CAD apparatus and check support apparatus

Abstract

In a computer aided design (CAD) apparatus, an association-data acquiring unit acquires association data that defines an association between pins of a first connector and those of a second connector to be connected to the first connector, and an assignment of signals to the pins. A part-information acquiring unit acquires information including a symbol of the first connector. A layout-condition acquiring unit acquires a layout condition to lay out the symbol of the first connector on a circuit diagram. A circuit diagram creating/updating unit lays out the symbol of the first connector on the circuit diagram based on the layout condition, and adds a net name indicating a signal assigned to each of the pins to the symbol.

1 . A check support apparatus that supports an operation of checking a signal assigned to an electronic terminal of a first electronic connect section and a corresponding electronic terminal of a second electronic connect section to be connected to the first electronic connect section, the check support apparatus comprising:
 a design-data acquiring unit that acquires design data including terminal information that indicates association between a terminal name and a net name of each electronic terminal of the first electronic connect section and a terminal name and a net name of each electronic terminal of the second electronic connect section;   an information display unit that displays first information of the first electronic connect section and second information of the second electronic connect section included in the design data; and   a sorting unit that sorts each of the first information and the second information in a predetermined order.   
   
   
       2 . The check support apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the sorting unit sorts each of the first information and the second information in an order as electronic terminals have been stored in the design data. 
   
   
       3 . The check support apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the sorting unit sorts each of the first information and the second information using the terminal name of each electronic terminal as a sort key. 
   
   
       4 . The check support apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the sorting unit divides the terminal name into a character portion and a numeral portion, and sorts each of the first information and the second information using the character portion as a primary sort key and the numeral portion as a secondary sort key. 
   
   
       5 . The check support apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the sorting unit divides the terminal name into a character portion and a numeral portion, and sorts each of the first information and the second information using the numeral portion as a primary sort key and the character portion as a secondary sort key. 
   
   
       6 . The check support apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the sorting unit sorts each of the first information and the second information using the net name of each electronic terminal as a sort key. 
   
   
       7 . The check support apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the sorting unit sorts each of the first information and the second information using a logically-transparent net name of each electronic terminal as a sort key. 
   
   
       8 . A computer aided design (CAD) apparatus for designing a circuit diagram, comprising:
 an association-data acquiring unit that acquires association data that defines an association between an electronic terminal of a first electronic connect section and an electronic terminal of a second electronic connect section to be connected to the first electronic connect section, and an assignment of a signal to the electronic terminals;   a part-information acquiring unit that acquires information including a symbol of the first electronic connect section;   a layout-condition acquiring unit that acquires a layout condition to lay out the symbol on a circuit diagram; and   a circuit diagram editing unit that lays out, when the symbol has not yet been laid out on the circuit diagram, the symbol on the circuit diagram based on the layout condition, and adds a net name indicating the signal assigned to the electronic terminals to the symbol.   
   
   
       9 . The CAD apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein, when the symbol has already been laid out on the circuit diagram, the circuit diagram editing unit updates an old net name added to the symbol. 
   
   
       10 . The CAD apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein, when the symbol includes a plurality of symbols, the circuit diagram editing unit lays out the symbols such that the symbols are distinguishable from other symbols. 
   
   
       11 . A computer aided design (CAD) apparatus for designing a circuit diagram, comprising:
 an editing unit that displays an editing screen for editing a circuit diagram;   an association-data acquiring unit that acquires association data that defines an association between a first electronic terminal of a first electronic connect section included in the circuit diagram being edited on the editing screen and a second electronic terminal of a second electronic connect section to be connected to the first electronic connect section; and   an attribute display unit that acquires, when the first electronic terminal is specified on the editing screen, attribute information of the second electronic terminal associated with the first electronic terminal based on the association data, and displays the attribute information.   
   
   
       12 . The CAD apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the attribute information of the second electronic terminal includes at least one of a terminal name and a net name of the second electronic terminal. 
   
   
       13 . The CAD apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the attribute display unit acquires the attribute information of the second electronic terminal from design data of a circuit diagram that includes the second electronic connect section. 
   
   
       14 . The CAD apparatus according to  claim 11 , further comprising a circuit display unit that acquires design data for a circuit diagram that includes the second electronic connect section based on the association data, and displays acquired design data on the editing screen. 
   
   
       15 . The CAD apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein
 the association data further defines an association between the first electronic terminal and an electronic terminal of a third electronic connect section to be logically connected to the first electronic connect section via a component, and   the circuit display unit acquires design data for a circuit diagram that includes the third electronic connect section based on the association data, and displays acquired design data on the editing screen.   
   
   
       16 . A check support apparatus that supports an operation of checking a signal assigned to an electronic terminal of a first electronic connect section and a corresponding electronic terminal of a second electronic connect section to be connected to the first electronic connect section, the check support apparatus comprising:
 a design-data acquiring unit that acquires design data including terminal information that indicates association between a terminal name and a net name of each electronic terminal of the first electronic connect section and a terminal name and a net name of each electronic terminal of the second electronic connect section;   an associating unit that associates a first electronic terminal of the first electronic connect section with a second electronic terminal of the second electronic connect section included in the design data; and   a checking unit that checks net names of the first electronic terminal and the second electronic terminal based on the terminal information, and displays an error when the net names do not match.   
   
   
       17 . The check support apparatus according to  claim 16 , further comprising a design-data updating unit that re-acquires the design data, and updates the terminal information before the checking unit checks the net names. 
   
   
       18 . The check support apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the net names are logically-transparent net names. 
   
   
       19 . The check support apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the checking unit displays, when the net names do not match, a circuit diagram including the first electronic terminal and the second electronic terminal. 
   
   
       20 . The check support apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the checking unit displays, when the net names do not match, an editing screen for editing a circuit diagram including the first electronic terminal and the second electronic terminal.