Broadband Green's Function for PCB Waveguide Simulation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional full wave electromagnetic simulation tools are computationally complex and inefficient for analyzing high-frequency waveguide behavior in multi-layer printed circuit boards, making it impractical to simulate broadband solutions for signal integrity, power integrity, and electromagnetic compatibility issues.

Innovation Solution

The use of a broadband Green's function with low wavenumber extraction technique, which computes the Green's function at a single low wavenumber and combines it with fast convergence methods for mode summations, allowing for efficient simulation of waveguide behavior across a broad frequency range, including arbitrary-shaped waveguides and vias in PCBs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional full wave electromagnetic simulation tools are used to analyze high-frequency waveguide behavior in multi-layer PCBs, then accurate results for signal integrity, power integrity, and electromagnetic compatibility can be obtained, but the computational complexity and time required become prohibitively large

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesimulation accuracyVSAvoidcomputational time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the broadband frequency range into multiple narrow frequency bands. For each band, a separate Green's function is computed at a specific wavenumber. This segmentation allows the complex broadband problem to be broken down into manageable narrowband sub-problems that can be solved independently and then combined, significantly reducing the overall computational burden while maintaining accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary computation of the Green's function at a single low wavenumber that represents the entire broadband range. This pre-computed Green's function serves as a foundation for deriving solutions across the full frequency spectrum. By performing this computation once rather than repeatedly across all frequencies, the method achieves substantial computational time savings while preserving simulation accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If conventional methods compute Green's function at each frequency point separately, then accurate broadband results can be obtained, but the computational efficiency becomes impractical for fast CAD

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebroadband analysis accuracyVSAvoidcomputational efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal Green's function solution at a representative low wavenumber that can serve multiple frequency points across the broadband range. Instead of computing separate solutions for each frequency, a single universal computation at the low wavenumber provides the foundation for deriving results across the entire frequency spectrum, making the method highly efficient for fast CAD applications.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the approach from computing at multiple frequency parameters to computing at a single representative wavenumber parameter. By transforming the problem from frequency-domain multiple computations to a wavenumber-domain single computation followed by spectral transformation, the method achieves both broadband accuracy and computational efficiency suitable for fast CAD.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS10719649B2Full wave modeling and simulations of the waveguide behavior of printed circuit boards using a broadband green's function technique
Publication Date: 2020.07.21 TSANG LEUNG W
  • US10719649B2 patent drawing
  • US10719649B2 patent drawing
  • US10719649B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A broadband Green's function computation technique that employs low wavenumber extraction on a modal summation is used to model the waveguide behavior of electronic components, systems, and interconnects on a printed circuit board. Use of the broadband technique permits discretizing the surface of the printed circuit board across a wide range of frequencies all at once. The broadband Green's function is also extended to via waveguides on circuit boards and power/ground plane waveguides of arbitrary shape. Such a method can analyze a given circuit board geometry over a broad frequency range several hundred times faster than is otherwise possible with existing commercial analysis tools. The present method is useful in electronic design automation for analyzing signal integrity and power integrity, reducing electromagnetic interference and ensuring electromagnetic compatibility.