System synthesis utilizing a layered functional model

Abstract

We propose a system synthesis method which bridges the gap between a highly abstract functional model and an efficient hardware or software implementation. The functional model is based on a formal semantics and the synchrony hypothesis. However, the use of skeletons in conjunction with a proper computational model structures the system description into three layers, the system layer, the skeleton layer, and the elementary layer. The synthesis process takes advantage of this structure and uses a different technique for each layer: (a) connection of components, and processes at the system layer; (b) template based generation of compound entities possibly containing state information, memory, and complex control at the skeleton layer; this layer also determines the communication and timing behaviour; (c) direct translation into combinatorial functions at the elementary layer. Thus, without compromising the formal properties of the abstract system model we provide an efficient synthesis method.