Analogue mixed signal simulation using spice and SystemC
Christoph Grimm2009, 2009 Design, Automation & Test in Europe Conference & Exhibition
Sign up for access to the world's latest research
checkGet notified about relevant papers
checkSave papers to use in your research
checkJoin the discussion with peers
checkTrack your impact
Abstract
SystemC is a discrete event simulator that enables the programmer to model complex designs with varying levels of abstraction. In order to improve precision, it can be coupled to more specialized simulators. This article introduces the concept of loose simulator coupling between an analogue simulator and SystemC. It explains the properties and advantages which include a higher simulation performance as well as a higher degree of flexibility. A design example in which SystemC will be connected to SwitcherCad will demonstrate the benefits of loose coupling.
Related papers
Using analog circuit behavior to generate SystemC events for an acceleration of mixed-signal simulation
2011 IEEE 29th International Conference on Computer Design (ICCD), 2011
Analysis of mixed-signal circuits on system level demands for an accelerated simulation of analog blocks. We precompute state space representations that can be used to evaluate the circuit response and predict the occurrence of events triggered by analog components. Interfacing such models to SystemC digital simulation allows for very fast mixed-signal transient analysis. The key contribution of this paper is the dynamic generation of SystemC events from analog descriptions. We evaluate the performance of our approach using PWM (pulse width modulation) example circuits from the automotive domain which are interfaced to a SystemC microcontroller model. Accuracy and speed is compared to reference simulations utilizing traditional SPICE-like analog simulators. Our approach allows for a speedup of up to 70 for mixed-signal simulations compared to traditional analog and digital simulators.
An extension to systemc to allow modelling of analogue and mixed signal systems at different abstraction levels
SystemC is Hardware Description Language HDL for digital systems. An extension is proposed in this paper to extended the capabilities of SystemC to allow modelling of analogue and mixed-signal systems. The proposed extension provides a variety of abstraction levels, from system level to circuit level. In order to comply with the SystemC simulation cycle semantics, the analogue kernel is linked to the SystemC environment via calls from the existing digital kernel. The synchronisation of the analogue and SystemC digital kernels is done via a lock-step method. Operation of the extended, mixed-signal SystemC simulation platform is demonstrated using a practical example of a phase locked loop frequency multiplier with noise and jitter. We hope that results from this research might aid the recent efforts to standardize analogue extensions to SystemC.
Analogue and mixed-signal extension to SystemC
Iee Proceedings-circuits Devices and Systems, 2005
This paper presents a new methodology that enables extensions of SystemC to the analogue domain and allows modelling of mixed-signal and mixed energy-domain systems at arbitrary levels of abstraction. The new language constructs support analogue system variables, analogue components and user defined ordinary differential and algebraic equations. Support for digital-analogue interfaces has been provided for smooth integration of digital and analogue parts. Associated issues such as dealing with extremely small and zero time-step sizes have been addressed. A novel implementation of the lock-step mixed-signal synchronisation method to integrate the analogue kernel with the digital one has been proposed. Operation of the extended, mixedsignal simulation platform, named SystemC-A, is demonstrated using a suite of numerically difficult AMS examples including a practical, mixed-signal example of a PLL frequency multiplier with large-signal noise and jitter.
SystemC-WMS: Mixed-Signal Simulation Based on Wave Exchanges
Applications of Specification and Design Languages for SoCs, 2006
This chapter proposes a methodology for extending SystemC to mixed-signal systems, aimed at allowing the reuse of analog models and to the simulation of heterogeneous systems. To this end, a general method for modeling analog modules using wave quantities is suggested, and a new kind of port and channel suitable to let modules communicate through waves have been defined. These entities are plugged directly on top of the standard SystemC kernel, so as to allow a seamless integration with the preexisting simulation environment, and are designed to permit total interconnection freedom to ease the development of reusable analog libraries.
Co-Simulation of mixed HW/SW and Analog/RF systems at architectural level
2008 IEEE International Behavioral Modeling and Simulation Workshop, 2008
Analog systems are more and more functionally interwoven with digital hardware/software systems. SystemC offers the potential for a unified modeling approach for such systems: SystemC AMS extensions and SystemC TLM extensions are covering the domains of analog/signal processing systems, resp. hardware/software systems. Both extensions use different Models of Computation to gain simulation performance, most notably by abstracting timing information.
