A UML-driven ASIC design methodology aided by an automated UML-SystemC translator

Abstract

This thesis discusses a novel approach to hardware design thatfalls within the category of UML Model-driven hardware design.We have made an attempt to formalize UML through the use ofstereotypes and high-level design constructs and allow directtranslation of these descriptions into synthesisable SystemC code,through the use of an automated UML-SystemC translator, thusproviding a direct path from UML Model to netlist for thedesigner. The work of this thesis covers three main areas namely, thedefinition of UML syntax for describing hardware, building of aUML-SystemC translator to act as a UML model-compiler of sorts toproduce synthesisable SystemC code, and finally creation ofdesigns based on the syntax. Three mainways of representing designs were defined, class diagrams forstatic structures, and statecharts and activity diagrams fordynamic structures. A mixture of these elements was employeddepending on the nature of the design.