====================================================================== IBIS INTERCONNECT MODELING AD HOC TASK GROUP MEETING MINUTES AND AGENDA http://www.eda.org/ibis/adhoc/interconnect/ Mailing list: ibis-interconn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ====================================================================== Next Meeting Wednesday, November 19, 2008 8 AM US Pacific Time Telephone Bridge Passcode 916-356-2663 3 804-7489 Live Meeting: https://webjoin.intel.com/?passcode=8047489 Agenda: - Call for patents - Opens - Review and closure of information and interconnect port groups keywords ====================================================================== Minutes from November 5: Attendees: ---------- (* denotes present) Agilent - Radek Biernacki, John Moore, Ken Wong Ansoft - Denis Soldo Cadence Design Systems - Terry Jernberg*, Brad Griffin Green Streak Programs - Lynne Green Hewlett-Packard - Rob Elliott Intel - Michael Mirmak* Mentor Graphics Corp. - John Angulo*, Vladimir Dmitriev-Zdorov Micron Technology - Randy Wolff Sigrity - Sam Chitwood, Raymond Y. Chen, Tao Su, Brad Brim SiSoft - Walter Katz* Teraspeed Consulting Group - Bob Ross* ======================================================================== No patents were announced. Michael called for discussion on items 7 through 10 of Walter Katz's list of suggested changes to the Touchstone 2.0 draft. On items 7 and 8, Walter noted the need for a set of [Data] keywords (for network and noise Data) as reading and counting data parts is a parser burden. A keyword marking the start of data sections would permit a single-pass parser to be developed. Bob expressed division on this and suggested soliciting Radek Biernacki's input. If [Network Data] were to be added, it would affect all the examples in the document, which would generate significant editorial work. Additionally, similar rules and edits would be required for [Noise Data]. Finally, rules regarding keywords being on the same line as the data would have to be made explicit for both keywords. Walter suggested that the keywords could be ignored by the parser, if needed. John and Michael agreed. On item 9, Walter suggested that an informational keyword block should be added and that it should include [Interconnect Port Groups]. Other information could be added later, as new applications were found. Both Walter and Michael drew analogies to current IBIS, where Touchstone data could be considered similar to the behavioral contents of [Model]. Other information, such as pins, measurements and related information is grouped in other keywords, in some cases placed hierarchically within each other. Port and pin names, if approved, could be added in just such a way. Walter noted that this was the best way to make file documentation text-based and non-graphical while still being able to automatically read it into a tool. Bob made a few related observations. Added keywords make the "need to downgrade" to 1.0 files for older parsers more difficult. He added that any informational keyword block may be parsable but is not binding on the tool to use for data interpretation. It has the force of comments, because its accuracy could not be independently verified. Bob added that he would be willing to support pulling [Interconnect Port Groups] out of the Touchstone 2.0 proposal and reintroducing it later. The IBIS Committee or other groups need the data within [Mixed-mode Order] as soon as possible. Michael asked whether the definition of the information section had changed. Was the section to include specific keywords defined by the committee, functions simply agreed by acclimation or would it contain non-standard functions that might be tool-specific? Bob suggested that the functions should be specifically defined in the standard. Walter agreed, but noted that the option should still be explicitly open to the tools parsing the file that the contents of that section could be ignored. Walter noted that the specification committee is still responsible for defining the contents. Bob suggested that [Begin Information] should be placed after [Number of Ports] and before [Network Data]. The discussion will conclude at the next meeting. Filename extension rules will be settled as well. ======================================================================== Team Objectives: 1) complete ICM-IBIS linking BIRD and any associated changes to the ICM specification 2) update the ICM specification, if needed, to clarify the mapping of ICM nodes to S-parameter ports 3) complete a specification for "Touchstone Plus" or similar industry-standard definition for Touchstone-like files, to include complex impedance references, removal of limits on the maximum number of ports and per-port impedance references ------------------------------------------------------------------