Statistical Circuit Design: The Application of Monte Carlo Techniques to the Study of Impairments in the Waveguide Transmission System

l.i Monte Carlo Analysis in Circuit and System Design M o n t e Carlo tolerance analysis has proven to he a useful tool in the circuit design process. 1-3 Typically, the designer uses the statistical distributions and correlations of the circuit components in conjunction with random number generators to produce in the computer a large number of sample circuits. These circuits are then analyzed on the computer and empirical distributions of circuit performance are obtained. From these distributions, the designer can predict yield and can study the implications of altering component tolerances. Monte Carlo techniques can also be used to analyze the effects of parameter variations in systems; in particular, these methods can be applied to the study of impairments in a transmission system. We shall 1293 1294 T H E BELL SYSTEM TECHNICAL J O U R N A L , APRIL 1971 first discuss some of the steps involved in the system design and specification, and then show how Monte Carlo techniques can be applied. 1.2 System Specification and Impairment Allocation