Mixed-signal simulation using the Alfa simulation backplane

While specialised, integrated mixed-signal simulators have been successfully developed, they cannot, in general, be extended easily to include further simulation algorithms. The concept of a simulation backplane has been proposed in which any number of general simulators can be coupled to allow a wide range of mixed-signal, mixed-level simulations to be performed. A standard set of programming interfaces has been proposed to allow simulators to be coupled in a standard way. The paper describes a simulation backplane that has been developed, together with basic circuit and logic-level simulators. In order to allow true mixed-signal simulations to be performed, Spice version 3e2 has been coupled into the backplane