Skip to main content
Log in

Codesign analysis of a computer graphics application

  • Published:
Design Automation for Embedded Systems Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper describes a codesign case study where a computer graphics application is examined with the intention to speed up its execution. The application is specified as a C program, and is characterized by the lack of a simple compute-intensive kernel. The hardware/software partitioning is based on information obtained from software profiling and the resulting design is validated through cosimulation. The achieved speed-up is estimated based on an analysis of profiling information from different sets of input data and various architectural options.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. P.M. Athanas and H.F. Silverman. Processor reconfiguration through instruction-set metamorphosis. Computer, pages 11–18, March 1993.

  2. J.P. Brage. A system for 3D visualization of semiconductor topologies. Technical report, Electronics Institute, Technical University of Denmark, 1988. See also the WWW page: ‘http://www.id.dtu.dk/design’.

  3. J.P. Brage. Merlin, An Interface Model for Codesign. Department of Computer Science, Technical University of Denmark, 1993. See also the WWW page: ‘http://www.id.dtu.dk/~design’.

  4. J.P. Brage and S. Pedersen. A case study in architectural and technological trade-offs. In Proceedings of Twelfth NORCHIP Seminar '94, pages 78–85, Gothenburg, November 1994. See also the WWW page: ‘http://www.id.dtu.dk/~design’.

  5. C. Christensen. Coprocessor design from software implementation. Master's thesis, Department of Computer Science, Technical University of Denmark, February 1994.

  6. Cypress Semiconductor, Seminar Series 1989. The Cypress Semiconductor RISC 7C600.

  7. W. Ecker. HW/SW co-specification using VHDL. In Second IFIP International Workshop on Hardware/Software Codesign, Codes/CASHE'93, May 1993.

  8. R. Ernst, J. Henkel, and T. Benner. Hardware/software co-synthesis of microcontrollers. Design and Test of Computers, pages 64–75, December 1992.

  9. L. Gerbaux and G. Saucier. Optimized synthesis of large controllers on rom based architecture. In proceedings of the 23rd Sasimi Conference, Kyoto Japan, pages 103–110, October 1990.

  10. P. Gibson and F. Östman. Early integration in industrial practice. In Second IFIP International Workshop on Hardware/Software Codesign, Codes/CASHE'93, May 1993.

  11. S.L. Graham, P.B. Kessler, and M.K. McKusick. gprof: A call graph execution profiler. The SIGPLAN '82 Symposium on Compiler Construction, SIGPLAN Notices, 17(6):120–126, June 1982.

    Google Scholar 

  12. J.P. Hayes. Computer Architecture and Organization. McGraw-Hill, 1988.

  13. R. Hersén. Charon - a co-simulation application. In Second IFIP International Workshop on Hardware/Software Codesign, Codes/CASHE'93, May 1993.

  14. D.H. Laidlaw, W.B. Trumbore, and J.F. Hughes. Constructive solid geometry for polyhedral objects. In Computer Graphics. ACM SIGGRAPH, August 1986.

  15. Y-T.S. Li, S. Malik, and A. Wolfe. Software performance estimation with instruction cashe modeling using interger linear programming. In proceedings of the International Conference on Computer-Aided Design. IEEE, November 1995.

  16. Motorola. M68000 Family Reference, 1990.

  17. Motorola. M68040 Microprocessors User's Manual, 1993.

  18. D.P. Siewiorek, C.G. Bell, and A. Newell. Computer Structures: Principles and Examples. McGraw-Hill, 1982.

  19. SYNOPSYS Inc. VHDL Systems Simulator Reference Manual, 1993.

  20. J. van Dun and L. Jadoul. Hds/H Cosim: A cosimulation prototype applied in the formal design of telecom PBA's. In Second IFIP International Workshop on Hardware/Software Codesign, Codes/CASHE'93, May 1993.

  21. N.S. Woo, A.E. Dunlop, and W. Wolf. Codesign from cospecification. Computer, 27(1):42–47, January 1994.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

now at DELAT IC Design, DK-2970 Hørsholm, Denmark

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Madsen, J., Brage, J.P. Codesign analysis of a computer graphics application. Des Autom Embed Syst 1, 121–145 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00134685

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00134685

Keywords