Design Assistance Device for Electronic Circuit Board Rule Checking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing design rule checking technologies for electronic circuit boards cannot perform appropriate checks without information indicating the type of each component, leading to inefficiencies and potential errors.

Innovation Solution

A design assistance device that includes a database unit to store reference information associating feature information with component types, and a series of units to extract feature information from design data, determine component types, and generate new design data for accurate rule checking.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If design rule checking is performed without component type information, then the checking process can proceed without additional data processing, but the checking accuracy and appropriateness deteriorates because design constraints cannot be applied correctly to each component

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedesign rule checking accuracyVSAvoiddata processing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary extraction of feature information from design data and preliminary determination of component types before the actual design rule checking process. This advance preparation ensures that component type information is ready when needed for accurate checking, without adding complexity to the checking process itself.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary component type determination process that bridges the gap between raw design data and design rule checking. This intermediary step extracts feature information and determines component types, enabling the checking process to apply appropriate design constraints without directly handling the complexity of raw design data analysis.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If component type information is manually added to design data, then design rule checking accuracy improves, but the time and labor required for data preparation increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedesign rule checking accuracyVSAvoiddata preparation time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables design data to self-identify component types through automatic extraction of feature information and determination of component types based on stored reference information. This eliminates the need for manual annotation of component types, saving time and labor while ensuring consistent and accurate type identification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces the manual mechanical process of adding component type information with an automated information processing system. The extraction unit and determination unit automatically analyze design data and identify component types, substituting human effort with computational processes that are faster and more consistent.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If feature information extraction and component type determination processes are added, then appropriate design rule checking becomes possible, but the overall system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedesign checking efficiencyVSAvoidsystem structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses a universal database structure that stores reference information for multiple component types, allowing the same determination process to handle various component types. This multi-functional approach enables the system to identify different component types using a single unified process, reducing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system segments the complex task of design rule checking into distinct modules: feature information extraction, component type determination, and design rule checking. Each module handles a specific aspect of the process, making the overall system more manageable and easier to implement despite the increased functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS20250117565A1Design assistance device, learning device and non-transitory computer readable storage medium

Publication Date: 2025.04.10 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP

AI summary

A design assistance device includes: a database unit to store reference information associating feature information which includes a shape of a component comprising an electronic circuit board with type information of the component; a data input unit to receive an input of design data of a target electronic circuit board to be subjected to design rule checking; an extraction unit to extract feature information which includes shape information of a component comprising the target electronic circuit board; a determination unit to determine type information, corresponding to the extracted feature information, of the component comprising the target electronic circuit board, based on the extracted feature information and the reference information; a generation unit to generate new design data by adding the type information determined by the determination unit to the design data; and a check execution unit to perform the design rule checking on the new design data.