About RFIC Dynamic Link

Agilent Technologies and Cadence Design Systems both offer powerful EDA design tools. Many of today's design engineers prefer to use a combination of these tools to take advantage of the strengths of both design environments. Because of this desire to use multiple tools, Agilent Technologies has developed the RFIC Dynamic Link for Cadence. The Dynamic Link enables both top-down and bottom-up design and simulation in Advanced Design System (ADS) using IC designs from the Cadence database.

Advanced Design System

Advanced Design System has been developed specifically to simulate the entire communications signal path. This unique solution integrates the widest variety of proven RF, DSP, and electromagnetic design tools into a single, flexible environment. Building on years of expertise developing new technologies for our EDA tools, Advanced Design System provides a broad range of high-performance capability. This makes it easy to explore design ideas, then model the electrical and physical design of the best candidates.

Virtuoso Schematic Composer

The Virtuoso Schematic Composer from Cadence Design Systems is a hierarchical design entry tool used by RFIC circuit designers. Useful for both analog and digital designs, the database created is accessible by the Cadence simulation and physical layout tools. The tool supports multi-sheet schematics, including cross-referencing, symbol creation, automatic HDL cell template generation, global nets and hierarchical property definition for most database objects. The tool also provides hierarchical checking of connectivity, consistency of different cell representations and label attachments.

RFIC Dynamic Link

RFIC Dynamic Link is an EDA framework integration software product based on Inter-Process Communication __ (IPC), rather than data file translation, maximizing data integrity and ease of use.This manual describes how to install and configure the RFIC Dynamic Link product and assists you in designing and analyzing analog mixed-signal and RF circuits via Dynamic Link. Getting Started Tutorial is provided to help you quickly get started with using the RFIC Dynamic Link. For information on Library Customization, refer to the RFIC Dynamic Link Library Guide.

RFIC Dynamic Link Use Model

The RFIC Dynamic Link use-model coincides with that of both Cadence and ADS, with only a few exceptions. Essentially, the Affirma Analog Circuit Design Environment user interface is replaced with Advanced Design System and all of its functionality. The Affirma features that are not directly replaced by ADS are provided on the DynamicLink pull-down menu in the Cadence Virtuoso Schematic window.

Note
If the DynamicLink pull-down menu does not appear in the Cadence Virtuoso Schematic window, choose Tools > ADS Dynamic Link in the Cadence schematic window.

Usage assumes basic familiarity with the Cadence IC Design Framework II (DFII) , including Virtuoso schematic capture and Affirma Analog Circuit Design Environment , as well as basic familiarity with design and simulation in the Advanced Design System.

Additional Information

Wherever a shell variable is set, this manual uses the K-shell syntax.
Unless otherwise mentioned, assume case sensitivity.
Terminology used for Agilent Technologies and Cadence EDA Tools is frequently different. For example, a project in ADS is similar to a library in Cadence and design in ADS is similar to a cellview in Cadence.

What's in this Manual

The goal of this manual is to help you get started, providing relevant examples that teach you how to use the software, and show you where you can get more information as you need it. This manual contains:

Configuring RFIC Dynamic Link describes the system requirements and how to install and configure the software.

Getting Started Tutorial steps you through the process of simulating a circuit using components from the Dynamic Link analogLib library. Other examples are also included to help you become more familiar with the product.

Using RFIC Dynamic Link provides information on launching ADS from a Cadence Schematic window, performing some basic operations and closing the Dynamic Link between ADS and Cadence.

Netlisting, Simulating, and Displaying Data describes the procedures for netlisting and simulating a design as well as viewing the netlist from either ADS or a Cadence schematic window. Information on net, instance and expression name mapping is also provided.

Running a DSP and Analog/RF Cosimulation with RFIC Dynamic Link provides and example of how to run an ADS Ptolemy Cosimulation using RFIC Dynamic Link.

Tuning and Optimizing Designs provides information on tuning and optimizing designs using the ADS tuning and optimization capabilities.

Using Additional Features of RFIC Dynamic Link includes a collection of Dynamic Link features such as "Freezing" selective subcircuits. Compatibility features covering support for Duplicate Pin Names, Bus-ports, Buses and Bundles, Unnamed Nets and pPar and iPar are also discussed.

Using Switch Views, Stop Views and the Hierarchy Editor provides information on using switch views, stop views and the Hierarchy Editor in Dynamic Link.

Troubleshooting provides information that can help you resolve common problems with RFIC Dynamic Link.

Command Reference describes the function of each of the menu selections available for using RFIC Dynamic Link.