Skip to main content
Log in

An analog circuit design environment based on cooperating blackboard systems

  • Published:
Applied Intelligence Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A novel approach to design automation for analog circuits is presented. The prototype implementation-OASE-has been realized as a set of cooperating expert systems with blackboard architecture. The circuit specific knowledge bases use hybrid representation schemes and are strictly separated from an execution engine containing the necessary control knowledge. This alleviates the knowledge acquisition process as well as the extension and maintenance of existing knowledge. OASE has been developed as a design assistant, featuring different levels of interactivity, a hierarchical design style and fully embedded algorithmic standard tools. In its current version it is able to design a broad range of different CMOS operational amplifiers.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. L.R. Carley and R.A. Tutenbar, “How to automate analog IC designs,” IEEE Spectrum, pp. 26–30, August 1988.

  2. M.G.R. Degrauwe et al., “Towards an analog system design environment,” IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, vol. 24, no. 3, pp. 659–671, June 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  3. M.G.R. Degrauwe et al., “An analog design expert system,” Proc. International Solid State Circuit Conference, 1987.

  4. F.M. El-Turky and R.A. Nordin, “BLADES: An expert system for analog circuit design,” in Proc. International Symposium on Circuit and Systems, 1986, pp. 522–555.

  5. F. El-Turky and E.E. Perry, “BLADES: An artificial intelligence approach to analog circuit design,” IEEE Transactions on Computer-Aided Design, vol. 8, no. 6, pp. 680–692, June 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  6. R. Harjani, R.A. Rutenbar, and L.R. Carley, “A prototype framework for knowledge-based analog circuit synthesis,” in Proc. 24th Design Automation Conference, 1987, pp. 42–49.

  7. L.R. Carley et al., “ACACIA: The CMU analog design system,” in Proc. Custom Integrated Circuits Conference, 1989, p. 4.3.

  8. E. Berkcan, C.K. Kim, B. Currin, and M. d'Abreu, “From analog design description to layout: A new approach to analog silicon compilation,” in Proc. Custom Integrated Circuits Conference, 1989, p. 4.4.

  9. B.J. Sheu, A.H. Fung, Y.-N. Lai, “A knowledge-based approach to analog IC design,” IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems, vol. 35, no. 2, 1988.

  10. R.J. Bowman and D.J. Lane, “A knowledge-based system for analog integrated circuit design,” in Proc. Int. Conference on Computer Aided Design, 1985, pp. 210–212.

  11. K. Milzner and F. Krohm, “A knowledge based simulation environment,” in Proc. Custom Integrated Circuits Conference, 1990, p. 10.6.

  12. K. Milzner and R. Klinke, “Synthesis of analog circuits using a blackboard approach,” in Proc. Third International Conf. on Industrial and Engineering Applications of AI and Expert Systems, vol. 1, Charleston SC, 1990, pp. 114–122.

  13. E.S. Ochotta, “The OASYS virtual machine: Formalizing the OASYS analysis synthesis framework,” Research Report No. CMUCAD-89-25, Masters Thesis, CMU, 1989.

  14. J. Mostow, “Towards better models of the design process,” The AI Magazine, pp. 44–56, Spring 1985.

  15. R.J. Bowman, “Representation of analog circuit design knowledge for machine-based reasoning,” in Proc. Int. Workshop on AI Applications to CAD Systems for Electronics, October 1987, pp. 51–62.

  16. H.P. Nil, “Blackboard systems, Part 1: The blackboard model of problem solving and the evolution of blackboard architectures”, The AI Magazine, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 38–53, Summer 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  17. H.P. Nii, “Blackboard systems, Part 2: Blackboard application systems, blackboard systems from a knowledge engineering perspective,” The AI Magazine, vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 82–106, August 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  18. R. Engelmore and T. Morgan (eds.), Blackboard Systems, Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  19. V. Jagannathan, R. Dodhiawala, and L.S. Baum (eds.), Blackboard Architectures and Applications, New York: Academic Press, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  20. B. Hayes-Roth, “A blackboard architecture for control,” Artificial Intelligence, no. 26, pp. 251–321, 1985.

  21. IntelliCorp, Inc., KEE 3.1, Technical Manuals, vols. 1–3, March 1988.

  22. DOSIS GmbH, BONSIM User's Manual, Dortmund, Germany, 1989.

  23. T. Williams, C. Kelley, D. Kotz, and R. Lang, “GNUPLOT: An interactive plotting program,” Article 2120 of newsgroup alt, sources (usenet), October 4, 1990.

  24. S. Grubb, IPL Graphics Utility, User's Guide, Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, January 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  25. K. Hoffmann et al., “OASE: A knowledge based environment for analog circuit design,” in Informatik-Fachberichte 255, Rechnergestuetzter Entwurf und Architektur mikroelektronischer Systeme, edited by B. Reusch, Berlin: Springer-Verlag, pp. 157–168, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  26. J. Wang and H.C. Howard, “Design-dependent knowledge for structural engineering design,” in Artificial Intelligence in Engineering: Design, edited by J.S. Gero, New York: Elsevier, pp. 267–278, 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  27. H. Reghbati and N. Cercone, “On representational aspects of VLSI-CADT systems,” in The Knowledge Frontier/Essays in the Representation of Knowledge, edited by N. Cercone and G. McCalla, New York: Springer-Verlag, pp. 451–470, 1987.

    Google Scholar 

  28. D. Poole, R. Goebel, and R. Aleliunas, “THEORIST: A logical reasoning system for defaults and diagnosis,” in The Knowledge Frontier/Essays in the Representation of Knowledge, edited by N. Cercone and G. McCalla, New York: Springer-Verlag, pp. 331–352, 1987.

    Google Scholar 

  29. J.R. Olson and H.H. Rueter, “Extracting expertise from experts: Methods for knowledge acquisition,” Expert Systems, vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 152–168, August 1987.

    Google Scholar 

  30. S.M. Weiss and C.A. Kulikowski, A Practical Guide to Designing Expert Systems, Totowa, NJ: Rowman & Allanheld Publishers, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  31. D.A. Waterman, A Guide to Expert System, Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  32. M.J. Stefik, “Planning with constraints,” Dissertation, Computer Science Department, Stanford University, 1980.

  33. T.A. Ly and E.F. Girczyc, “Constraint propagation in an object-oriented IC design environment,” in Proc. 25th Design Automation Conference, 1988, pp. 628–633.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Milzner, K. An analog circuit design environment based on cooperating blackboard systems. Appl Intell 1, 179–194 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00118996

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00118996

Key words

Navigation