Open Analog Synthesis System based on Declarative Models

Abstract

The flexible, open and extendable analog design system ARIADNE is presented. The approach is based on a clear separation between the declaration of the knowledge about the behavior of an analog circuit (described in declarative equation-based models) and the procedures (general computational techniques such as constraint propagation and optimization) that utilise the knowledge to synthesize a circuit for a particular application. The use of declarative models together with symbolic simulation also provides an easy interface for the designer to include new design knowledge and circuit schematics into the design system himself. The ARIADNE system can be used by system designers, experienced and unexperienced designers in both automatic and interactive mode. The different tools in the system are described in detail and the key ideas are illustrated for some practical examples.