A new, algorithm-driven methodology is introduced for the synthesis of data conversion systems, It employs a combination of symbolic signal flow graph techniques to generate a canonical representation of the algorithm description, together with pattern recognition techniques, to determine the appropriate functional building blocks for the converter architecture and knowledge-based rules to instantiate such building blocks by electrical subcircuits, By allowing the synthesis process to move to higher levels of abstraction the proposed methodology provides a computer-based framework for the systematic and uniform treatment of various types of conversion systems, including the search for new conversion algorithms and/or new implementation architectures.