Method for routing conductive paths

Claim 1

A method for assigning at least one test point at a fixed location on a substrate to an appropriate one of a set of grid points at fixed locations on the same substrate so that a path can be routed therebetween, comprising the steps of: (a) mapping the grid points, which are at fixed locations, into an array; (b) mapping the test point, which is at a fixed location, into an array; (c) establishing the initial size of an area within the array surrounding the mapped test point which is to be searched for grid points, the initial size being less than the size of the array; (d) searching the area to locate a predetermined number of the grid points which are closest to the mapped test point; (e) designating, among the located grid points, the one which best satifies a predetermined minimization constraint; (f) checking whether the designated grid point is appropriate for the test point, and if so, then permanently assigning the grid point to the test point; (g) expanding the search area in the direction along which the designated grid point lies from the mapped test point; (h) repeating the steps of (d), (e) and (f) until the search area has been expanded to an edge of the array; and wherein in step (e) among the located grid points, the one which is designated achieves the smallest product of dx dy where dx and dy are the distances, along each of a pair of coordinate axes, between the grid point and the mapped test point.

Claim 2

A method for assigning at least one test point at a fixed location on a substrate to an appropriate one of a set of grid points at fixed locations on the same substrate so that a path can be routed therebetween, comprising the steps of: (a) mapping the grid points, which are at fixed locations, into an array; (b) mapping the test point, which is at a fixed location, into an array; (c) establishing the initial size of an area within the array surrounding the mapped test point which is to be searched for grid points, the initial size being less than the size of the array; (d) searching the area to locate a predetermined number of the grid points which are closest to the mapped test point; (e) designating, among the located grid points, the one which best satifies a predetermined minimization constraint; (f) checking whether the designated grid point is appropriate for the test point, and if so, then permanently assigning the grid point to the test point; (g) expanding the search area in the direction along which the designated grid point lies from the mapped test point; (h) repeating the steps of (d), (e) and (f) until the search area has been expanded to an edge of the array; and wherein in step (e) among the located grid points, the one which is designated achieves the smallest product of dx dy where dx and dy are the distances, along each of a pair of coordinate axes, between the grid point and the mapped test point.

Claim 6

A method for pairing each of a successive one of a plurality of test points arranged at fixed locations on a first exposed surface of a translator board to an appropriate one of a plurality of grid points arranged at fixed locations on a second opposed surface of the board so that a path may be routed therebetween, the method comprising the steps of: (a) mapping the grid points, which are at fixed locations, into an array of uniformly sized cells such that each grid point is situated in the array in accordance with its approximate location on the second translator board surface; (b) successively mapping each test point, which is at a fixed location, into the array such that each test point is situated in the array in accordance with its approximate location on the first translator board surface; (c) establishing the initial size of an area within the array surrounding the mapped test point which is to be searched for grid points, the initial size being less than the size of the array; (d) searching the search area to locate a predetermined number of grid points which are closest to the mapped test point; (e) designating, among the located grid points, the one which is situated from the mapped test point such that the product of dx·dy is a minimum where dx and dy each represent the distance, along each of a pair of coordinate axes, from the grid point to the mapped test point; (f) checking whether the designated grid point is appropriate for the mapped test point, and if so, then permanently assigning the grid point to the test point and thereafter removing the grid point from the array before mapping the next test point into the array; otherwise (g) expanding the size of the initial search area in the direction along which the designated grid point lay from the mapped test point; and (h) repeating the steps of (d), (e) and (f) until the search area has been expanded to an edge of the array.

Claim 7

A method for pairing each of a successive one of a plurality of test points arranged at fixed locations on a first exposed surface of a translator board to an appropriate one of a plurality of grid points arranged at fixed locations on a second opposed surface of the board so that a path may be routed therebetween, the method comprising the steps of: (a) mapping the grid points, which are at fixed locations, into an array of uniformly sized cells such that each grid point is situated in the array in accordance with its approximate location on the second translator board surface; (b) successively mapping each test point, which is at a fixed location, into the array such that each test point is situated in the array in accordance with its approximate location on the first translator board surface; (c) establishing the initial size of an area within the array surrounding the mapped test point which is to be searched for grid points, the initial size being less than the size of the array; (d) searching the search area to locate a predetermined number of grid points which are closest to the mapped test point; (e) designating, among the located grid points, the one which is situated from the mapped test point such that the product of dx·dy is a minimum where dx and dy each represent the distance, along each of a pair of coordinate axes, from the grid point to the mapped test point; (f) checking whether the designated grid point is appropriate for the mapped test point, and if so, then permanently assigning the grid point to the test point and thereafter removing the grid point from the array before mapping the next test point into the array; otherwise (g) expanding the size of the initial search area in the direction along which the designated grid point lay from the mapped test point; and (h) repeating the steps of (d), (e) and (f) until the search area has been expanded to an edge of the array.