corresponding module layout according to the module schematic diagram; The module layout is adjusted based on the PCB layout to achieve automatic PCB layout corresponding to the schematic diagram.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The setting of the corresponding module layout according to the module schematic diagram comprises: Obtaining components included in the schematic diagram; According to the module schematic, the components are divided to obtain components corresponding to each functional module; The components corresponding to each functional module are placed according to the layout condition range to determine the module layout corresponding to the functional module.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that Placing components corresponding to each functional module according to the layout condition range to determine the module layout corresponding to the functional module includes: Based on the module schematic, the components are classified according to their functions, wherein the classification of the components at least includes power supply components, signal filter components and signal matching resistor components, and each classification is correspondingly provided with a layout condition range; The components are placed according to the corresponding layout condition range to determine the module layout corresponding to the functional module.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that The setting rules of the layout condition range include: The layout condition range corresponding to the power supply components is the optimal layout condition range; The layout condition range corresponding to the signal filtering components is a suboptimal layout condition range; The layout conditions corresponding to the signal matching resistor components are the final layout condition range.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The adjusting the module layout based on the PCB layout to realize the automatic PCB layout corresponding to the schematic diagram includes: Determine the functional module at the inner corner of the PCB layout as a reference point; Detecting whether there is an open space range greater than a preset threshold around the functional module serving as a reference point; If so, adjusting the position of the adjacent functional module in the direction of the functional module corresponding to the open space so that the range of the open space is smaller than the preset threshold; If it does not exist, the next functional module adjacent to the reference point is selected in sequence as the next reference point, and the above-mentioned open space range detection step is repeated.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The obtaining schematic diagram comprises: Providing at least one product type option and at least one functional module option for the user to select, and determining the product demand data based on the user's selection result; Extracting relevant chips, modules and module schematics corresponding to special customer requirements from the database based on the product requirement data; Create a new PCB project file based on the module schematic, generate the product schematic, and check the circuit in the schematic.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The obtaining schematic diagram comprises: Get the initial schematic provided by the user; Classifying information of the initial schematic diagram; The initial schematic diagram is split into functional modules according to the classified information to obtain at least one module functional module corresponding to the initial schematic diagram and a module schematic diagram corresponding to the functional module.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The method further includes performing PCB routing based on the PCB layout, wherein performing PCB routing based on the PCB layout includes: Execute corresponding module routing according to the module layout; When the module routing is successful, the entire board performs automatic routing.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that Executing corresponding module routing according to the module layout includes: Identify network symbols in the module schematic and filter out common signals, power signals and sensitive signals; respectively adjusting the signal properties and routing requirements corresponding to the common signal, the power signal and the sensitive signal; Signal routing is performed according to the signal attributes and the routing requirements.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that The automatic routing of the whole board includes: Classify each signal according to the network naming in the schematic diagram; Automatically sort all signal classes according to the circuit connection relationship and signal type in the schematic diagram; Automatically route each signal class according to the order of the signal classes until all signal classes have completed routing.

11. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The method further comprises: Collect and review the layout templates of functional modules uploaded by users; After the placement template is reviewed and approved, the placement template is authorized and developed into the database.

12. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The method further includes automatically printing the position number of the swing component, and the automatically printing the position number of the swing component includes: Present an interactive window for users to set up silk screen printing, so that users can confirm the silk screen printing setting information; The silk screen setting information is obtained, and the component position number silk screen is automatically arranged according to the silk screen setting information.

13. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The method further comprises: Output the production file and save the production file to the product folder.

14. A PCB design interactive system, used to execute the PCB design method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that: The system comprises: A database storing components of different models and functional attribute data of each component, and storing schematic diagrams of modules that can realize certain specific functions; A schematic diagram acquisition module, used to acquire a schematic diagram, wherein the schematic diagram includes a plurality of module schematic diagrams divided according to functions; The PCB automatic layout module is used to set the corresponding module layout according to the module schematic diagram, and is also used to adjust the module layout based on the PCB version to achieve the PCB automatic layout corresponding to the schematic diagram.

15. The PCB design interactive system according to claim 14, characterized in that: The system further comprises: A PCB automatic routing module, used for performing PCB routing based on the PCB layout; The file output module is used to output the production file and save the production file to the product folder.

16. An electronic device, characterized in that: The electronic device comprises: at least one processor, and; A memory communicatively connected to the at least one processor, wherein the memory stores instructions executable by the at least one processor, and the instructions are executed by the at least one processor so that the at least one processor can execute the PCB design method as described in any one of claims 1-13.

17. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that: The computer-readable storage medium stores computer-executable instructions, and the computer-executable instructions are used to enable a computer to execute the PCB design method according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

Images