Nowadays, smaller devices are being integrated with high speed circuits as the consumers demand faster and more functional mobile devices that they can take anytime and anywhere. This has led design engineers to the search for the best methodologies that can be used to develop prototype PCBs for small devices like mobile phones and gadgets.
The parallel design methodology is considered as one of the best methods available as they can successfully address two of the most difficult design processes like placement and routing. This is because the procedures done in this particular method are similar to both routing and placement and only the design object is the difference.
The Parallel Design Methodology
A parallel design method involves the exploration by circuit topology. It also includes the assignment of suitable placement area as well as qualified engineers. Proper role assignment is crucial and can be broken down into three different groups: the external virtual signal group, virtual applications group, and virtual communication protocol group.
External Virtual Signal
This group works on the external interface, clock module, as well as power supply and management. If each parallel stage requires an Engineer for it to be finished, Engineer A should work on the whole placement and the placement for protocol relative group, Engineer B, should work on the placement for application relative group, and Engineer C should work on the placement for public signal relative group. This role assignment will take advantage of each engineer’s skill which can greatly improve the overall design.
Virtual Applications Group
This group works on the design of the graphics processor, RAM, application processor, flash and memory card, and backlight/LCD driver.
Virtual Communication Protocol Group
This group focuses on the creation of RF modules which consists of a transceiver, transducer, and a power amplifier. This group is also responsible for mixed signal components, logic and regular analog chips, and baseband processor.
The Parallel Design Flow
The design flow of a parallel methodology starts with the completion of a master design after the net list import. An engineer is also responsible with hole-position mounting, the division of the whole design into blocks which have different signal features and documenting the task assignment.
The first engineer would then relay the task assignment documents along with the bill of materials and schematic design to the next engineer. The Engineers would accomplish their assigned tasks after sub-placement file export, component etching, and after submitting these files to the first Engineer through prototype PCB editing tools.
With the use of prototype PCB editor tools, an Engineer does the placement editing along with the final optimization. After the final editing process, an analysis with its routing begins through the analysis of its circuit topology and electric-signal. The only difference between placement and routing is the file type. An electric signal, on the other hand, can be non-restricted or restricted.
The parallel method explores the various areas of signal flow and partitions. It also explores routing priorities to make sure that the project cycle successfully meets the design feature requirements. This makes a parallel design method achieve the design goal with available resources.
