We present a component-based multi-level mixed-signal design and simulation environment for microsystems spanning the domains of electronics, mechanics, and optics. The environment provides a solution to the problem of accurate modeling and simulation of multi-domain devices at the system level. This is achieved by partitioning the system into components that are modeled by analytic expressions. These expressions are reduced via linearization into regions of operation for each element of the component and solved with modified nodal analysis in the frequency domain, which guarantees convergence. Feedback among components is managed by a discrete event simulator sending composite signals between components. For electrical, and mechanical components, interaction is via physical connectivity while optical signals are modeled using complex scalar wavefronts, providing the accuracy necessary to model micro-optical components. Simulation speed vs. simulation accuracy can be tuned by controlling the granularity of the regions of operation of the devices, sample density of the optical wavefronts, or the time steps of the discrete event simulator. The methodology is specifically optimized for loosely coupled systems of complex components such as are found in multi-domain microsystems.

As designers become more aggressive in introducing optical components to micro-systems, rigorous optical models are required for system-level simulation tools. Common optical modeling techniques and approximations are not valid for most optical micro-systems, and those techniques that provide accurate simulation are computationally slow. In this paper, we introduce an angular frequency optical propagation technique that greatly reduces computation time while achieving the accuracy of a full scalar formulation. We present simulations of a diffractive optical MEM grating light valve to show the advantages of this optical propagation method and the integration of the technique into a system-level multi-domain CAD tool.

Energy separation algorithms using Teager's energy operator have been used to analyze modulations in speech resonances, and energy separation in bird song. Here we apply energy separation and the energy operator to the analysis and resynthesis of musical instrument sounds. We show how the energy operator can be used to (a) examine vibrato and tremolo (b) precisely determine frequencies of harmonics (c) determine synthesis parameters for an excitation/filter model.

MHDL (MMIC hardware description language) is a new language created for the behavioral description of state-of-the-art microwave hardware. A microwave communication system includes both continuous time and discrete time processing subsystems. MHDL includes a number of novel features; some of these features are of direct use in the specification of both continuous time and discrete time signal processing. MHDL includes data types complex and z that find direct use in signal processing applications. The article describes the use of MHDL in the description of signal processing algorithms.

Abstract This paper describes the problems and complexity of implementing an interpreter for IGES. IGES (the Initial Graphics Exchange Standard) is an attempt to define a language that can specify geometrical, electrical and mechanical specifications with a uniform syntax. The syntax of IGES is sketched first. This is followed by a short review of the primitives available within IGES. The interior of the interpreter is presented next with particular attention paid to the implementation of the macro language residing inside of IGES.

The design and implementation of a compiler for two very high level languages are addressed. The first language is a set language similar to VERS and SETL. The second language is a novel signal processing language. The compiler uses data flow and type information to constrain possible choices before choosing a possible implementation. Heuristic search is then used to choose from competing concrete implementations of abstract data types. Constraint propagation is used at every selection step to remove incompatible configurations from the search, thereby reducing the search space considerably. A microprogram control store is automatically generated. The output of the compiler is a parts list, a net list of module interconnections, and the fields of the control store.>

The 'gnusic' (gnot music) experimental machine has been built to address three specific problems: narrow bandwidth of the control channel, limited access to the sound production mechanism, and mixing and effects processing. The hardware uses an experimental diskless workstation to control a variety of cards: an array of digital signal processors (DSPs), an array of FM oscillators, the final mix with AES output, and MIDI/SMPTE I/O. Each card except the last has a core DSP (an AT&T DSP-16) to mix the output from upstream cards and perform effects.>

Simple analog functions such as mixing and editing often have complex implementations in the digital domain. Previous machines designed expressly for such tasks, such as the Lucasfilm ASP and Neve BBC machine, are heavily pipelined and complex machines with extremely fast cycle times. The author describes the hardware architecture of a MIMD (multi-instruction/multiple-data-stream) multiprocessor designed to handle the problems of high-quality digital audio mixing, synthesis, and editing.>