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Block Diagram Development
Erick Setubal , 04-14-2016, 09:09 AM
Hello everyone,
I am currently doing the Advanced Hardware Design course. During the second class we are presented to the Block Diagram page. I am used to do similar pages as the Block Diagrams and with the course it made me wonder what are all fuctionalities behind the BD and how it should be developed during the preeliminary stages of a PCB project.
For me the main idea of the BD is to identify all parts of the system ( LCD, Temperature sensor,..) and their connections ( GPIO, I2C, SPI...) in order to have a global perspective of the project.
With that said how its parts should be shown in it ?
- Power supplies
It is normal for a project to have multiple power supplies 3V, 5V... in that situation what is the best approach: to have multiple Power blocks or only one with all voltage outputs that connects to all blocks.
Are the power connections important in the BD?
When I define a power supply besides of the price input/output voltage, the current sinked is the limitant factor by showing this connection on the BD it would be easier to calculate if it will be enought for the system thought it could also make my BD overcrowded by connections and make it difficult to read.
- Names of the main components important.
During the development phase of the projects where I work, the components are changed a lot during the development, Is it a good practice to write the name of the component inside the box in the BD or just what it does ?
BD during development.
When doing the concept of a project deciding what should be inside the project and outside. The first page to be built should be the Block Diagram and all system parts should be inside it?
If a component change comes should it be also the first to be modified ?
How do you go with all those points.
I am currently doing the Advanced Hardware Design course. During the second class we are presented to the Block Diagram page. I am used to do similar pages as the Block Diagrams and with the course it made me wonder what are all fuctionalities behind the BD and how it should be developed during the preeliminary stages of a PCB project.
For me the main idea of the BD is to identify all parts of the system ( LCD, Temperature sensor,..) and their connections ( GPIO, I2C, SPI...) in order to have a global perspective of the project.
With that said how its parts should be shown in it ?
- Power supplies
It is normal for a project to have multiple power supplies 3V, 5V... in that situation what is the best approach: to have multiple Power blocks or only one with all voltage outputs that connects to all blocks.
Are the power connections important in the BD?
When I define a power supply besides of the price input/output voltage, the current sinked is the limitant factor by showing this connection on the BD it would be easier to calculate if it will be enought for the system thought it could also make my BD overcrowded by connections and make it difficult to read.
- Names of the main components important.
During the development phase of the projects where I work, the components are changed a lot during the development, Is it a good practice to write the name of the component inside the box in the BD or just what it does ?
BD during development.
When doing the concept of a project deciding what should be inside the project and outside. The first page to be built should be the Block Diagram and all system parts should be inside it?
If a component change comes should it be also the first to be modified ?
How do you go with all those points.
robertferanec , 04-15-2016, 06:41 AM
Hi @Erick Setubal,
block diagrams are quite different between projects and engineers. I personally like the block diagrams which can help quickly undertstand what the board can do and how blocks are connected together.
- Power: I normally create a block per chip (e.g. if a power chip can provide more outputs, they go all from one block). I use them to show what voltages are on the board. We show currents in the schematic.
- Component names: We may name the MAIN chip, but normally we do not place full chip names into the block diagram
- During development: We may draw a DRAFT of block diagram at the beginning of the schematic, but usually we update the block diagram as the last thing. I am not saying that it is right, but usually it is not needed (unless you send the schematic for review, then I would probably keep also updating the Block diagram otherwise un-updated block diagram could confuse people).
Let's see how other people draw block diagrams
block diagrams are quite different between projects and engineers. I personally like the block diagrams which can help quickly undertstand what the board can do and how blocks are connected together.
- Power: I normally create a block per chip (e.g. if a power chip can provide more outputs, they go all from one block). I use them to show what voltages are on the board. We show currents in the schematic.
- Component names: We may name the MAIN chip, but normally we do not place full chip names into the block diagram
- During development: We may draw a DRAFT of block diagram at the beginning of the schematic, but usually we update the block diagram as the last thing. I am not saying that it is right, but usually it is not needed (unless you send the schematic for review, then I would probably keep also updating the Block diagram otherwise un-updated block diagram could confuse people).
Let's see how other people draw block diagrams
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