Meeting date: 06 jun 2006
Members (asterisk for those attending):
*Arpad Muranyi, Intel Corp.
*Bob Ross, Teraspeed Consulting Group
*Todd Westerhoff, Cisco Systems
*Mike LaBonte, Cisco Systems
Paul Fernando, NCSU
Barry Katz, SiSoft
Walter Katz, SiSoft
Ken Willis, Cadence Design Systems
*Ian Dodd, Mentor Graphics
*Lance Wang, Cadence Design Systems
Richard Ward, Texas Instruments
Doug White, Cisco Systems
Sanjeev Gupta, Agilent
Joe Abler, IBM
John Shields, Mentor Graphics

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Review of ARs:

- Mike forward diagram to John Shields for comments
  - TBD

- Ian ask Gary Pratt about progress getting models
  - Gary is still working on it

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Next week discuss inputs to Matlab model:
- Mentor uses impulse response/channel simulation approach.
  - Impulse response created with t-line or AMS simulator
  - Custom simulator uses this to simulate millions of cycle
  - Has to be done for whole channel.

Joe Abler:
- Developed EQ architecture:
  - DFE algorithm
  - CDR algorithm
- Simulation can pull in xtalk channels.
- It fully models digital control algorithm.
- Supports fast/typ/slow corners.
- Uses S parameters for packages.
- Written in C, not Matlab:
  - It does Matlab-like calculations for you (home-grown).
  - Matlab is used for results outputs only.
- Simulation is mostly in the time domain.
- Not transistor models, relies on linearity.
- Real receiver models are an advantage:
  - In old simulations the receiver was just a load.
  - Checking receiver performance was done by post-analysis.
- How to simulate IBM receiver with another driver?
  - It's not interoperable.

- Why was it written in C?
  - First define partition of:
    - What is in GUI
    - What is in serdes
    - What are inputs
    - What are outputs
  - Writing it "from scratch" makes it not interoperable.
  - Someone has to own the simulator.
  - Would like to get away from this.
  - The B element reads IBIS info and interfaces with simulator
    - This is an interpreter.
  - AMS simulators are powerful, but can they do hardware-software co-design?
    - SystemC is a platform for this.
  - A DLL-like solution would be good.
  - Many simulators have these interfaces.
  - Encrypted AMS and machine binary are the same to users.
  - Is this in conflict with the IBIS mission?
  - People had trouble learning IBIS, this may be harder.
  - We need to look into interface specification details.

- Why are AMS-like languages proliferating?
  - SystemVerilog
  - SystemC
- No perfect solution

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Next meeting: Tuesday 13 Jun 2006 12:00pm PT