Reference Designator Identification in Schematic Capture Tools
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In large-scale electronic circuit designs, the task of identifying unique reference designators for schematic entry is time-consuming and prone to errors due to overlaps, which can lead to design errors and vendor limitations such as character truncation, causing components to appear as having the same reference designator when they were assigned unique ones.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that detect selected component types in a schematic, sort through a list of unavailable reference designators to identify available ones, reserve a portion for user selection, and update lists to reflect current usage, ensuring unique and minimal character count reference designators.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual identification of reference designators is used, then designers have flexibility in selection, but the process is time-consuming and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically performs reference designator identification and availability checking without requiring manual intervention. The computer system self-services by detecting component types, querying available designators, and providing recommendations, thereby eliminating the time-consuming manual process while maintaining designer flexibility through the interactive interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical process of checking reference designator availability is replaced by an automated computer-based system. The system uses software algorithms to automatically detect component types, query the database for available designators, and present options to the designer, substituting human effort with automated computational processes.
2Reliability
If unique reference designators are manually ensured, then design errors are reduced, but the workflow efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by automatically checking reference designator availability against the existing schematic database before allowing entry. When a designer inputs a designator, the system queries the database to verify uniqueness and provides immediate feedback, preventing duplicate designators while maintaining high workflow efficiency through automated validation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-checking reference designator availability before the designer finalizes the entry. The automated system proactively identifies available designators and validates uniqueness in advance, preventing design errors before they occur and eliminating the need for later corrections, thereby maintaining both reliability and productivity.
3Length of moving object
If reference designators are truncated to meet vendor limits, then character count is reduced, but design accuracy is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by selectively truncating reference designators only when necessary to meet vendor character limits, while preserving the full unique identifier in the internal database. The automated system determines the optimal truncation point that maintains vendor compliance while minimizing information loss, and ensures that the truncated version remains sufficiently unique for accurate component identification.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the parameter of reference designator length based on vendor requirements and context. The automated system adjusts the character count of designators to meet vendor limits while maintaining uniqueness through intelligent algorithms that preserve critical identifying information, thereby balancing character count reduction with manufacturing precision.
4Loss of time
If automated reference designator identification is implemented, then time consumption is reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system achieves universality by integrating multiple functions into a single automated reference designator identification module. The module simultaneously detects component types, queries availability databases, validates uniqueness, generates recommendations, and handles vendor limit compliance, thereby reducing time consumption without proportionally increasing perceived system complexity through a unified multi-functional interface.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, system, and computer program product for a faster identification of available reference designators (ARDs) in a design automation system. An ARD utility detects a selection of one or more selected component types for placement on a circuit schematic. A list containing one or more unavailable reference designators (URDs) is sorted through to identify one or more ARDs from the list of URDs. A list of ARDs is then generated, from which a pre-determined portion of ARDs are reserved. The reserved list of ARDs is then outputted for selection by a user.