Minutes, IBIS Quality Task Group

13 April 2021

12:00-13:00 EST (09:00-10:00 PST)

ROLL CALL

Intel Technology                  * Michael Mirmak
Micron Technology                 * Randy Wolff
Signal Integrity Software:        * Mike LaBonte
Teraspeed Labs:                   * Bob Ross
Zuken USA:                          Lance Wang

Everyone in attendance marked by *

NOTE: "AR" = Action Required.

-----------------------MINUTES ---------------------------
Mike LaBonte conducted the meeting.

Call for IBIS related patent disclosures:

- None


Call for opens:

- None


Review of previous meeting minutes:
Minutes from the April 6 and 13, 2021 meetings were reviewed.
 moved to accept the minutes.
 seconded.
 Without objection the minutes were approved.


ARs:
- Bob Ross to post new IBISCHK BUG216
  - Not posted yet
- Bob Ross to combine the two parser development contract drafts into one
  - Done, sent for review
- Mike LaBonte to fix erratic number formatting in TSCHK2 output
  - Not done
- Mike LaBonte to add output size option to TSCHK2 alpha5
  - Not done


NEW ITEMS:

New parser bug reports:
Bob Ross showed BUG216.  He had classified it as "Not a bug".  Michael Mirmak said the
issue was related to precision, not type.  For example, a List of UI could contain both
floats and integers.  He said the specification was vague on that.  One tool found that
"0" did not match "0.0".  Should we require that every List item be the same "flavor"?

Bob said the parser was handling it correctly.  Mike LaBonte said a Float could
have a decimal point but did not have to.  Michael Mirmak said some programming
languages might not have native support for the types.  Bob said other parts of the
specification had the same issue.  Mike felt the question applied to many parts of the
specification where numeric values were described.  He said Float only meant it has to
be possible to read in the text as a real number, and integer as a cardinal number.
We had never specified that the comparison must be numeric, not string.  Mike felt
we should not become more restrictive, as many existing models might become invalid.
Michael proposed a clarification that would pose no technical change.

Bob asked if an integer could have an exponent.  Mike was not sure, but he doubted that.
Randy Wolff said the Default differed from the List only in Type.  Mike suggested
striking "or integer" from the description for UI.  Bob disagreed, saying we had to be
clear when integers were allowed.  Mike felt that would affect the entire specification.
Randy felt it would be unnecessary.  Bob said integer was a subset of float.  Mike said
that was why we did not need to call it out specially, in the description for UI.
Michael said the specification did not make clear that numbers should not be treated
distinctly by type.  He felt we should not go into the difference between 1.0 and
1.00000, however.  Bob noted that Table could have a mix of types.  Randy noted they
had to at least be consistent within a column.

Bob asked if the bug should be filed and discussed in Open Forum.  Michael said he
would like to have that discussion.  We agreed to post it.

Bob said some languages did distinguish strongly between types.


IBISCHK development:
Bob Ross showed draft 7 of the IBISCHK 7.1.0 contract.  Bob said he had added bullets
for directionality checking and Reserved_Parameters names being no longer allowed in
the Model_Specific section.  BUG214 and BUG215 were added.  Bob said red-highlighted
items would be changed to black.  He said some rules regarding interactions between
Training_Model "Impulse" Init_Returns_Impulse and GetWave_Exists were not clear.
Randy Wolff agreed, suggesting that we ask for a clarification.  Bob showed the possible
combinations of GetWave, Impulse, and Both.  "Both" by itself would not be allowed.
Bob said we had similar sounding code parameters.  Mike LaBonte asked if "GetWave_Exists
is True" should have "must be".

Bob wanted to send the document to SAE ITC for legal review.  Mike felt the legal
review might take too long.  He noted the contract price had to be obtained in advance.
Randy suggested highlighting any contract terms that changed from the previously
approved, to make review easier.  Mike suggested sending the previous contract along
with the new one.  He asked if those should be sent before the next meeting.  Bob said
only the first 6 pages were the legal portion, the remainder was a technical addendum.

AR: Randy Wolff to ask Walter Katz for BIRD201.1 clarifications
AR: Bob Ross to update parser development contract draft with review feedback
AR: Bob Ross to send contract draft to SAE ITC for legal review


TSCHK 2.0.1 development:
- No discussion


Tabled topics (no discussion without motion):
  - BIRD181.2


Mike LaBonte moved to adjourn. Michael Mirmak seconded. Without objection the meeting ended.

Meeting ended: 13:18 ET

Next meeting April 20, 2021
