Granted Patent B2

US 8,099,708 · App. 12/432,996 · Granted Jan 17, 2012

Abstract

Claims (36)

1. A method of an input/output assignment planning, comprising the steps of:

(A) generating a graphic presentation to a user using a computer, said graphic presentation displaying (i) a circuit icon having a plurality of pin icons, (ii) a plurality of assigned signal icons each associated with a respective one of said pin icons and (iii) a list having a plurality of unassigned signal icons not presently associated with any of said pin icons;

(B) drag-and-dropping a first of said unassigned signal icons within said graphic presentation from said list to a first of said pin icons in response to a first move command received from said user, said first unassigned signal icon becoming a first additional one of said assigned signals icons in response to being dropped on said first pin icon; and

(C) indicating in said graphic presentation a first lock of a first association between said first additional assigned signal icon and said first pin icon in response to a first lock command received from said user.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said first lock prevents a manual disassociation of said first additional assigned signal icon from said first pin icon.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising a step of:

indicating in said graphic presentation an unlock of said first association in response to an unlock command received from said user.

4. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising the step of:

indicating in said graphic presentation a disassociation of said first additional assigned signal icon from said first pin icon in response to a second move command received from said user while said first additional assigned signal icon is unlocked.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of:

automatically moving a second of said unassigned signal icons to a second of said pin icons in said graphic presentation in response to a second move command received from said user, said second move command attempting to associate said second unassigned signal icon with said first pin icon while said first pin icon is locked.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of:

automatically associating a second of said unassigned signal icons with a second of said pin icons in said graphic presentation in response to an assignment received from a database, said assignment attempting to associate said second unassigned signal icon with said first pin icon while said first pin icon is locked, said second unassigned signal icon becoming a second additional one of said assigned signal icons in response to becoming associated with said second pin icon.

7. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising the step of:

indicating in said graphic presentation a second lock of said second additional assigned signal icon with said second pin icon.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said first lock prevents an automatic disassociation of said first additional assigned signal icon from said first pin icon.

9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of:

modifying a rule corresponding to said first pin icon to indicate that said first pin icon is locked.

10. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of:

highlighting in said graphic presentation at least two of said unassigned signal icons in said list as a signal group in response to a group command received from said user.

11. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising the step of:

indicating in said graphic presentation a second association of said signal group to a corresponding pin group of said pin icons in response to a place command received from said user.

12. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising the step of:

indicating in said graphic presentation a second lock between said signal group and said pin group in response to a second lock command received from said user.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the steps are preformed by processor executable instructions contained within a computer readable medium.

14. A method of an input/output assignment planning, comprising the steps of:

(A) generating a graphic presentation to a user using a computer, said graphic presentation displaying (i) a circuit icon having a plurality of pin icons, (ii) a plurality of assigned signal icons each associated with a respective one of said pin icons and (iii) a list having a plurality of unassigned signal icons not presently associated with any of said pin icons;

(B) highlighting in said graphic presentation at least two of said unassigned signal icons as a signal group in response to a group command received from said user; and

(C) indicating in said graphic presentation (i) an association of said signal group to a corresponding pin group of said pin icons in response to a place command received from said user and (ii) a lock between said signal group and said pin group in response to a lock command received from said user.

15. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising the step of:

moving a particular one of said assigned signal icons currently associated with a first of said pin icons within said pin group to a second of said pin icons outside said pin group in response to said association of said signal group with said pin group.

16. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising the step of:

displaying in said graphic presentation a warning if said second pin icon is outside a boundary.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein said boundary defines a power segment in which all of said pin icons have a common voltage characteristic.

18. The method according to claim 14 , wherein said pin group comprises at least two subgroups non-adjoining each other.

19. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the steps are preformed by processor executable instructions contained within a computer readable medium.

Assignments (8)