Rule-based adaptive configuration selection for analog design systems

A configuration selection tool for rule-based analog IC design is presented. A fast determination of proper analog circuit configuration plays an eminent role in the initial design phase. This appears to be quite demanding due to the large number of parameters and side issues involved. In order to ease concept engineering in analog design an adaptive algorithm has been developed for configuration selection. It can be used in design systems that rely on use of expert knowledge stored as a set of rules in a knowledge base, e.g., expert systems, design assistants, etc. The developed learning algorithm also helps eliminate inconsistent, incorrect, and redundant rules in rule bases used in analog design systems. The rule base is continuously adapted, depending on the correctness of the decisions the rules have invoked.