Automated HDL Generation for Custom Circuit Boards

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Solution Overview

Problem

The traditional process of producing custom circuit boards is time-consuming and costly, often taking six months and costing around $100,000, due to manual design and extensive testing.

Innovation Solution

A system that uses an input module and a hardware description language (HDL) module to receive design specifications, select components, determine their arrangement, and generate HDL for automated production, reducing the time and cost by automating the design process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual design and extensive testing are used, then reliability is improved, but production time and cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecircuit board reliabilityVSAvoidproduction time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical design processes with automated computer-based design systems. The system automatically generates circuit board designs, selects components, and creates manufacturing data, substituting the manual mechanical work of engineers with automated computational processes while maintaining design quality and reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates standardized design templates and reusable component libraries that can be copied and adapted for different circuit board designs. This allows proven reliable designs to be replicated efficiently without requiring complete manual redesign and testing cycles, reducing production time while maintaining reliability through proven designs

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Reliability

If manual design and extensive testing are used, then reliability is improved, but production cost increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecircuit board reliabilityVSAvoidproduction cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces costly manual design and testing processes with automated computer-based systems. The automated system performs design generation, component selection, and manufacturing data creation, eliminating the need for expensive manual engineering hours while maintaining design quality through systematic algorithms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a universal design system that can handle multiple circuit board design requirements through a single automated platform. The system includes reusable component libraries, standardized templates, and flexible configuration options that serve multiple design purposes, reducing overall production costs through economies of scale and resource sharing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If automated design is used, then production time and cost are reduced, but design complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction efficiencyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the automated design system into distinct functional modules including design specification input, component selection, circuit layout generation, and manufacturing data creation. Each module handles a specific aspect of the design process, making the overall complex system manageable through clear functional separation and independent optimization of each segment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Productivity

If standardized design options are used, then production time is reduced, but design flexibility decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction speedVSAvoiddesign flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a dynamic design system where standardized templates and components can be flexibly configured and modified based on specific customer requirements. The system allows real-time adjustment of design parameters, component selections, and configurations, enabling rapid adaptation to different needs while maintaining the efficiency benefits of standardized processes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS8316341B2Hardware description language (HDL) generation systems and methods for custom circuit boards
Publication Date: 2012.11.20 SMART EMBEDDED COMPUTING INC
  • US8316341B2 patent drawing
  • US8316341B2 patent drawing
  • US8316341B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A system comprises an input and a hardware description language (HDL) module. The input receives design specifications for a custom circuit board. The design specifications are selected from predetermined design options for custom circuit boards. The hardware description language (HDL) module generates HDL corresponding to the design specifications and outputs the HDL to a circuit board producer.