A professional skill for reading electronic datasheets

Use when user has/is reading a component datasheet or spec sheet to find chip parameters: pinout, voltage, I2C address, timing, register map, electrical char...

EE Datasheet Master

Iron Law: PDF Content Only

ALL DATA MUST ORIGINATE FROM THE PDF.
Allowed: Extract → Calculate from extracted data
Forbidden: Use prior knowledge → Fill gaps with guesses

Allowed Derivations

Type	Example
Mathematical calculation	P = V × I from voltage and current
Unit conversion	dBm → mW, binary → hex
Address calculation	"001000x" → 0x10/0x11
Counting	Pin count from Pin Description table

When deriving: Show source data (page) + calculation steps + result

Forbidden Behaviors

Behavior	Correction
"I know this chip..."	Find the spec in PDF
"Typical value is..."	Read the actual value from PDF
"Similar chips have..."	This one may differ
Guessing to fill gaps	Output "NOT SPECIFIED IN DATASHEET" + acquisition path (see below)

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When the PDF Cannot Provide the Answer

"NOT SPECIFIED IN DATASHEET" is not a dead end. Always follow it with how to obtain the missing information.

Response Template

"[Parameter] is not specified in this datasheet. To obtain it: [specific method below]."

If the datasheet references an application note or supplementary doc by name, cite it:

"Section X references Application Note [AN-xxx] for this topic — search [Manufacturer] website."

Reasoning Framework for Missing Parameters

When a parameter is absent, reason through these questions to give a concrete, actionable path:

1. Why is it missing?

• Wrong document — this is a brief/product datasheet; the full reference manual or application note contains it → identify the correct document by name
• Test-condition mismatch — the spec exists but not at the user's specific conditions (load, frequency, temperature) → explain which conditions differ and how that affects the value
• Application-dependent — the value depends on external components or PCB layout the user controls → explain what determines it and how to calculate or simulate
• Manufacturer-controlled — the data is from qualification testing, not released publicly → identify the right contact channel

2. What does the user actually need it for?

• Design margin check → an approximation or worst-case bound may be sufficient
• Debugging a failure → direct measurement in the actual circuit is more reliable than a datasheet value
• Qualification / compliance → only manufacturer-provided data is acceptable

3. What is the most direct path given the above? Tailor the recommendation to the specific parameter and context — a thermal resistance question for an LDO in a hot enclosure calls for a different answer than the same question for a signal-path op-amp. Reason about: what equipment would give this measurement, what document would contain this spec, or what formula derives this value from things the user can measure or control.

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6-Phase Workflow

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  Phase 0: Pre-scan        →  全文扫描，建结构地图            │
│  Phase 1: Diagnosis       →  text vs image PDF 决策         │
│  Phase 2: Device ID       →  确认器件，推断关键参数          │
│  Phase 2b: Targeted Scan  →  推断 patterns，二次精准扫描     │
│  Phase 3: Section Mapping →  定位各功能区页码               │
│  Phase 4: Extraction      →  精准提取 + TEMPLATES 结构化输出 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

See PDF_STRATEGY.md for the entry-point decision table and detailed workflow. Read that first — it tells you which phase to start at before running any command.

Quick Reference

Most common case — device named, 1–2 specific parameters asked (start here):

# Phase 3: Search directly for the parameter the user asked about
python scripts/pdf_tools.py search_table <pdf_path> "<parameter>"   # e.g. "quiescent current", "dropout voltage"
python scripts/pdf_tools.py search <pdf_path> "<parameter>"         # try alternate phrasings if first is empty

# Phase 4: Read the identified page
python scripts/pdf_tools.py text <pdf_path> <page_num>
python scripts/pdf_tools.py tables <pdf_path> <page_num>

Less common — unknown PDF, open-ended analysis, or complex multi-parameter extraction:

# Phase 0: Pre-scan (slow — only when you need a structural map)
python scripts/pdf_tools.py info <pdf_path>
python scripts/pdf_tools.py page_hints <pdf_path>        # scan ALL pages → minutes on large docs

# Phase 2: Identify Device (only if device is not already known)
python scripts/pdf_tools.py text <pdf_path> 1

# Phase 2b: Targeted re-scan (complex ICs only — charger, MCU, CODEC)
python scripts/pdf_tools.py dump_patterns > /tmp/custom_patterns.json
python scripts/pdf_tools.py page_hints <pdf_path> --patterns /tmp/custom_patterns.json

# Phase 3: Caption-based section mapping
python scripts/pdf_tools.py search_caption <pdf_path>    # find Figure/Table captions
python scripts/pdf_tools.py search <pdf_path> "Electrical Characteristics"

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Parameter Inference (LLM Decision)

Universal Parameters (for full-analysis queries only)

When the user asks for a complete analysis or overview, extract these 5 baseline parameters. Skip this for targeted single-parameter queries — if the user asks "what is the dropout voltage?", go find that, not the package outline.

Parameter	Search Keywords	Notes
Manufacturer	First page header/footer	Company name
Part Number	First page title	Full part number
Package	"Package", "封装"	Must include pin count (e.g., QFN-32)
Operating Voltage	"VDD", "VCC", "Supply Voltage", "电源电压"	Range: min to max
Operating Temperature	"Operating Temperature", "工作温度"	Range: min to max

Device-Specific Parameters (Inferred by LLM)

After identifying the device, infer what specs matter:

1. Read device description (first 3 pages)
2. Understand: What does this device DO?
3. Infer: What specs matter for this device?
4. Search: Use pdf_tools to locate those specs

For the complete device-type → key specs lookup table and per-device extraction shortcuts, see PDF_STRATEGY.md → Phase 2 and Device-Type Shortcuts.

Key insight: Device description tells you what to measure. Don't use predefined lists.

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Output Format

# [Part Number] Datasheet Analysis

## Summary
[1-2 sentences]

## Key Specifications
| Parameter | Min | Typ | Max | Unit | Source | Notes |
|-----------|-----|-----|-----|------|--------|-------|
| ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | Page X, "Table Name" | |
| [unavailable param] | — | — | — | ... | NOT SPECIFIED | Measure: [method] |

## Pin Configuration
- Package: [Type]-[Pin Count]
- Power Domains: [List ALL with pin numbers]
- Interfaces: [I2C/SPI/UART with addresses]

## Critical Design Considerations
1. [Issue with guidance]

## Common Pitfalls
- [Pitfall]: [How to avoid]

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Common Mistakes

Mistake	Example	Correction
Missing pin count	"QFN package"	"QFN-32 package"
Partial power domains	"VDD" only	"VDD (pins 1, 13, 32)"
I2C address wrong	"0x18"	Show calculation from format
Missing source	"SNR: 93 dB"	"SNR: 93 dB (Page 8, Typ)"
Hallucinated specs	Any value without source	Always cite page and table

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Red Flags - STOP and Verify

If you think:

• "I know this chip..."
• "Typically this value is..."
• "Based on my experience..."
• "Similar chips have..."

STOP → Re-read PDF → Extract from source

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Reference Files

File	Purpose
PDF_STRATEGY.md	6-phase workflow, device-type extraction shortcuts
TEMPLATES.md	Structured output templates: device_info, power_domains, I2C, SPI, electrical_specs
scripts/pdf_tools.py	PDF extraction tools