CoFrame: a modular co-design framework for heterogeneous distributed systems

Abstract

This paper presents CoFrame, a novel modular co-design framework for heterogeneous distributed systems. The center of the approach is a pool of dynamic data structures which is analyzed, modified and refined by algorithms and tools to map a system specification to a feasible implementation consisting of arbitrary linked processors, DSPs and FPGAs. Due to its modular structure, CoFrame can be easily adapted to various control and data flow oriented problems by exchanging the domain-specific components. As an example we present a CoFrame tool configuration providing i) design space exploration for architecture synthesis using a state-of-the-art evolutionary algorithm for multiobjective optimization and ii) communication synthesis using an object-oriented approach. Finally, a case study of a molecular dynamic solver is described.