Utilizing synthesis methods in accurate system-level exploration of heterogeneous embedded systems

We present a new mapping strategy for efficient design space exploration of heterogeneous embedded systems. The new mapping approach is developed within the context of the Sesame framework (Pimentel, A.D. et al., Lect. Notes in Comp. Sci., vol.2268, p.57-73, 2002; Coffland, J.E. and Pimentel, Proc. ACM Symp. on Applied Computing - SAC'03, 2003) to improve its simulation accuracy and capabilities. In Sesame, separate application and architecture models together with an explicit mapping step are recognized within a system simulation. Originally, Sesame maps application models onto architecture models using trace-driven co-simulation of both models. However, this approach is limited by the fact that information is lost in the linear application traces that drive the architecture model. This may hamper accurate architecture simulation. The new mapping approach, which is based on integer-controlled dataflow actors, removes these limitations at the cost of a slight increase in complexity regarding the mapping. We compare our new approach with the current state-of-the-art mapping strategies under multiple criteria. Also, with examples, we illustrate how we integrate our new mapping strategy into Sesame's mapping layer.