Behavioural simulation in mixed analogue-digital ASIC design

An approach to mixed analogue-digital simulation has been presented, based on behavioural modelling of analogue transfer functions in an event-driven simulator. It is not a replacement for circuit simulation, but a complementary approach useful at a higher level of abstraction. It is possible to simulate much larger systems than can be achieved using circuit simulators, and the analogue simulation is directly compatible with existing digital simulation methods. It can be used successfully in the evaluation of architectures using idealised analogue functions, and in library based ASIC design where the behavioural models are developed by the ASIC vendor from circuit simulations and device characterisation