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--- icid [2020/04/24 14:02] – explain sources kingkevin
+++ icid [2020/04/24 14:39] – add intro, background, and database kingkevin
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+[[https://icid.cuvoodoo.info/|Integrated Circuit IDentifier]] (aka. ICID) is a tool to help identifying ICs based on their pinout.
+====== background ======
+The best way to [[https://www.cuvoodoo.info/?podcast=cuvoodoo-001-how-to-identify-electronic-components|identify ICs]] is by its [[iclogos|top marking]].
+But sometimes this is scrubbed away.
+Is this case, you have to use its location on the board, its package, and a lot of experience.
+In the end you will often use the datasheet of the candidate, and manually check if the pinout matches.
+The website of distributors (DigiKey, Mouser, element14, ...) or search part search engines (octopart) already allow you to look for possible ICs based on the package and number of pins.
+But what is missing is a search based on the pinout.
+ICID solves this issue.
+====== database ======
+I created a database of part pinouts based on the models provided by the chip vendors.
+The [[https://icid.cuvoodoo.info/|ICID search engine]] allows to search parts by vendor/manufacturer, package, pin count, and most importantly by setting pin constrains.
+To build the database, I used following model types provided by the vendor:
+  * IBIS: used to do analogue simulations (e.g. *spice). The model quality is very mixed (it does not often provide the complete pinout).
+  * BSDL: used to do boundary scan electronic testing. This is generally of good quality, but is only provided for micro-controllers which support JTAG.
+  * BXL: a proprietary symbol and footprint library. This is not provided by all vendors and for all parts, but its support is growing and the larger vendors provide BXL files for the most (popular) parts.
 ====== sources ======