IBIS Macromodel Task Group

Meeting date: 21 July 2015

Members (asterisk for those attending):
ANSYS:                      * Dan Dvorscak
                            * Curtis Clark
Avago (LSI)                   Xingdong Dai
                            * Bob Miller
Cadence Design Systems:     * Ambrish Varma
                              Brad Brim
                              Kumar Keshavan
                              Ken Willis
eASIC                         David Banas
                              Marc Kowalski
Ericsson:                     Anders Ekholm
IBM                           Steve Parker
Intel:                      * Michael Mirmak
Keysight Technologies:        Fangyi Rao
                            * Radek Biernacki
                              Nicholas Tzou
Maxim Integrated Products:    Hassan Rafat
Mentor Graphics:            * John Angulo
                            * Arpad Muranyi
Micron Technology:          * Randy Wolff
                              Justin Butterfield
QLogic Corp.                  James Zhou
                              Andy Joy
SiSoft:                     * Walter Katz
                              Todd Westerhoff
                            * Mike LaBonte
Synopsys                      Rita Horner
Teraspeed Consulting Group:   Scott McMorrow
Teraspeed Labs:             * Bob Ross
TI:                           Alfred Chong

(Note: Agilent has changed to Keysight)

The meeting was led by Arpad Muranyi.

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Opens:

- None
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Call for patent disclosure:

- None
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Review of ARs:

- Walter to discuss PAM4_Mapping directionality with Fangyi, et al.
  - Done.
  
- Arpad to report to the Open Forum that ATM recommends BIRD 157 be scheduled
  for a vote and rejected.
  - Done.

-------------------------
Review of Meeting Minutes:

- Arpad: Does anyone have any comments or corrections? [none]
- Arpad: Motion to approve the minutes.
- Curtis: Second.
- Arpad: Anyone opposed?  [none]

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New Discussion:

PAM4 question from Editorial Committee:
- Michael M: I sent out an email on behalf of the Editorial Committee.
  - Bob R. had brought up a question regarding the language used with the
    PAM4 threshold parameters.
  - One line in BIRD 175 says:
    If the Reserved AMI Parameter Modulation lists "PAM4" (either as a Value or
    as a List selection), PAM4_UpperThreshold and PAM4_LowerThreshold are required...
  - This might imply that they are required regardless of the directionality.
    - Would we really want them for Tx?
- Walter: It was an oversight in BIRD 175 not to explicitly state that
          thresholds are for Rx only.
- Discussion: Several different proposals for resolving the ambiguity were
  suggested by Bob R., Michael M., and Walter.  Ultimately, Bob R. suggested
  that the cleanest solution was to include BIRD 178 (buffer directionality)
  in IBIS 6.1.  BIRD 178 would introduce the directionality concept to all
  AMI reserved parameters, and the combination of BIRD 175 and 178 would
  address the ambiguity brought up by the Editorial Committee.  Everyone
  agreed with Bob's suggestion.

- Bob R: I have some minor editorial revisions I'd like to make to BIRD 178.
  - In the Supported Directions column of the "Defined Directions for Reserved
    Parameters" table, make the following changes:
    - Replace instances of "Tx-only" with "Tx".
    - Replace instances of "Rx-only" with "Rx".
    - Replace instances of "Any" with "Tx, Rx".
- Discussion: After a brief discussion, no one was opposed to these changes.

- Arpad: I would like to have some formal motions and votes on these decisions.
  - I'm concerned about the proper lead time for considering the BIRD prior to
    voting at the Open Forum meeting on July 31st.
  - Perhaps we could do this as a minor editorial change to BIRD 178.2.
  - Creating a new BIRD 178.3 for Bob's change could delay us another 3 weeks.
- Bob R: This is a minor editorial change to BIRD 178.2.
  - We could make the editorial change at the Open Forum meeting.
  - Then the Open Forum could vote to approve 178.3 (with the change).
  - This would be okay with a one week notice of the vote (not requiring the two
    week notice for a new BIRD to be considered).

- Walter: I make a motion that we follow this exact procedure.
- Arpad: Second.
  - Anyone opposed? [none]
  
- Walter: [restating a motion made prior to discussing changes to BIRD 178]
  - I move that we address the ambiguity issue in the PAM4 BIRD (BIRD 175) by
    using BIRD 178 and recommending that the Open Forum approve BIRD 178 for
    inclusion in IBIS 6.1.
- Michael M: Second.
- Arpad: Anyone opposed? [none]

- Arpad:
  - Any other topics? [none]
  - Let us close today's meeting.
- Michael M: Motion to adjourn.
- Curtis: Second.
- Arpad: Anyone opposed? [none]
  - Thank you all for joining.
  
AR: Arpad to report to the Open Forum that ATM recommends BIRD 178 be approved
    in the next meeting, and that it be included in IBIS 6.1.  
AR: Mike L. to email the Open Forum to schedule the vote for BIRD 178 at the
    July 31, 2015 meeting.

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Next meeting: 28 July 2015 12:00pm PT
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IBIS Interconnect SPICE Wish List:

1) Simulator directives