Representing Electronic Component Data in Hardware Description Languages

Electronic component data, commonly known as ‘‘data sheets’’ are the sustenance of a circuit designer. Each new book of data sheets possibly solves some outstanding idea or design problem. Given such a prominent role in a designer’s life, it is of critical importance that data sheet representation in a computer be more than just a photographic image of the original. This paper examines some of the issues in the computer representation of data sheets for active components. It begins by examining different types of data sheets along with the varying types of representation required. Next, the issues of data and parameter representation are described. The problems of describing the behavior, or model definition immediately follows, concluding with the problems of assembly and test. 1. An overview of data sheets Electronic component data, commonly known as ‘‘data sheets’’ are the sustenance of a circuit designer. Each new book of data sheets possibly solves some outstanding idea or design problem. Given such a prominent role in a designer’s life, it is of critical importance that data sheet representation in a computer be more than just a photographic image of the original. Semiconductor manufacturers are already supplying some data on floppy disks and CDROMs but these are mostly limited to SPICE ( Nagel ) models of analog parts. The dearth of digital specifications is especially galling given the widespread acceptance of Hardware Description Languages (HDLs) like VHDL (IEEE 1988)(Menchini 1993) and Verilog (Thomas and Moorby. 1991). This paper examines some of the issues in the computer representation of data sheets for active components. It begins by examining different types of data sheets along with the varying types of representation required. Next, the issues of data and parameter representation are described. The problems of describing the behavior, or model definition immediately follows, concluding with the problems of assembly and test.