ON ROBUSTNESS OPTIMIZATION BASED ON METAMODELS

Electronic systems are usually required to maintain the value of their parameters within set limits over a wide range of conditions, for large variations of internal or external factors. Given the large number of factors that need be considered it is often un-practical to check all and each combination of factors. New approaches, such as the parameter design, are necessary for designing robust systems, with defined performance for all operational conditions, while keeping the development time and production cost to acceptably low levels. This paper describes two methods for parameter design: the classical, analytical approach, based on underlying assumptions and a new simulation based methodology, focused on real-life cases. The proposed method helps the designer to bring a system response to the target and reduce its sensitivity to varying operating conditions. It is demonstrated on a real-life case: optimized sizing of the external circuitry of a low dropout voltage regulator, with the view of reducing its sensitivity to external factors such as temperature and load current. A three-response optimization was achieved also by applying the method on each of the considered outputs and then intersecting the solutions .

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