Splice: an analytical network analysis software

Splice is a symbolic circuit analysis program that operates under the Windows operating system. At the present time, Splice is the only commercially available software that will perform this type of analysis. A description of the features found in Splice 1.0 and examples to illustrate them is presented. Splice works with The Design Center circuit simulator available from the MicroSim Corporation. The user adds special “analysis symbols” to the circuit schematic that instruct Splice to perform a specific type of analysis. The analysis symbols are transparent to PSpice, giving the user the option to simulate the network at any time. Splice is powered internally by the Waterloo Maple Software algebraic engine and will analyze many types of linear and linearized electrical networks consisting of inductors (with initial conditions), capacitors (with initial conditions), resistors, transformers, transistors (bipolar and field-effect), operational amplifiers, and all types of ac and dc (independent and dependent) current and voltage sources. Splice will perform branch current, nodal voltage, Thevenin reduction, transfer function, and two-port reduction analysis with options for component substitutions (both numeric and/or symbolic including zero and infinity), pole and zero calculations, sinusoidal steady-state analysis, and time domain result calculations. Potential classroom applications of Splice 1.0, as well as future enhancements of the software, are presented and discussed.