| Researchers: | Michael C. Williamson |
|---|---|
| Advisor: | Edward A. Lee |
| Sponsor: |
This method draws on techniques developed for software synthesis for DSP applications [3]. In particular, methods for parallel scheduling of SDF graphs on multiple processors [4,5] and techniques for interfacing heterogeneous code generation subsystems [6] have provided the main groundwork for this method. The parallel scheduling techniques have been aimed at generating software for parallel execution on multiple communicating DSP processors. The emphasis of the code generation mechanism has been on combining multiple, heterogeneous subsystems into a single parallel architecture.
In this work, we start with the same algorithm representation, a dataflow graph, but rather than partitioning and scheduling that graph for execution on a homogeneous or heterogeneous parallel target architecture, we are actually synthesizing the parallel implementation architecture that will execute our application. In this respect this technique is similar to hardware/software cosynthesis where both the processor/instruction set and the software to be executed on the synthesized processor are generated [7,8]. Unlike that class of methods, we do not explicitly synthesize an instruction set, but rather a sequence of clock and control signals. We also do not synthesize any explicit block of memory, but instead individual registers with input, output, and clock signals. Further design analysis following the application of our technique could be performed to map these registers into reusable blocks of memory, but we do not attempt to deal with memory management in the current implementation of our method.
In support of this work, we have produced two working VHDL domains in Ptolemy for VHDL code generation, the VHDLB and VHDL domains. The VHDLB domain (VHDL-Behavioral) supports structurally-oriented VHDL code generation of systems that combine existing VHDL library entities. This domain provides a basic infrastructure for generating top-level VHDL design specifications. These designs are composed of predefined VHDL blocks connected according to the block diagram specifications of the designer, and then elaborated to a full design by the code generator.
The newer VHDL domain is restricted to SDF semantics, but has targets to support a variety of VHDL code generation styles, including single-process sequential statements for efficient simulation, as well as synthesizable VHDL for passing to register-transfer level (RTL) synthesis tools such as Synopsys Design Compiler. Through Ptolemy's retargeting mechanism, designers can switch domains from SDF simulation to VHDL code generation when identical block actors exist in both domains. Supporting infrastructure has been added to Ptolemy so that VHDL simulation engines such as Synopsys VSS and Model Technology's simulator can be invoked for standalone- or co-simulation with dataflow simulation or other code generation subsystems in Ptolemy.