Circuit design synthesis tool with export to a computer-aided design format

Abstract

A method (and related apparatus) includes receiving user input and generating at least one of schematic content for a circuit based on the received user input and a printed circuit board (PCB) layout based on the circuit. The method further includes generating a bill of material (BOM) for the circuit, and receiving a user selection of at least one of a computer-aided design (CAD) tool format and a PCB layout tool format. The method also includes receiving a user selection to include footprints for the components used in the schematic content or PCB layout and exporting at least one of the schematic content, and PCB layout as well as the PCB footprints to one or more files in accordance with the selected CAD and/or PCB layout tool format.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 receiving user input;   generating at least one of schematic content for a circuit based on the received user input and a printed circuit board (PCB) layout based on the circuit;   generating a bill of material (BOM) for the circuit;   receiving a user selection of at least one of a computer-aided design (CAD) tool format and a PCB layout tool format;   receiving a user selection to include footprints for the components used in the schematic content or PCB layout; and   exporting at least one of the schematic content and PCB layout as well as the PCB footprints to one or more files in accordance with the selected CAD and/or PCB layout tool format.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further including generating the schematic content and wherein the generated schematic includes:
 coordinates for wires in a circuit schematic; 
 locations for component symbols; 
 information about each component represented by a component symbol, the information to include the number and name of pins for the component, function of the pins, and size and location of symbol elements used in the symbol; and 
 component symbol pin mapping information to map pins depicted in the symbol to PCB footprint pins. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  further including generating the PCB layout, wherein generating the PCB layout includes generating the PCB layout to include:
 locations and shapes of conductive material on the PCB and information about which layer of the PCB such conductive material is to be located on; 
 placement of vias on the PCB including diameter, surrounding copper area, and start and stop PCB layers; 
 locations of components from the BOM on the PCB including whether each such component is to be on the top or bottom layer of the PCB; 
 number of layers and the thickness of the conductive material of the PCB; and 
 PCB footprint information for each component in the BOM including copper landing areas for each such component, solder mask information, paste mask information, and mechanical information, dimensions of each such component. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein generating the PCB layout includes generating the PCB layout to include:
 locations and shapes of conductive material on the PCB and information about which layer of the PCB such conductive material is to be located on; 
 placement of vias on the PCB including diameter, surrounding copper area, and start and stop PCB layers; 
 locations of components from the BOM on the PCB including whether each such component is to be on the top or bottom layer of the PCB; 
 number of layers and the thickness of the conductive material of the PCB; and 
 PCB footprint information for each component in the BOM including copper landing areas for each such component, solder mask information, paste mask information, and mechanical information, dimensions of each such component. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising importing the file into a CAD tool. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising performing a simulation on at least one of the PCB layout and schematic content before exporting. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising modifying at least one of the schematic content and the PCB layout or adding components to the schematic content PCB layout before exporting. 
     
     
         8 . A non-transitory storage device containing instructions that, when executed by a processing resource, causes the processing resource to:
 receive user input;   generate schematic content for a circuit based on the received user input;   generate a bill of material (BOM) for the circuit;   generate a printed circuit board (PCB) layout based on the circuit;   receive a user selection of a computer-aided design (CAD) tool format and a PCB layout tool format;   receive a user selection to include footprints for the PCB layout; and   export the schematic content, BOM, PCB layout and PCB footprints to one or more files in accordance with the selected CAD and PCB layout tool formats.   
     
     
         9 . The non-transitory storage device of  claim 8  wherein the instructions cause the processing resource to generate the schematic content to include:
 coordinates for wires in a circuit schematic; 
 locations for component symbols; 
 information about each component represented by a component symbol, the information to include the number and name of pins for the component, function of the pins, and size and location of symbol elements used in the symbol; 
 component symbol pin mapping information to map pins depicted in the symbol to PCB footprint pins. 
 
     
     
         10 . The non-transitory storage device of  claim 8  wherein the instructions cause the processing resource to generate the PCB layout to include:
 locations and shapes of conductive material on the PCB and information about which layer of the PCB such conductive material is to be located on; 
 placement of vias on the PCB including diameter, surrounding copper area, and start and stop PCB layers; 
 locations of components from the BOM on the PCB including whether each such component is to be on the top or bottom layer of the PCB; 
 number of layers and the thickness of the conductive material of the PCB; and 
 PCB footprint information for each component in the BOM including copper landing areas for each such component, solder mask information, paste mask information, and mechanical information, dimensions of each such component. 
 
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory storage device of  claim 8  wherein the instructions further cause the processing resource to perform a simulation on the PCB layout before export. 
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory storage device of  claim 8  wherein the instructions further cause the processing resource to, per user input, modify the PCB layout or add components to the PCB layout before export. 
     
     
         13 . A system, comprising:
 a user interface engine to receive user input via a graphical user input (GUI);   a schematic content generator engine to generate schematic content including a bill of material (BOM) for a circuit based on the received user input;   a PCB layout generator engine to generate a PCB layout based on the generated schematic content;   wherein the user interface engine is to receive a user selection of a computer-aided design (CAD) tool format and a PCB layout tool format and to receive a user selection to include footprints for components used in the schematic; and   an export engine to export the schematic content, BOM, PCB layout and PCB footprints to one or more files in accordance with the selected CAD and PCB layout tool formats.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein schematic content generator engine is to generate the schematic content to include:
 coordinates for wires in a circuit schematic; 
 locations for component symbols; 
 information about each component represented by a component symbol, the information to include the number and name of pins for the component, function of the pins, and size and location of symbol elements used in the symbol; 
 component symbol pin mapping information to map pins depicted in the symbol to PCB footprint pins. 
 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the PCB layout generator engine is to generate the PCB layout to include:
 locations and shapes of conductive material on the PCB and information about which layer of the PCB such conductive material is to be located on; 
 placement of vias on the PCB including diameter, surrounding copper area, and start and stop PCB layers; 
 locations of components from the BOM on the PCB including whether each such component is to be on the top or bottom layer of the PCB; 
 number of layers and the thickness of the conductive material of the PCB; and 
 PCB footprint information for each component in the BOM including copper landing areas for each such component, solder mask information, paste mask information, and mechanical information, dimensions of each such component. 
 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13  further comprising a simulation engine to perform a simulation on the PCB layout before the export engine exports the schematic content, BOM, PCB layout and PCB footprints to the one or more files. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13  further comprising a simulation engine to perform a simulation on the schematic content before the export engine exports the schematic content and BOM.