A ladder prototype synthesis algorithm

A modern algorithm for ladder filter synthesis is presented. This method is general, and only a few differences in the continued fraction expansion separated a Butterworth synthesis from a Cauer-Elliptic synthesis. The generality of this approach allows the synthesis of transfer functions designed by nontraditional methods. The algorithm generates many possible circuit implementations for transfer functions with zeros. A software package, LADDER, implements the algorithm. In addition to ladder synthesis, LADDER includes front-end transfer function approximation algorithms and post-synthesis analysis of ladder circuits