Enhanced circuit simulation: Expectations, problems, implementation, and integration
Electronics and Communications in Japan (Part III: Fundamental Electronic Science)
During the late 60s and throughout the 70s, the field of circuit simulation has advanced in step with the increase in the use of analog integrated circuits. The general purpose circuit simulator SPICE was released in this period. During the 80s, in addition to pure analog circuits, digital and mixed analog-digital VLSI circuits also saw dra-
Orthogonal Signal Modeling and Operational Computation of AMS Circuits for Fast and Accurate System Simulation
We present a general mathematical model of signals for efficient and accurate simulation of analog and mixed signal (AMS) systems. It relies on signal coding and parameterization and allows heterogeneous system specification at different abstraction levels, as well as, the operational computation of continuous time systems' dynamical behavior. In particular, we derive a matrix for operational subdivision of continuous signals and use it to capture accurately the interaction between continuous and discrete time systems. A key advantage of this signal representation is that continuous signal monitoring and analysis can be performed more efficiently, speeding up system verification. We implemented the proposed modeling approach in Sys-temC AMS 2.0 to exploit the dynamic reactive behavior of TDF MoC for accurate synchronization between the digital and analog system parts. With the example of a PLL system we evaluate the capabilities of our implementation to cope with heterogeneous designs at different design abstraction levels. The experimental results show a significant simulation speedup for high accurate models.
An introduction to modeling embedded analog/mixed-signal systems using SystemC AMS extensions
Open SystemC …, 2008
SystemC AMS extensions introduce new language constructs for the design of embedded analog/mixed-signal systems. This paper presents the novel modeling language for analog and mixedsignal functions that supports design and modeling of telecommunications, automotive and imaging sensor applications at various levels of abstraction. A simple example illustrates how these new features facilitate a design refinement methodology for functional modeling, architecture exploration and virtual prototyping of embedded analog and mixed-signal systems.
Fast and unified SystemC AMS-HDL simulation
An agile methodology for mixed signal simulation is presented allowing seamless connection of simulators on as needed basis eliminating overheads of the communication backplane, sophisticated synchronization and kernel modification. The methodology uses the SystemC AMS synchronization layer which supports user defined solvers and simulators. The cosimulation is wrapped in a statically scheduled timed dataflow node. The simulated executable specification enables co-design, partitioning, refinement, virtual prototyping and architecture exploration of the design space.
Related papers
Simulation Techniques for Mixed Analog/Digital Circuits
This paper describes the techniques used in a new simulator called iSPLIcE3 for the analysis of mixed analog/digital circuits. iSPLICE3 combines circuit, switch-level timing, and logic simulation modes using event-driven selective-trace techniques. It also uses a hierarchical schematic capture package called iSPI (Simulation Program Interface) for design entry, circuit partitioning, and simulation control. The novel contributions in this paper include a new dc solution method, a mixed-mode interface modeling technique, and an automatic partitioning approach for MOS logic circuits. The details of these three methods are provided in this paper, along with the architecture and transient simulation algorithms used in iSPLICE3. In addition, the results of circuit simulations and mixed-mode simulations of a CMOS static RAM, two A/D converters, and a phaselocked loop are presented. These results indicate that iSPLICE3 is between one and two orders of magnitude faster than SPICE2 with negligible loss in accuracy.
Mixed-Signal Circuits Modelling and Simulations Using Matlab
Engineering Education and Research Using MATLAB, 2011
Mixed-Signal Extensions for SystemC
System Specification & Design Languages, 2004
SystemC supports a wide range of Models of Computation (MoC) and is very well suited for the design and refinement of HW/SW-systems from functional downto register transfer level. However, for a broad range of applications the digital parts and algorithms interact with analog parts and the continuous-time environment. Due to the complexity of this interactions and the dominance of the analog parts in respect to the system behavior, is it essential to consider the analog parts within the design process of an Analog and Mixed Signal System. Therefore simulation performance is very crucial-especially for the analog parts. Thus different and specialized analog simulators must be introduced to permit the use of the most efficient solver for the considered application and level of abstraction. In this paper we describe possible areas of application and formulate requirements for analog and mixed-signal extensions for SystemC.
