Optimisation of electronic system parameters

A method of determining a preferred value of at least one electronic system component which optimizes one or more characteristics of an electronic system, the method comprising the steps of:

• expressing a steady state condition of the system, at at least one point on the system, in terms of at least one of said system components;
• selecting a trial value for the or each system component and calculating said steady state at the or each point;
• applying a perturbation to the value of at least one of the said system components of the system, such that a localised region around said steady state condition is linearised;
• determining, as a consequence of said perturbation, a new steady state condition of said electronic system;
• and
• expressing at least one constraint function that specifies at least one limiting property of said optimised electronic system, with which said system component is to be optimised.

A computer readable medium comprising computer program instructions for carrying out the following method steps when executed on a computer:

• expressing a steady state condition of the system, at at least one point on the system, in terms of at least one of said system components;
• selecting a trial value for the or each system component and calculating said steady state at the or each point;
• applying a perturbation to the value of at least one of the said system components of the system, such that a localised region around said steady state condition is linearised;
• and
• determining, as a consequence of said perturbation, a new steady state condition of said electronic system.