Introduction

Abstract

Ever since the analog computers have been ruled out as a high-performance, low-cost option to implement programmable, complex control loops [1], the need arose for faster, more and more accurate interfaces between the analog world and the digital processors acting as the decision element of the system. Digital processors are easily programmable and highly integrable, densities of millions of logic gates per chip being the norm these days. With a central digital core to perform the bulk of processing and analog interfaces to connect to its environment, the mixed-signal systems are present in appliances ranging from mobile remote controls to multi-Gbit/s transceivers.