Parallel electronic design automation: distributed simultaneous editing

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving edit requests from the first and second clients comprises receiving edit requests from a human designer as one of the first and second users.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2 , wherein the receiving edit requests from the first and second clients comprises receiving edit requests from an automated program as the other of the first and second users.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 , wherein the transmitting the PCB master design portion comprises transmitting the entire PCB master design.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1 , further comprising partitioning the PCB master design into the first and second exclusive sub-portions.

Claim 7

The method of claim 1 , wherein: at least one of the edit requests is automatically generated in response to selection of an object and a command, the object is at least one of a route, a component, a trace, a via, text, and a drawing object, and the command is at least one of move left, move right, delete and add.

Claim 8

The method of claim 1 , further comprising: placing the edit requests in a queue; and processing the edit requests on a first-in-first-out (FIFO) basis, said processing comprising the accepting and rejecting steps.

Claim 9

The method of claim 1 , wherein said determining if edit requests from the first client conflict with edit requests from the second client comprises at least one of: determining whether acceptance of a request from the first client and acceptance of a request from the second client will violate a spacing rule, determining whether acceptance of a request from the first client and acceptance of a request from the second client will violate a geometry rule, and determining whether acceptance of a request from the first client and acceptance of a request from the second client will violate a connectivity rule.

Claim 10

The method of claim 1 , further comprising: determining if an additional edit request received from the first client conflicts with an additional edit request received from the second client; upon determining that said additional edit requests conflict, determining if the conflict can be resolved; and upon determining that the conflict can be resolved, accepting said additional edit requests by applying the additional edit request from the first client to the first exclusive sub-portion and applying the additional edit request from the second client to the second exclusive sub-portion.

Claim 11

The method of claim 1 , wherein: one of the edit requests is automatically generated in response to the first or second user selecting, moving, and then releasing a first object, another of the edit requests is automatically generated in response to the first or second user selecting a second object and then moving the second object to a graphically represented deletion area, and another of the edit requests is automatically generated in response to the first or second user selecting a third object, placing the third object on the displayed artwork, and then releasing the third object.

Claim 12

The method of claim 1 , wherein said transmitting synchronization data comprises retransmitting the PCB master design portion to the first and second clients.

Claim 13

The method of claim 1 , wherein said transmitting synchronization data comprises transmitting synchronization data simultaneously with applying an edit request to the PCB master design.

Claim 14

The method of claim 1 , wherein said transmitting a PCB master design portion further comprises: transmitting the first exclusive sub-portion for graphical display on the first client so as to indicate that the first user may edit the first exclusive sub-portion and for graphical display on the second client so as to indicate that the second user may not edit the first exclusive sub-portion; and transmitting the second exclusive sub-portion for graphical display on the second client so as to indicate that the second user may edit the second exclusive sub-portion and for graphical display on the first client so as to indicate that the first user may not edit the second exclusive sub-portion.

Claim 15

The method of claim 1 , wherein: the PCB master design portion comprises first and second layers, the first exclusive sub-portion comprises the first layer, and the second exclusive sub-portion comprises the second layer.

Claim 16

A server for receiving and processing requests to edit a printed circuit board (PCB) master design during an editing session throughout which each of first and second users may edit exclusive sub-portions of the PCB master design portion and view edits made to the PCB master design portion by the other of the first and second users during the editing session, comprising: a database for maintaining the master design; connections to first and second clients; and a processor configured to: transmit the PCB master design portion to the first and second users at respective first and second clients for graphical display on each of said clients, the PCB master design portion including first and second exclusive sub-portions, the graphical displays on each of said clients including representations of PCB artwork corresponding to both the first and second exclusive sub-portions, receive edit requests from the first and second clients during the editing session, determine if edit requests from the first client conflict with edit requests from the second client, accept requests from the first client to edit the first exclusive sub-portion, accept requests from the second client to edit the second exclusive sub-portion, reject requests from the first client to edit the second exclusive sub-portion, reject requests from the second client to edit the first exclusive sub-portion, reject a request from the first client to edit the first exclusive sub-portion based on a conflict with a request from the second client to edit the second exclusive sub-portion, and transmit synchronization data to the first and second clients, the synchronization data permitting update of the graphical displays on each of the first and second clients during the editing session to reflect application of the accepted edit requests to the respective first and second exclusive sub-portions.

