Admire: Advanced Mixed Signal Design Environment

Currently there is no commercial tool set available that helps designers sufficiently in the design of mixed-signal ICs. The ADMIRE project was conducted to reduce the levels of expertise required and the design cycle time needed to develop mixed-signal circuits, thereby reducing their cost. The approach was to develop an integrated tool set (simulation, synthesis, layout generation) that covers all design aspects, including innovative tools such as analog synthesis, and that frees the designer from the burden of handling details specific to mixed-signal design. This paper described the results obtained in the project, including the development of a top-down design methodology using hardware description languages, a commercial mixed-signal simulation package, an analog synthesis environment and analog and mixed-signal layout tools. Demonstrator circuits in various application domains have proven the approach.