cross-check-specs

Cross-Check Specs

Look up manufacturer datasheets and technical specifications for identified components. Given a list of part numbers (from components.json or user input), resolve each part's manufacturer, fetch datasheet URLs and cached text, extract key electrical specs, and produce a markdown summary with confidence scoring. Flag any discrepancies between visual identification and official specs.

Data storage root:

${CLAUDE_USER_DATA:-${XDG_DATA_HOME:-$HOME/.local/share}/claude-plugins}/hardware-id-annotation/

Datasheets cached under: cache/datasheets/<part>.{pdf,txt,json}

When to use

• You want to confirm that a visually identified IC is actually what the board design intends
• You need to cross-reference pinout, voltage, or package details before redesign or repair
• You're building documentation and want canonical specs from the manufacturer
• You suspect a visual mismatch (e.g., label says STM32F4, but board footprint looks wrong)

Inputs to gather

• Part numbers — comma-separated list or path to components.json
• Optional: components.json path — if provided, extract all part numbers with high or med confidence
• Board context — what the board is supposed to be (e.g., "Raspberry Pi 5B", "STM32F4 Discovery") to flag unexpected parts

Procedure

1. Parse part numbers. Extract from user input or load data/<board-slug>/components.json. Include only entries with part_number_visible or part_number_standardized set.

2. Resolve manufacturer. Use prefix matching (case-insensitive):

   • STM32 → STMicroelectronics
   • ATmega, ATSAMD → Microchip (formerly Atmel)
   • ESP32, ESP8266 → Espressif
   • BCM, ARM → Broadcom
   • LM, TL, NE, LT → TI (Texas Instruments)
   • NXP → NXP
   • AD, OPA → Analog Devices
   • Other — web search for " manufacturer" if prefix not recognized.

3. Fetch datasheets via web search. Use Claude's web lookup capability:

   • Search for <part> datasheet PDF site:manufacturer.com or <part> datasheet PDF
   • Cache the URL and download/extract text if possible (pdfplumber if available)
   • If datasheet unavailable, note no_datasheet_found

4. Extract key specs. For each part, produce a JSON summary:

   {
     "part": "STM32F407VG",
     "manufacturer": "STMicroelectronics",
     "package": "LQFP100",
     "datasheet_url": "https://...",
     "cached_at": "ISO8601",
     "specs": {
       "core": "ARM Cortex-M4",
       "frequency_max_mhz": 168,
       "ram_kb": 192,
       "flash_kb": 1024,
       "supply_voltage_v": "1.8–3.6"
     },
     "pinout_summary": "VDD (pins 3, 21, 47, 72, ...); VSS/GND (pins 7, 22, 48, 73, ...); ...)",
     "typical_use": "Real-time control, industrial, motor driving",
     "visual_match_confidence": "high",
     "notes": ""
   }
   

5. Compare visual ID to datasheet. Check that:

   • Silkscreen label matches official part number
   • Visible package (QFN, BGA, LQFP, etc.) matches datasheet
   • Pin count and layout align with board routing (if visible)
   • Flag as visual_match_confidence: medium or low if discrepancies emerge

6. Produce markdown output (one per part):

   ## STM32F407VG
   **Manufacturer:** STMicroelectronics
   **Package:** LQFP100
   **Datasheet:** [link](https://...)
   
   ### Specs
   - Core: ARM Cortex-M4 @ 168 MHz
   - Memory: 1024 KB flash, 192 KB SRAM
   - Supply: 1.8–3.6 V
   
   ### Pinout
   [Brief pin summary or link]
   
   ### Visual Match
   ✓ High confidence — silkscreen and package match datasheet
   

7. Cache results:

   ${CLAUDE_USER_DATA:-${XDG_DATA_HOME:-$HOME/.local/share}/claude-plugins}/hardware-id-annotation/cache/datasheets/<part>.json
   ${CLAUDE_USER_DATA:-${XDG_DATA_HOME:-$HOME/.local/share}/claude-plugins}/hardware-id-annotation/cache/datasheets/<part>.pdf  (if downloaded)
   

8. Save summary to:

   ${CLAUDE_USER_DATA:-${XDG_DATA_HOME:-$HOME/.local/share}/claude-plugins}/hardware-id-annotation/data/<board-slug>/specs-summary.md
   

Output / side effects

• Markdown file with per-part specs and cross-check results
• JSON cache of datasheet URLs and key specs
• Optional: downloaded PDFs or extracted text in cache/datasheets/
• Console: warnings if parts are not found or mismatches detected

Safety / constraints

• Web lookups can be slow — cache aggressively and reuse cached datasheets if the user runs cross-check-specs multiple times.
• PDF extraction is optional; if pdfplumber is unavailable, just store the URL and a snippet.
• No datasheet guarantee — older, discontinued, or obscure parts may not have public datasheets. Note and continue.
• Mismatch warnings — if a part's datasheet package doesn't match the silkscreen or footprint, flag clearly so the user can investigate (potential board error, rework, or misidentification).