[comp.lsi] Wanted: references on routing algorithms.

cliff@centaure.UUCP (Cliff Dibble) (04/10/90)

I'm interested in algorithms for routing traces on printed circuit
boards. I'd greatly appreciate any references to the subject.
Thank you.

uunet!centaure!cliff
Cliff Dibble

grege@gold.GVG.TEK.COM (Gregory Ebert) (04/10/90)

In article <137@centaure.UUCP> cliff@centaure.UUCP (Cliff Dibble) writes:
>I'm interested in algorithms for routing traces on printed circuit
>boards. I'd greatly appreciate any references to the subject.
>Thank you.
>
	I think you are looking for Lee's algorithm. It was published in the
	Bell System Technical Journal, and applies to optimal routing of
	cross-country phone calls. Talk about technology transfer !

	I believe the algorithm tries to establish a connection between 2
	points by starting at each endpoint and working towards eachother.

flavio@mitisft.Convergent.COM (Flavio Rose) (04/11/90)

> I'm interested in algorithms for routing traces on printed circuit
> boards. I'd greatly appreciate any references to the subject.
> Thank you.
> 
> uunet!centaure!cliff
> Cliff Dibble

Do you have access to a technical library? If so, look over
the last few years' Design Automation Conference
Proceedings. Also you might want to see the routing part of
the bibliography in Alan Sherman's recent book on IC CAD
published by Springer Verlag. 

Lee's algorithm is not the only one to look at. PC board
routing is a complex subject. 

waters@darla.sps.mot.com (Strawberry Jammer) (04/11/90)

In article <905@gold.GVG.TEK.COM> grege@gold.GVG.TEK.COM (Gregory Ebert) writes:
{In article <137@centaure.UUCP> cliff@centaure.UUCP (Cliff Dibble) writes:
{>I'm interested in algorithms for routing traces on printed circuit
{>boards. I'd greatly appreciate any references to the subject.
{>Thank you.
{>
{	I think you are looking for Lee's algorithm. It was published in the
{	Bell System Technical Journal, and applies to optimal routing of
{	cross-country phone calls. Talk about technology transfer !

Lee's algorithm was the first published (BSTJ Aug. 1956). Turns out that the
two problems have a lot in common. Lee's is still the basis for 90% of
all routers used today.

{	I believe the algorithm tries to establish a connection between 2
{	points by starting at each endpoint and working towards eachother.

Not quite, a better analogy is pouring water on a floor then watching the
wavefront cross as it spreads. Once the "target" get "wet" then you retrace
the "flow" to the source and you have a vaid route. Obviously all of that is
analogy, but it is quite close to what is simulated.

Lee's algorithm is gauranteed to find a rout if one exists, but has numerous
shortcomings. Look in the IEEE/ACM Design Automation Conference proceedings:
The 1989 Proceedings can be found under:
Library of Congress Cat no. 85-644924, ACM order no 477890, IEEE order no.
89H2734-2.

Every conference since it was founded (26 years!) has had a section on routing 
algorithms of one kind or another. Routing is a tough problem in the real
world.

           *Mike Waters    AA4MW/7  waters@dover.sps.mot.com *
 
You are in a twisting maze of little passages, all different.