Claim 17

A server for receiving and processing requests to edit a printed circuit board (PCB) master design during an editing session throughout which each of first and second users may edit exclusive sub-portions of the PCB master design portion and view edits made to the PCB master design portion by the other of the first and second users during the editing session, comprising: a database for maintaining the master design; connections to first and second clients; and a processor configured to: transmit the PCB master design portion to the first and second users at respective first and second clients for graphical display on each of said clients, the PCB master design portion including first and second exclusive sub-portions, the graphical displays on each of said clients including representations of PCB artwork corresponding to both the first and second exclusive sub-portions, receive edit requests from the first and second clients during the editing session, determine if edit requests from the first client conflict with edit requests from the second client, accept requests from the first client to edit the first exclusive sub-portion, accept requests from the second client to edit the second exclusive sub-portion, reject requests from the first client to edit the second exclusive sub-portion, reject requests from the second client to edit the first exclusive sub-portion, reject a request from the first client to edit the first exclusive sub-portion based on a conflict with a request from the second client to edit the second exclusive sub-portion, and transmit synchronization data to the first and second clients, the synchronization data permitting update of the graphical displays on each of the first and second clients during the editing session to reflect application of the accepted edit requests to the respective first and second exclusive sub-portions.

Claim 18

The server of claim 15 , wherein the processor is configured to receive edit requests from the first and second clients by receiving edit requests from a human designer as one of the first and second users.

Claim 19

The server of claim 16 , wherein the processor is configured to receive edit requests from the first and second clients by receiving edit requests from an automated program as the other of the first and second users.

Claim 20

The server of claim 15 , wherein the processor is configured to transmit the PCB master design portion by transmitting the entire PCB master design.

Claim 21

The server of claim 15 , wherein the processor is configured to partition the PCB master design into and second exclusive sub-portions.

Claim 22

The server of claim 15 , wherein: at least one of the edit requests is automatically generated in response to selection of an object and a command, the object is at least one of a route, a component, a trace, a via, text, and a drawing object, and the command is at least one of move left, move right, delete and add.

Claim 23

The server of claim 15 , wherein the processor is configured to: place the edit requests in a queue, and process the edit requests, on a first-in-first-out (FIFO) basis, by accepting or rejecting edit requests.

Claim 24

The server of claim 15 , wherein the processor is configured to determine if edit requests from the first client conflict with edit requests from the second client by at least one of: determining whether acceptance of a request from the first client and acceptance of a request from the second client will violate a spacing rule, determining whether acceptance of a request from the first client and acceptance of a request from the second client will violate a geometry rule, and determining whether acceptance of a request from the first client and acceptance of a request from the second client will violate a connectivity rule.

Claim 25

The server of claim 15 , wherein the processor is configured to: determine if an additional edit request received from the first client conflicts with an additional edit request received from the second client, upon determining that said additional edit requests conflict, determine if the conflict can be resolved, and upon determining that the conflict can be resolved, accept said additional edit requests by applying the additional edit request from the first client to the first exclusive sub-portion and applying the additional edit request from the second client to the second exclusive sub-portion.

Claim 26

The server of claim 15 , wherein: one of the edit requests is automatically generated in response to the first or second user selecting, moving, and then releasing a first object, another of the edit requests is automatically generated in response to the first or second user selecting a second object and then moving the second object to a graphically represented deletion area, and another of the edit requests is automatically generated in response to the first or second user selecting a third object, placing the third object on the displayed artwork, and then releasing the third object.

Claim 27

The server of claim 15 , wherein the server is configured to transmit synchronization data by retransmitting the PCB master design portion to the first and second clients.

Claim 28

The server of claim 15 , wherein the server is configured to transmit synchronization data by transmitting synchronization data simultaneously with applying an edit request to the PCB master design.

Claim 29

The server of claim 15 , wherein the server is configured to transmit a PCB master design portion by: transmitting the first exclusive sub-portion for graphical display on the first client so as to indicate that the first user may edit the first exclusive sub-portion and for graphical display on the second client so as to indicate that the second user may not edit the first exclusive sub-portion, and transmitting the second exclusive sub-portion for graphical display on the second client so as to indicate that the second user may edit the second exclusive sub-portion and for graphical display on the first client so as to indicate that the first user may not edit the second exclusive sub-portion.

Claim 30

The server of claim 15 , wherein: the PCB master design portion comprises first and second layers, the first exclusive sub-portion comprises the first layer, and the second exclusive sub-portion comprises the second layer.

Claim 31

A machine-readable medium having stored thereon data representing sequences of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform steps comprising: transmitting a PCB master design portion during an editing session throughout which each of first and second users may edit exclusive sub-portions of a PCB master design portion and view edits made to the PCB master design portion by the other of the first and second users during the editing session, wherein: the PCB master design portion includes first and second exclusive sub-portions and is transmitted to the first and second users at respective first and second clients for graphical display on each of said clients, and the graphical displays on each of said clients include representations of PCB artwork corresponding to both the first and second exclusive sub-portions; receiving edit requests from the first and second clients during the editing session; determining if edit requests from the first client conflict with edit requests from the second client; accepting requests from the first client to edit the first exclusive sub-portion; accepting requests from the second client to edit the second exclusive sub-portion; rejecting requests from the first client to edit the second exclusive sub-portion; rejecting requests from the second client to edit the first exclusive sub-portion; rejecting a request from the first client to edit the first exclusive sub-portion based on a conflict with a request from the second client to edit the second exclusive sub-portion; and transmitting synchronization data to the first and second clients, the synchronization data permitting update of the graphical displays on each of the first and second clients during the editing session to reflect application of the accepted edit requests to the respective first and second exclusive sub-portions.

