3D Schematic Visualization for Hierarchical Design Navigation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing Electronic Design Automation (EDA) systems struggle with fragmented and difficult-to-navigate hierarchical designs, requiring users to open multiple windows to understand and analyze complex designs, leading to inefficiencies and potential errors, especially for non-original designers.
Innovation Solution
A three-dimensional (3D) graphical user interface (GUI) is employed to display hierarchical designs, with components organized across multiple planes along different axes, allowing simultaneous visualization of multiple levels using electronic schematic symbols, and enabling user interaction and manipulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If multiple windows are opened to display different levels of hierarchical design, then details of each level can be viewed, but the interface becomes fragmented and difficult to navigate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple hierarchical levels into a single integrated 3D visualization window, allowing users to view components at different hierarchy levels simultaneously in one cohesive interface rather than switching between multiple separate windows
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a third dimension (depth) to the traditional 2D schematic display, organizing hierarchical levels along the depth axis to create a 3D visualization that preserves spatial relationships while displaying multiple levels concurrently
2Measurement precision
If sequential window opening is used to examine design details, then comprehensive analysis is possible, but time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-organizes all hierarchical levels in a structured 3D space before user interaction, establishing spatial relationships and connections in advance so users can immediately navigate to any level without sequential window opening
Solution Approach 2:
By displaying all hierarchical levels simultaneously in 3D space, the system eliminates the time required to sequentially open and switch between multiple windows, allowing instant access to any design level through direct navigation in the third dimension
3Loss of information
If hierarchical components are displayed in separate windows, then each level's details are clear, but the relationship between components across levels is not evident
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the third dimension to represent hierarchical levels, with components positioned at different depths corresponding to their hierarchy level, making relationships between components across levels visually apparent through their spatial arrangement
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a nested visualization structure where higher-level components contain or encompass lower-level components in the 3D space, similar to nested dolls, allowing users to see both the containing structure and contained details simultaneously
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5
Figure 6~7
AI summary
A design is schematically displayed using a three-dimensional (3D) graphical user interface (GUI) by displaying, via the 3D GUI, a first plane extending along a first axis and a second axis different from the first axis, including displaying symbols corresponding to a set of first-level components of a first level of the design disposed on the first plane; and a second plane extending along the first axis and second axis, including displaying symbols corresponding to a first set of second-level components of a second level of the design disposed on the second plane. The two planes are displayed simultaneously, and respectively disposed at first and second positions along a third axis different from the first and second axes. Each level of the design may correspond to a respective level of a hierarchy of the design, a respective substrate the design will be implemented on, or a combination thereof.