Re: IBIS connector model

Kanal,

I've seen several responses to your email, some of which were sent to you privately, but I'll overview the answer for the group:

The error message "Connector with Active Pin" points to a problem with the way device CLASS and PINUSE properties are set in your database.

A PCB database, by itself, is a physical database that can be used to manufacture a board. If you want to accurately model the design for simulation, there is additional information that the simulation tools need:

1- an accurate description of the PCB cross-section (Stackup)
2- definitions of which nets are tied to which power supplies
3- an understanding of each device's electrical purpose (i.e. an IC? a resistor pack? a connector?)
4- specific simulation models for critical high speed components
5- reasonable "default" simulation models for non-critical components without a specific model

Your issue is with point #3. Allegro/SPECCTRAQuest use the properties of CLASS and PINUSE to define the device's type (CLASS = IC, DISCRETE or IO) and the function of the pins within the device (PINUSE). The error message you refer to states that the system has found a connector (CLASS = IO) with a PINUSE other than UNSPEC. The systems expects the PINUSE for a connector (CLASS = IO) to be UNSPECified because the device is assumed to be passive.

The usual issue is that a company's Allegro device library doesn't set the CLASS and PINUSE properties correctly, because the people who build the parts libraries aren't aware of the electrical requirements. There are two ways to address the issue:

1. If the people who maintain your device libraries are willing to update their device files, great.
2. The "database setup advisor" introduced in the 13.6 release will guide you through the process of setting up the properties in your database, independent of addressing any fixes to the libraries. This sets the properties directly in the individual .brd file.

For everyone else, my apologies for getting into so many tool-specific issues in a public forum. The question was asked publicly, and I figured it would probably benefit a number of people to answer the question (at least to the first level) the same way.

Anyone who needs more detail, let's please take this on off the reflect - feel free to contact me @ toddw@cadence.com.

Todd.

At 07:39 AM 5/22/2000 -0400, Kanal_Bashu@emc.com wrote:
>I am trying to extract a topology using SpectraQuest, but cannot because
>of the following error. "Errors: Connector With Active pin". The model is
>attached to this message. Can anyone clarify the proper use of connector
>models in circuit simulation or provide me with a connector model?
>
>Regards,
>
>Bashu Kanal
>EMC Corporation
>Design Verification Group
> <<conn149.ibs>>

    Todd Westerhoff
    Product Marketing Director | High Speed Systems Design | Performance Engineering
    Cadence Design Systems | 270 Billerica Road | Chelmsford, MA 01824
    
    ph: (978) 262-6327
    fx: (978) 446-6798
    email: toddw@cadence.com
    internal information website: http://www-ma.cadence.com/~toddw
Received on Mon May 22 07:57:56 2000