Dennis wrote: > SO HOW is the blazerouter? > just curious > I have the Blaze router as well as Spectra. Unfortunately, I never had the time over the past year or two that PADs released the new router software to tinker with the router. Almost all of the PADs designers I know in our area have bailed from using PADS and joined the Cadence bandwagon. I know Altium is preparing to release their new router and I read their autorouter whitepaper with interest. Here are my observations about routers in general. I worked with PHD math major who walked around with a coffee mug most of the time sharing his paradoxes of math algorithms and equating them to real world applications. He once told me the boring mathematical theory how to stack oranges in the most efficient manner. Yes there was a formula to it. There was also the stock boy with a 6th grade education working in the produce section of a grocery store who already knew without a proof that the most efficient method was to stack them side by side and build the orange pyramid in the isle. Years later, I read Dr Cooper and Dr. Chang applied the same theory into developing the Spectra autorouter. Can the basic algorithm be improved on? The answer is no. Can Spectra be improved, the answer is yes. What is lacking with current router technology is the ability to recognize patterns. Specta's approach is route point to point regardless if the pattern repeats itself 100 times. I am guessing Altiums router will have the intelligence to recognize real patterns. For example Take a backplane with three 3 row connectors pins 1 -96 of J1 connected to same pins of J2 and J3. No router in the world can route three connectors, straight, on the least amount of layers, using no vias. Sure Spectra can , if you program every connection like it was line of code, but to hit GO and route....forget it. It does no better than Protel's autorouter. This is the simplest of routing task yet it cant be rotund or stacked like the oranges, efficiently . The most efficient method is obvious to you the designer because you can visually see there are connector as objects , each identical, representing a pattern. I have waited a long time in anticipation for someone to write code that recognized real patterns.
While I am on this subject of pattern recognition.....Altium if you are reading this.....give us something that will recognize signal (neg) and signal (pos) as a patterned pair. Or ability to automatically identify/correlate and pair positive and negative signals from the netlist. This may require setting a standard naming conventions for signal names on schematics. Differential paired routing has taken over in high speed design and is a must for any new router. I have my checkbook open and am waiting for the new router. If 99SE is any indication of how good these guys in AU can write software then the new router should shake the industry . Mike Reagan EDSI Frederick * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * To post a message: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * * To leave this list visit: * http://www.techservinc.com/protelusers/leave.html * * Contact the list manager: * mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * * Forum Guidelines Rules: * http://www.techservinc.com/protelusers/forumrules.html * * Browse or Search previous postings: * http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