Claim 32

A machine-readable medium having stored thereon data representing sequences of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform steps comprising: transmitting a PCB master design portion during an editing session throughout which each of first and second users may edit exclusive sub-portions of a PCB master design portion and view edits made to the PCB master design portion by the other of the first and second users during the editing session, wherein: the PCB master design portion includes first and second exclusive sub-portions and is transmitted to the first and second users at respective first and second clients for graphical display on each of said clients, and the graphical displays on each of said clients include representations of PCB artwork corresponding to both the first and second exclusive sub-portions; receiving edit requests from the first and second clients during the editing session; determining if edit requests from the first client conflict with edit requests from the second client; accepting requests from the first client to edit the first exclusive sub-portion; accepting requests from the second client to edit the second exclusive sub-portion; rejecting requests from the first client to edit the second exclusive sub-portion; rejecting requests from the second client to edit the first exclusive sub-portion; rejecting a request from the first client to edit the first exclusive sub-portion based on a conflict with a request from the second client to edit the second exclusive sub-portion; and transmitting synchronization data to the first and second clients, the synchronization data permitting update of the graphical displays on each of the first and second clients during the editing session to reflect application of the accepted edit requests to the respective first and second exclusive sub-portions.

Claim 33

The machine-readable medium of claim 29 , wherein the receiving edit requests from the first and second clients comprises receiving edit requests from a human designer as one of the first and second users.

Claim 34

The machine-readable medium of claim 29 , wherein the receiving edit requests from the first and second clients comprises receiving edit requests from an automated program as the other of the first and second users.

Claim 35

The machine-readable medium of claim 29 , wherein the transmitting the PCB master design portion comprises transmitting the entire PCB master design.

Claim 36

The machine-readable medium comprising further instructions for performing steps comprising partitioning the PCB master design into the first and second exclusive sub-portions.

Claim 37

The machine-readable medium comprising further instructions for performing steps comprising partitioning the PCB master design into the first and second exclusive sub-portions.

Claim 38

The machine-readable medium of claim 29 , wherein: at least one of the edit requests is automatically generated in response to selection of an object and a command, the object is at least one of a route, a component, a trace, a via, text, and a drawing object, and the command is at least one of move left, move right, delete and add.

Claim 39

The machine-readable medium of claim 29 , comprising further instructions for performing steps comprising: placing the edit requests in a queue; and processing the edit requests on a first-in-first-out (FIFO) basis, said processing comprising the accepting and rejecting steps.

Claim 40

The machine-readable medium of claim 29 , wherein said determining if edit requests from the first client conflict with edit requests from the second client comprises at least one of: determining whether acceptance of a request from the first client and acceptance of a request from the second client will violate a spacing rule, determining whether acceptance of request from the first client and acceptance of a request from the second client will violate a geometry rule, and determining whether acceptance of request from the first client and acceptance of a request from the second client will violate a connectivity rule.

Claim 41

The machine-readable medium of claim 29 , comprising further instructions for performing steps comprising: determining if an additional edit request received from the first client conflicts with an additional edit request received from the second client; upon determining that said additional edit requests conflict, determining if the conflict can be resolved; and upon determining that the conflict can be resolved, accepting said additional edit requests by applying the additional edit request from the first client to the first exclusive sub-portion and applying the additional edit request from the second client to the second exclusive sub-portion.

Claim 42

The machine-readable medium of claim 29 , wherein: one of the edit requests is automatically generated in response to the first or second user selecting, moving, and then releasing a first object, another of the edit requests is automatically generated in response to the first or second user selecting a second object and then moving the second object to a graphically represented deletion area, and another of the edit requests is automatically generated in response to the first or second user selecting a third object, placing the third object on the displayed artwork, and then releasing the third object.

Claim 43

The machine-readable medium of claim 29 , wherein said transmitting synchronization data comprises retransmitting the PCB master design portion to the first and second clients.

Claim 44

The machine-readable medium of claim 29 , wherein said transmitting synchronization data comprises transmitting synchronization data simultaneously with applying an edit request to the PCB master design.

Claim 45

The machine-readable medium of claim 29 , wherein said transmitting a PCB master design portion further comprises: transmitting the first exclusive sub-portion for graphical display on the first client so as to indicate that the first user may edit the first exclusive sub-portion and for graphical display on the second client so as to indicate that the second user may not edit the first exclusive sub-portion; and transmitting the second exclusive sub-portion for graphical display on the second client so as to indicate that the second user may edit the second exclusive sub-portion and for graphical display on the first client so as to indicate that the first user may not edit the second exclusive sub-portion.

Claim 46

The machine-readable medium of claim 29 , wherein: the PCB master design portion comprises first and second layers, the first exclusive sub-portion comprises the first layer, and the second exclusive sub-portion comprises the second layer.