SystemC-WMS: A Wave Mixed Signal Simulator
2005
This paper proposes a methodology for extending SystemC to mixed signal systems, aimed at allowing the reuse of analog models and to the simulation of heterogeneous systems. To this end, a general method for modeling analog modules using wave quantities is suggested, and a new kind of port and channel suitable to let modules communicate via waves have been defined. These entities are plugged directly on top of the standard SystemC kernel, so as to allow a seamless integration with the pre-existing simulation environment, and are designed to permit total interconnection freedom to ease the development of reusable analog libraries.
SystemC-WMS: wave mixed signal simulator for non-linear heterogeneous systems
International Journal of Embedded Systems, 2014
The present paper proposes a methodology for extending SystemC to mixed signal heterogeneous systems. To that end, a method for modelling analogue modules using wave quantities is proposed, and a new kind of port and channel were defined. This class library is plugged directly on top of the standard SystemC kernel, so as to allow a seamless integration with the pre-existing simulation environment, and is designed to permit total interconnection freedom between analogue modules to ease the development of reusable analogue libraries. Moreover, this allows for a uniform treatment of heterogeneous domains. To highlight all these aspects a buck-converter with digital control and an induction motor were simulated.
SEAMS - a SystemC environment with analog and mixed-signal extensions
2004
We describe an efficient implementation of analog and mixedsignal extensions integrated with SystemC 2.0. SEAMS (SystemC Environment with Analog and Mixed-Signal extensions) uses a general-purpose analog solver to handle analog extensions and to provide modelling capabilities for general, mixed-mode systems with digital and non-linear analog behavior. We have extended the SystemC 2.0 kernel to invoke and synchronize our analog solver in each simulation cycle while maintaining compliance with the Sys-temC simulation cycle semantics. The operation of SEAMS is illustrated with the practical examples of a boost power converter and a 2GHz phase-lock loop frequency multiplier with noise and jitter models. Mixed-signal systems of this kind are known to be difficult to simulate as they exhibit disparate time scales which put most simulators in numerical difficulties. We hope that the practical experience of SEAMS might aid the recent efforts to standardize analog and mixed-signal extensions for SystemC.
Analog Circuit Modeling in SystemC
Forum on specification & Design Languages, 2003
This paper proposes a methodology for the extension of SystemC to mixed signal systems. An oscillator made up of an inverter chain has been used to test the accuracy and stability of the algorithm proposed. Finally a simulation of a complex mixed-signal fuzzy controller is used to show the speed up achievable with a high level description of the analog block with respect to SPICE simulation.
PyAMS: A New Software for Modeling Analog Elements and Circuit Simulations
International Journal of Electrical and Electronic Engineering & Telecommunications, 2021
All technology instruments use electrical and electronic systems that, before their production, need to be verified via simulation software. A new simulation software called Python for Analog and Mixed Signals (PyAMS) has been programmed. As presented in this paper, the main objective of this software is to simplify the modeling of analog elements and circuits by using the python language to describe design schematics involving libraries, packages, and symbols. PyAMS would be a free software (GNU license). The circuit simulation in PyAMS allows a detailed frequency-domain analysis, DC analysis, and time-domain analysis. The output signals are acquired in different operating points and they are displayed by means of a dedicated waveform editor. The behavioral modeling of analog elements and the simulations results of different test circuits are reported in the text.
Synchronization of analogue and digital solvers in mixed-signal simulation on a SystemC platform
2003
This contribution proposes a synchronization technique for solvers able to handle analogue extensions to SystemC, for modelling of general, mixed-mode systems with digital and non-linear analogue behaviour. In order to comply with the SystemC simulation cycle semantics, we link the analogue kernel to the SystemC environment as a user module and synchronize it with the SystemC kernel via a lockstep synchronization algorithm. Operation of the extended, mixed-signal SystemC simulation platform is demonstrated using the practical example of a boost power converter, in which analogue behaviour interacts with a digital control loop. We hope that the result presented here might aid the recent efforts to standardize analogue extensions for SystemC.
A Methodology and Tool to Translate MATLAB®/Simulink® Models of Mixed-Signal Circuits to VHDL-AMS
Engineering Education and Research Using MATLAB, 2011
Loading Preview
Sorry, preview is currently unavailable. You can download the paper by clicking the button above.