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SPECCTRA: 10.2 -> 15.x any significant new features?

Hi all,

I've been asked by management to justify the large cost for SPECCTRA maintenence.

One question ive not been able to answer is are there any new significant features to SPECCTRA since about 2000?

At the moment, the only new item i know of are 'layer sets', which is a nice addition, but is not what i would call significant.

Ideas peoples?

roberth.

Originally posted in cdnusers.org by roberth

archive over 19 years ago

Robert,

I have enclosed the Features which have been implemented into Specctra from 15.0 thru 15.7. Beyond enhancements to the software maintenance also allows for software updates which contain fixes to P0, P1 and P2 pcrs, just a side note.

PSD 15.0
Layer Set Routing
Provides for true layer set routing, to include exclusive layer sets whereby if a net starts on a particular layer set it will route the entire net with that layer set. This is a selectable check box within the assignment UI.
Documentation
SPECCTRA 15.0 help system now follows Cadence corporate standard and uses CDSDoc..
Positive Shapes Enhancement
This feature will be very well received. It allows for a shape defined in Allegro on a conductor layer and of type "dynamic" to be passed to SPECCTRA and when interactively routing or using the automatic router, SPECCTRA will place vias within the shape and Allegro manages the shape once the SPECCTRA session is complete and returned to Allegro.
Virtual Pins
The old hidden set command bay_virtual_pin was set to OFF, now the set command has changed to dynamic_virtual_pin is is default to ON.
Licensing
This enhancement provides for a user to select from their available licenses when SPECCTRA is started stand-alone.
Route Status Report enhancements
The additions are for the differential pair and layer set routing enhancements.
Differential Pairs
The differential pair changes have been made to reflect the changes made within the Allegro tool suite.

SPB 15.2

Via Z
To more accurately account for delay in your designs, you can include the the conducting portion of a via/pin (also known as Z Axis Delay) in DRC calculations for DIFFERENTIAL PAIR PHASE TOLERANCE, PROPAGATION DELAY, and RELATIVE PROPAGATION. Z Axis Delay includes any through-hole component or any hole with a depth value. The conducting portion of a via/pin comprises the thickness through the board from the placed symbol layer where a net enters a padstack, which may be a via or a through-hole pin, to the layer from which it exits. This functionality is not within the PCB Router gui.

Pin Delay
The PIN_DELAY feature is implemented to manage interchip delay or die-to-die timing paths across a printed circuit board and thereby factor inter-package delay into timing requirements. In the PCB Router this feature is driven from a -schematic or -board level. This functionality is not within the PCB Router gui.

Turbo Stagger option
A turbo stagger switch has been added to the options section of the Router setup tab. This is used to improve routing performance though staggered pin connector fields. If left unset, router has tendency to route around the connector thus increasing lengths of routed traces. Not recommended for global routing due to performance degradation.

Multiple Matched Groups
Guidelines for source synchronous buses require their nets/pin pairs to reside in multiple matched groups. Prior to 15.2, Allegro restricted a pin pair to only one matched group. 15.2 removes this restriction as nets/pin pairs can reside in more than one matched group. Interactive routing feedback displays worst case margins when processing more than one condition.

SPB15.5

Allegro Integration and Optimization

Allegro Integration Optimization is an ongoing effort within Cadence to continually improve the transfer of information between Allegro Editor and the Allegro Router.

Differential Pair and Same Neck Width

This document describes changes to the Allegro Router functionality to route Differential Pairs with regards to neck width.

Layerset Alignment with Allegro Editor

The following enhancements were made to PCB Router to properly align with layer set support in PCB Editor.

Directory and Filename support for Spaces on Windows Platform

In alignment with Allegro, PCB Router now allows spaces to be used when specifying directory and file names on Windows® platforms.

Allegro Router Product Documentation

Allegro Platform products have changed the way you access product information, this describes those changes.

SPB15.7

Allegro Partial Net Scheduling

The ability to partially schedule or sub-schedule nets in Allegro is referenced in the SPB15.7 Allegro Editor training. The Allegro Router will adhere to the new user schedule model.

Originally posted in cdnusers.org by taunis

archive over 19 years ago

hi Taunis,

Thanks for the info on the 15.x upgrades.

Can anyone paste in the patch/version notes for the previous versions?

roberth.

Originally posted in cdnusers.org by roberth

archive over 19 years ago

If you have Specctra installed on your machine then the products notes for previous versions are at the following directory :

%cdsroot%\doc\specctraWN -> file called "specctraWN.pdf"
If you have Version 15.5.1 installed then this document will tell you what's New back to Version 10.0

Originally posted in cdnusers.org by rbennett

archive over 19 years ago

Posted By rbennett on 7/13/2006 12:52 AM
If you have Specctra installed on your machine then the products notes for previous versions are at the following directory :

%cdsroot%\doc\specctraWN -> file called "specctraWN.pdf"
If you have Version 15.5.1 installed then this document will tell you what's New back to Version 10.0

The latest version we have is 10.2. This is why i'm asking questions.

Can you attach the file in a post here (assuming the file is less than 3/4Mb in size).

roberth

Originally posted in cdnusers.org by roberth

archive over 19 years ago

here you are.

Originally posted in cdnusers.org by rbennett

specctraWN.pdf

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