Customer Reviews

Timing Analysis and Simulation for Signal Integrity Engineers

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(2)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Normally when an author writes a book he/she wants to write about a topic where they can pass on some knowledge to their readers. I have no idea why this book was written or published. It is absent of any useful information that isn't plain common sense. There is a chapter on IBIS models, OK but I can find all that information for free on the internet. A chapter on different ways to transfer data between chips. So what? that stuff isn't something engineers need to read a book to figure out. There is chapter on using a 3D modeler. So unless you work for a company willing to spend the money and you are actually going to run the tool yourself the information in this book on 3D modeling is easily forgettable. I learned nothing new about signal integrity from this book, I learned nothing of practical value from this book. Do not waste your money on this useless book. Buy Bogatin's SI book or Howard Johnson's books. They at least have practical information.

Most current SI books focus on explaining the origin and the modeling of electrical phenomena on PCBs, but barely address the practical but important question of how to systematically assess the impact of these phenomena and a host of other issues on the system timing budget. Issues such as: Read/Write timing, impedance tolerance, pin-to-pin capacitance variation, DIMM connector crosstalk, Vref AC noise and resistor tolerance, slope derating factor, etc.
This is not a from-A-to-Z cook book where you just blindly follow a set of instructions, but rather a collection of insights and experiences in dealing with these issues in the author's career that he has distilled into a systematic checklist for assessing the "heath" of the system timing in the midst of all of these budget timing corruptors. The 2 (substantial) case studies of DDR2 and PCI Express interfaces give reader solid examples of how an SI engineer may want to systematically go about doing his job.
It is also interesting to note that the author also points out that all problems that prevent SI engineers from doing a good job are not necessarily always technical in nature. How do you deal with a vendor that is reluctant to provide you with quality IBIS models ? Well, you will find a (good) solution to this problem in the book, too.
I am an electrical engineer who is in the process of making the transition from on-chip device/circuit modeling to the challenging world of off-chip signal integrity. I have found this book filled with fundamental technical knowledge about system timing that a new comer to the field of SI should know, practical advices, sound investigation strategies, and real-life examples that I can learn from and apply in my daily work.

If you are new to the simulation world (apart from some basic SPICE in college) with words like IBIS models, 3D EM simulation being new to you then this is an excellent book to start. If you are already experienced in the simulation area and looking for an advanced book this is not it.

I give 4 stars because I would have liked that the author went more deep in some areas even for a basic simulation book.

Apart from that a great quick read even if you are experienced in this area.