Partitioning Analog and Digital Processing in Mixed-Signal Systems

  • Authors:

  • Sydney Reader;Won Namgoong;Teresa Meng

  • Affiliations:

  • Stanford University, CA, USA;Stanford University, CA, USA;Stanford University, CA, USA

  • Venue:
  • Journal of VLSI Signal Processing Systems - Special issue on recent advances in the design and implementation of signal processing systems
  • Year:
  • 2000

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Abstract

Shrinking feature sizes, combined with the need forlow-power and lightweight components, fuel the desire to place largemixed-signal systems onto a single die. A major design issue inmixed-signal systems is the effect of digital switching noise coupledto sensitive analog circuits through the substrate. A method ispresented for minimizing this effect by partitioning digital andanalog processing into separate time blocks. The resulting trade-offbetween lost signal and increased energy consumption is explored. Asan example, a GPS synchronizer design is analyzed with respect tomodifications that can be made to increase performance, whileminimizing any associated energy penalty. Application of thepartitioning method to other communications systems isdiscussed.