IBIS Macromodel Task Group

Meeting date: 22 May 2007

Members (asterisk for those attending):
* Ambrish Varma, Cadence Design Systems
* Arpad Muranyi, Intel Corp.
  Barry Katz, SiSoft
* Bob Ross, Teraspeed Consulting Group
* Doug White, Cisco Systems
  Essaid Bensoudane, ST Microelectronics
  Ganesh Narayanaswamy, ST Micro
  Hemant Shah, Cadence Design Systems
  Ian Dodd, Mentor Graphics
* Joe Abler, IBM
* John Angulo, Mentor Graphics
  John Shields, Mentor Graphics
  Ken Willis, Cadence Design Systems
* Kumar, Cadence Design Systems
  Lance Wang, Cadence Design Systems
  Luis Boluna, Cisco
* Michael Mirmak, Intel Corp.
* Mike LaBonte, Cisco Systems
* Mike Steinberger, SiSoft
  Patrick O'Halloran, Tiburon Design Automation
  Paul Fernando, NCSU
* Radek Biernacki, Agilent (EESof)
* Randy Wolff, Micron Technology
  Ray Comeau, Cadence Design Systems
  Richard Ward, Texas Instruments
  Sanjeev Gupta, Agilent
  Shangli Wu, Cadence
* Stephen Scearce, Cisco Systems
  Syed Huq, Cisco Systems
  Syed Sadeghi, ST Micro
* Todd Westerhoff, SiSoft
  Vikas Gupta, Xilinx
  Vuk Borich, Agilent
* Walter Katz, SiSoft

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Call for patent disclosure:

No one declared a patent.

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Opens:

- none

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Review of ARs:

- Arpad: Review the new macro library files.
  - TBD

- Arpad: Write parameter passing syntax proposal for a possible BIRD
  - TBD

- Everyone review the proposal, prepare to discuss next week.
  - Some emails were sent to the list.

- Mike will upload it to the website.
  - Holding off to wait for additional materials.

- Doc will be sent out to the mailer as well.
  - Done

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New Discussion:

Radek presented his comments on the draft AMI BIRD:
- Radek has doubts about the willingness of IP vendors to adopt  a software
  approach.
  - Michael Mirmak asked if there is evidence of this.
  - Todd said IBM, TI, Intel, ST are participating.
- Subaparams should be ordered consistently.
- Examples are out of synch with current syntax definitions.
- Are long and double meant to be C types?
- Does time always start from zero? Ignore_bits intereferes.
- Unclear language regarding matrices.
- Function parameters inconsistent with prototypes.

Comments from Michael Mirmak on the draft BIRD:
- Needs language cleanup
- Use of "electrically isolated" is confusing
  - Todd: It means the equalizer does not affect channel behavior
  - There should be no confusion about this
- The BIRD needs a diagram

AR: EDA vendors clarify "electrically isolated" in BIRD

Todd showed his presentation for the upcoming summit:
- Arpad: Page 5 diagram shows buffers as LTI only
  - EDA vendors feel it has to be linear
  - Michael Mirmak and Arpad feel they may be non-linear
  - What is the point of having a bit stream analysis?
  - Michael Mirmak: Receivers will not be linear after the high impedance stage
  - Mike S: Non-linear driver does not affect channel behavior
  - Arpad: voltage-dependent compensation capacitance
  - We need data on this
    - Michael Mirmak: There may be NDA issues
  - Mike S:
    - Can model as memory-less non-linearity followed by a linear network
    - Right side boundary of green box should be where high impedance ends
- Joe: will the BIRD be done before the summit?
  - Arpad: we are close, but it has to be approved by our task group
  - Michael Mirmak:
    - Make sure there are no major structural changes to BIRD
    - Should be cleaned up and ready for IBIS spec
  - Arpad: the IP vendors have to approve as well as EDA vendors
- Todd:
  - There will be a long loop before we have tools for this
  - We want to start building models before going to the IBIS committee
    - John A: BIRD 95 included a demonstration of success
  - This is achievable on a short time frame
- Walter:
  - Both the EDA and IP sub-sub-committees have to be on board
  - Not sure if IP vendors approve
- Page 18:
  - The "corner case" issue is deferred

AR: Arpad and Michael get specific data on the non-linear behavior problem

Michael Mirmak: We need to be clear how buffers interact
- Algorithmic code could touch multiple buffers
- Kumar: We need another structure, like the one for BIRD 95

AR: Todd will send his presentation

Next meeting: 29 June 2007 12:00pm PT