Systems containing both analog and digital functions have been investigated with the purpose of realizing mixed-signal integrated circuits with higher levels of functionality and integration. In most cases, such mixed-signal systems are inherently multirate because of the different sampling rates employed at various stages of the system. The multirate concepts have been used for traditional applications, such as subband coding and narrowband filter design. Some unconventional applications of multirate signal processing are also emerging, both for converting between analog samples and digital words, and for realizing processing functions in an easier and more economical way than would be possible using purely digital or analog techniques. This paper reviews fundamental multirate concepts, discusses some developments in this area of integrated multirate analog-digital systems, and outlines some possible future directions for research and application.