IBIS Macromodel Task Group

Meeting date: 12 March 2024

Members (asterisk for those attending):
Achronix Semiconductor:       Hansel Dsilva
Amazon:                       John Yan
ANSYS:                      * Curtis Clark
                            * Wei-hsing Huang
Aurora System:               Dian Yang
                              Raj Raghuram
Cadence Design Systems:     * Ambrish Varma
                            * Jared James
Dassault Systemes:            Longfei Bai                             
Google:                       Hanfeng Wang
                              GaWon Kim
Intel:                      * Michael Mirmak
                              Kinger Cai
                              Chi-te Chen
                              Liwei Zhao
                              Alaeddin Aydiner
Keysight Technologies:        Fangyi Rao
                              Majid Ahadi Dolatsara
                              Stephen Slater
                              Ming Yan
                              Rui Yang
Marvell:                      Steve Parker
Mathworks (SiSoft):           Walter Katz
                              Graham Kus
Micron Technology:            Justin Butterfield
Missouri S&T:                 Chulsoon Hwang
                              Yifan Ding
                              Zhiping Yang
Rivos:                        Yansheng Wang
SAE ITC:                      Michael McNair
Siemens EDA (Mentor):       * Arpad Muranyi
                            * Randy Wolff
Teraspeed Labs:               Bob Ross
Zuken USA:                  * Lance Wang

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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Opens:

- None.
  
-------------
Review of ARs:

Michael: Draft a new BIRD proposal to introduce a "Definitions" section to
         describe terms such as block, segment, etc., used in AMI.
         - Done.  Michael had sent draft1 prior to this meeting.

--------------------------
Call for patent disclosure:

- None.

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

Arpad asked for any comments or corrections to the minutes of the March 5th
meeting.  Michael moved to approve the minutes.  Ambrish seconded the motion.
There were no objections.

--------------
New Discussion:

Adding a Definitions Section to IBIS:
Michael reviewed his draft1.  He said its intention is to introduce a new
section between the current sections three and four.  He noted that AMI is
section 10 in IBIS 7.2, but it is referred to as Section 11 in this proposal
because the new section will be inserted.  Section 4 will be the General
Terminology Definitions, and subsection 4.1, as described in this proposal, will
contain AMI related definitions.

Arpad said he agreed with the concept of placing AMI specific definitions in a
subsection, as he thought we could eventually factor various terms out of other
sections of the document and provide their definitions in different subsections.
Ambrish agreed but said we will probably also want a subset of definitions that
applies to the entire specification.

The group then reviewed the definitions themselves.  Arpad noted that block,
segment, and "time segment" were broadly defined as synonyms, but "time segment"
did not have its own entry in the definitions.  Ambrish wondered whether all
synonyms should be grouped together in one definition entry.  However, Michael
said he preferred to have separate entries for each along with cross references
to the others.  He said he wanted to make it as easy as possible for a reader
searching the Definitions to find the term they had in mind.

Arpad and Curtis reiterated the concern from the prior meeting that the
definition of symbol mistakenly implied that a symbol was the same as its
possible values.  They suggested, for example, that instead of saying there are
4 possible PAM4 symbols, we should say, a PAM4 symbol has 4 possible values.

Arpad suggested that the definition of NRZ should not state that "positive and
negative" voltage levels define the two logic states.  He said there is no
particular requirement that the two voltage levels be positive and negative.
Michael generalized the statement to say, "two distinct voltage levels define
the two logic states...".

The group then reviewed the definitions of block, segment, and time-segment and
adjusted them.  Arpad and Curtis expressed concern over the definition of block
and its statement, "... sometimes refers to a group denominated in bits rather
than in time units..."  They said that there is no reason to imply that the
term block is tied to the units used to describe its size.  Michael introduced
language changes enumerating some of the possible units (samples, symbols,
bits).  Ambrish suggested that a simple example would make the point clear, and
Michael added an example stating that a block of 512 samples at 32 samples per
UI represents 16 symbols.

Michael said he would send out draft2 incorporating the suggestions from the
meeting.

- Michael: Motion to adjourn.
- Jared: Second.
- Arpad: Thank you all for joining.

New ARs:
         
Michael: Send out draft2 of the "Definitions Section" BIRD proposal.

-------------
Next meeting: 19 March 2024 12:00pm PT
-------------

IBIS Interconnect SPICE Wish List:

1) Simulator directives
