Minutes, IBIS Quality Task Group

27 October 2020

11:00-12:00 EST (08:00-09:00 PST)

ROLL CALL

Achronix Semiconductor:             Hansel Dsilva
Intel Corp.                         Michael Mirmak
Mentor, a Siemens Business          Arpad Muranyi
Micron Technology                 * Randy Wolff
Signal Integrity Software:        * Mike LaBonte
SPISim                              Wei-hsing Huang
Teraspeed Labs:                   * Bob Ross
Zuken USA:                        * Lance Wang
SAE ITC                             José Godoy

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 October 20 meeting were reviewed. Bob Ross moved to approve.
Lance Wang seconded.  Without objection the minutes were approved.


ARs:
- Bob Ross to update BUG214 draft to describe parameters that name files
  - Done


New parser bugs:
Bob Ross reported there were no new bug reports.


IBIS-ISS parser:
Bob Ross showed his updated BUG214 draft and described the changes.  He said we would be
checking the interface between IBIS and IBIS-ISS.  Mike LaBonte asked about "if known"
regarding parameter type checking.  Bob said [External *] names would be declared but
EDA tools would supply the values.  The type was determined by looking at the value.
This did not apply to converter parameters.  Bob was uncertain if [Circuit Call]
would need to be checked.

Randy Wolff asked if parameter checking was necessary for [External *], or if
checking for just [Interconnect Model] would suffice.  Mike said there seemed to be
less value in [External *] checking, it had additional restrictions and complications.
Bob felt we should do the complete job, but he would support making it a two part job.
Lance Wang said we started with a simple syntax check, but the detailed checks were
too complicated.  Bob felt it would not be hard.  Mike suggested not checking parameters
or other element types.  Bob said we should do a complete job.

Randy checked IBIS-ISS and reported that if a parameter was passed in an instance
call it had to appear in the subckt definition.  However, a defined parameter could
be omitted from the instance call and the default value would be used.  Bob said we
would not check .param lines.  Mike said .param lines had no relation to parameters in
instance calls.  Bob and Randy felt a warning could be given for instance parameters
not defined.  Randy noted that Corner would require checking 3 files.

Mike suggested checking only the interface between IBIS and IBIS-ISS, making the
assumption that model makers had simulation tested the IBIS-ISS.  Bob said that would
defeat the purpose of the checking.  Mike suggested considering what mistakes the
model maker might make that would likely not be detected.  Bob said a string might
be passed where a number was expected.  Randy said we only supported type "value" for
[Interconnect Model], and that type checking might be going too far.

Bob said the subckt an [Interconnect Model] requires was not likely to be in an included
file, it would be in the file referenced by [Interconnect Model].  Mike felt we could
not count on that.  Randy questioned whether .include could appear outside of a subckt.
Bob said bringing the target subckt in by .include would be a pathological case.
Randy said ISS files were required to directly contain at least one subckt.  Mike felt
that implied the target subckt should be directly in the referenced file, and that
might mean .include processing would not be necessary.  Bob noted that .include could
not have a full path.

Mike said two questions were to be resolved:
1) Whether we could assume the target subckt would be found directly in the referenced file.
2) If any file name could be specified as a parameter value, requiring parameter value processing.
Bob suggested asking the Open Forum.  Randy suggested asking first about whether to
check [External *], leaving other questions for later.  Lance noted a typo, which
Bob corrected.

AR: Bob Ross to send latest BUG214 draft


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

Randy Wolff moved to adjourn. Bob Ross seconded. Without objection the meeting ended.

Meeting ended: 12:12 ET

Next meeting November 3, 2020