Implementing DSP applications on heterogeneous targets using minimal size data buffers

The paper presents an algorithm to determine the smallest possible data buffer sizes for arbitrary synchronous data flow (SDF) applications, such that we can guarantee the existence of a deadlock free schedule. The presented algorithm fits in the design flow of GRAPE, an environment for the emulation and implementation of digital signal processing (DSP) systems on arbitrary target architectures, consisting of programmable DSP processors and FPGAs. Reducing the size of data buffers is of high importance when the application will be mapped on Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA), since register resources are rather scarce.