Preliminary Discussion of a World-wide-web Based Analog Circuit Design Tool and Design Knowledge Repository

A prototype network-centric circuit design tool and design knowledge repository has been developed. It allows a designer with network access to interactively explore a circuit design space of pre-characterized circuit topologies using a convenient graphical user interface. Any user can extend the system to include new or custom circuit topologies without a lot of programming effort by writing their own design specification files. Designers will benefit from the use of the application as it will enable them to obtain a deeper understanding of the operation of their circuits and the performance tradeoffs that are possible for pre-characterized circuit topologies. The enhanced understanding gained by the designers will result in better design realizations and will accelerate the development of improved topologies in the future. Several benefits accrue due to the use of the networkcentric computing paradigm of which the most significant is the enhanced communication of design knowledge and prevention of reinvention by the use of a centralized Design Knowledge Repository.