Software architecture synthesis for retargetable real-time embedded systems

Abstract

Retargetability of embedded system descriptions not only enables better exploration of the design space and evaluation of cost/performance tradeoffs but also enhances design maintainability and adaptivity to new technologies. Unfortunately, the traditional boundary between run-time support and user-code encourages use of ad hoc architecture-specific features that lack the structure to permit automatic code synthesis for the satisfaction of timing constraints. This work proposes a specification style for control dominated embedded systems that can be easily retargeted via automatic synthesis of the software architecture and run-time support. Unlike previous work, user-specified modes are an integral part of the run-time system and isolate architecture-specific details while scoping timing constraints to enable more efficient scheduling.