Retargetable application-driven analog-digital block design

In a world subject to a fast pace of technology evolution towards system level integration, drastic increase of design productivity is needed to reduce product development cycles and improve timely availability to the market. This can be achieved through the type of retargetable analog-digital blocks discussed in this chapter, whereby various functional building blocks, such as data conversion, amplification, and filtering, among other functions, are efficiently combined to allow easy re-usability for different technology environments and application requirements. The four main ingredients of such a methodology include optimized system-level partitioning for efficient handling of inter-function design constraints, technology adaptation capability ensured by component design methodologies which reduce technology dependency, effective use of silicon area ensured by maximum layout regularity, optimized component aspect ratios and careful floor planning and, finally, reduced routing density and routing area ensured by detailed analysis of route path characteristics and use of simplifying routing techniques. Examples of practical industry designs are given where such methodology has been efficiently employed to achieve significant improvements in product development cycles.