IBIS Macromodel Task Group

Meeting date: 09 November 2021

Members (asterisk for those attending):
Achronix Semiconductor:       Hansel Dsilva
Amazon:                       John Yan
ANSYS:                      * Curtis Clark
                            * Wei-hsing Huang
Cadence Design Systems:     * Ambrish Varma
                              Ken Willis
                              Jared James
Google:                       Zhiping Yang
Intel:                        Michael Mirmak
                              Kinger Cai
                              Alaeddin Aydiner
Keysight Technologies:        Fangyi Rao
                            * Majid Ahadi Dolatsara
                              Ming Yan
                            * Radek Biernacki
                              Rui Yang
                              Todd Bermensolo
Luminous Computing            David Banas
Marvell                       Steve Parker
Mathworks (SiSoft):           Walter Katz
                              Mike LaBonte
Micron Technology:          * Randy Wolff
                            * Justin Butterfield
Missouri S&T                  Chulsoon Hwang
Siemens EDA (Mentor):       * Arpad Muranyi
Teraspeed Labs:             * Bob Ross
Zuken USA:                  * Lance Wang

The meeting was led by Arpad Muranyi.  Curtis Clark took the minutes.

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Opens:

- None.

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Review of ARs:

- Bob to investigate whether non-alphanumeric characters are accepted in [Pin]
  names by current and past ibischk parsers.
  - Done.  Bob had confirmed that the current parser and past versions do allow
    such characters in [Pin] names (e.g., '_', '#', '$', etc.)

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Call for patent disclosure:

- None.

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Review of Meeting Minutes:

Arpad asked for any comments or corrections to the minutes of the November 2nd
meeting.  Randy moved to approve the minutes.  Bob seconded the motion.
There were no objections.

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New Discussion:

"alphanumeric" pin name requirements:
Following up on the previous week's ATM discussion, Arpad reported that the
Editorial task group had decided that nothing needed to be done for IBIS 7.1.
While experimenting with the pre-release ibischk7.1.0 parser code, Arpad had
found that it rejected '_' characters in [EMD Pin List] pin names.  The
specification does state that EMD and Interconnect Model keyword pin names must
be alphanumeric.  However, the [Pin] keyword description does not contain the
alphanumeric qualifier.  The editorial task group had decided we can revisit
these issues for IBIS 7.2.

Radek asked if the parser's restriction on pin names in interconnect and EMD
models should be considered a BUG.  Arpad said that all pin names, except those
in the [Pin] keyword, are stated to be alphanumeric in the specification.  Radek
asked if we have cleanup to do.  Bob said there are two issues.  He said we
need to add "alphanumeric" to the [Pin] keyword description.  Randy said we
also have to add our definition of alphanumeric (strict definition: 0-9, a-z,
A-Z) to the specification.

Bob said that [Pin] names can be very broad right now.  The parser correctly
allows additional characters in [Pin] names, but the assumption had originally
been that pin names were from data book pin names and would be strictly
alphanumeric.  Radek said he understood avoiding characters like '$', and '#',
but he thought using '_' should be allowed.  Bob and Randy asked if anyone had
ever seen an example IBIS file or data book that used '_' in pin names, as they
weren't aware of any such examples.  Arpad noted that the current restriction on
[Pin] name length is five characters.  So, while '_' might be nice to allow, the
five-character length limit becomes an issue.  Arpad suggested that it would
probably be safe to add the alphanumeric restriction to [Pin] names, and it was
unlikely to break any old models.  Radek agreed but said he didn't think "data
book pin names" were really standardized at all.

Upcoming Meetings:
Ambrish suggested that if the agenda was currently a bit sparse, we might
consider cancelling a meeting or two ahead of time.  Arpad noted that we are
coming upon the holiday season and typically skip a few.  He said this year
November 23rd (the week of Thanksgiving) and December 21st and 28th would be the
meetings we typically cancel.  Ambrish and Radek agreed.  Arpad said he would
note the 3 to-be-cancelled meeting dates on the agenda, and we could confirm the
cancellations at next week's meeting.

- Ambrish: Motion to adjourn.
- Curtis: Second.
- Arpad: Thank you all for joining.


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Next meeting: 16 November 2021 12:00pm PT
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IBIS Interconnect SPICE Wish List:

1) Simulator directives
