US6678877B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Creating a PC board (PCB) layout for a circuit in which the components of the circuit are placed in the determined PCB landing areas
Assignee: National Semiconductor Corp
•
Filing: 2001-08-15
•
Granted: 2004-01-13
•
Expires: 2021-08-15
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for PCB layout of a circuit simulated over a network is provided. Techniques are provided for designing a circuit that satisfies user-specified functional requirements received over a network. Based on the specified requirements, components and a topology for constructing the circuit are automatically determined. The components determined during this operation have operational values such that, when the components are arranged according to the topology to form the circuit, the circuit satisfies the user-specified functional requirements. The components are placed on a PC board having landing areas designed to accommodate all of the anticipated component sizes for the type of circuit being designed. The PC board may be cropped to the desired size. The PCB may be cropped automatically or manually by the user. The component and topology information may be used to generate a schematic diagram that is delivered in a web page to the user over the network. The user may thermally and electrically simulate the designed circuit. Many characteristics of the PC board may be adjusted to produce an accurate circuit.
Inventors
- 👤 Jeffrey Robert Perry
- 👤 Martin Garrison
- 👤 Rex L. Allison, III
- 👤 Richard Levin
- 👤 Phil Gibson
- 👤 Vandana A. Sojrani
- 👤 Khang Nguyen
- 👤 Wanda Carol Garrett
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 06:40
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/0005; G; G06; G06F; G06F30/00; G06F30/30; G06F30/39; G06F30/392; G06F2119/00; G06F2119/06; H05K1/00; H05K1/02; H05K1/11; H05K1/111
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
44 words
A method for creating a PC board (PCB) layout for a circuit, the PCB having predetermined landing areas, comprising: determining components of the circuit; determining the predetermined landing areas in which to place the components; and placing the components on the determined landing areas.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
44 words
A method for creating a PC board (PCB) layout for a circuit, the PCB having predetermined landing areas, comprising: determining components of the circuit; determining the predetermined landing areas in which to place the components; and placing the components on the determined landing areas.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising cropping the PCB to a size.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 2 , wherein the cropping the PCB to the size further comprises: determining the size to crop the PCB; and cropping the PCB to the determined size.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 3 , wherein determining the size to crop the PCB is determined by obtaining a width crop area to crop the width of the PCB and obtaining a height crop area to crop the height of the PCB.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 4 , wherein obtaining the width crop area and obtaining the height crop area further comprises, obtaining from a user the width crop area and the height crop area.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 4 , wherein obtaining the width crop area and obtaining the height crop area further comprises, automatically determining the width crop area and the height crop area.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
72 words
The method of claim 4 , wherein the landing areas on the PCB, further comprise: an inductor area arranged to accommodate an inductor; an output capacitor area arranged to accommodate an output capacitor; a diode area arranged to accommodate a diode; an IC area arranged to accommodate an IC; a small signal component area arranged to accommodate a small signal component; and an input capacitor area arranged to accommodate an input capacitor.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 7 , wherein the landing areas are designed for a power circuit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the components of the circuit, further comprises: simulating the circuit over a network; producing a result based on the simulation of the circuit; and determining the components based on the simulation of the circuit.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 9 , wherein determining the landing areas in which to place the components, further comprises determining, in response to the result, the landing areas configured to accept the components.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 10 , further comprising: allowing a characteristic of the circuit to be changed; determining when the characteristic of the circuit has been changed; and performing another simulation of the circuit when a determination has been made that the characteristic of the circuit has been changed.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
77 words
A PC board (PCB) having predefined landing areas for components of a circuit, comprising: an inductor landing area arranged to accommodate an inductor; an output capacitor landing area arranged to accommodate an output capacitor; a diode landing area arranged to accommodate a diode; an IC landing area arranged to accommodate an IC; a small signal component landing area arranged to accommodate a small signal component; and an input capacitor landing area arranged to accommodate an input capacitor.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
77 words
A PC board (PCB) having predefined landing areas for components of a circuit, comprising: an inductor landing area arranged to accommodate an inductor; an output capacitor landing area arranged to accommodate an output capacitor; a diode landing area arranged to accommodate a diode; an IC landing area arranged to accommodate an IC; a small signal component landing area arranged to accommodate a small signal component; and an input capacitor landing area arranged to accommodate an input capacitor.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The PCB of claim 12 , wherein the PCB is arranged to be cropped to a size.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
The PCB of claim 13 , wherein the PCB that is arranged to be cropped to the size further comprises, cropping the PCB to the size in response to a user's specifications.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
The PCB of claim 14 , wherein cropping the PCB to the size in response to the user's specifications is determined automatically.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
The PCB of claim 14 , wherein cropping the PCB to the size in response to the user's specifications is determined in response to the user moving a control to indicate the size to be cropped from the PCB.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
53 words
An apparatus for creating a PC board (PCB) layout for a circuit, the PCB having predetermined landing areas, comprising: a means for determining components of the circuit; a means for determining the predetermined landing areas in which to place the components; and a means for placing the components on the determined landing areas.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
53 words
An apparatus for creating a PC board (PCB) layout for a circuit, the PCB having predetermined landing areas, comprising: a means for determining components of the circuit; a means for determining the predetermined landing areas in which to place the components; and a means for placing the components on the determined landing areas.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 17 , further comprising a means for cropping the PCB to a size based on specifications of the circuit.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5018005A
Cited
US5751554A
Cited
US6147876A
Cited
US6418030B1
Cited
US5973929A
Cited
US6353540B1
Cited
US20020015293A1
Cited
US5847968A
Cited
US6301122B1
Cited
US5901047A
Cited
US6075711A
Cited
US6043987A
Cited
US6288908B1
Cited
US6353915B1
Cited
US6424959B1
Cited
US6414850B1
Cited
US6483719B1
Cited
US20020076851A1
Cited
US6420937B1
Cited
US20020083398A1
Cited
US6484301B1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2007-01-12 | 2007-07-14 | 2008-01-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-01-12 | 2011-07-14 | 2012-01-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2015-01-12 | 2015-07-14 | 2016-01-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |