Description: High-level synthesis is a fundamental process in digital system design, involving the conversion of high-level programming languages, such as C or C++, into hardware description languages (HDL) like VHDL or Verilog. This process allows designers to specify the behavior and structure of a digital system in a more abstract and efficient manner, without having to deal with the details of implementation at the logic gate level. High-level synthesis facilitates the creation of complex integrated circuits, optimizing both development time and the quality of the final design. Through synthesis tools, designers can leverage advanced algorithms to optimize performance, power consumption, and chip area, resulting in a more effective and competitive design. Additionally, high-level synthesis enables code reuse and the integration of different modules, which is essential in the development of various digital systems and computing applications, where efficiency and adaptability are crucial.
History: High-level synthesis began to gain attention in the 1980s when researchers started exploring ways to automate the design of digital circuits. One significant milestone was the development of synthesis tools that allowed the conversion of high-level programming languages into HDL. Over the years, the technology has evolved, and in the 1990s, more sophisticated tools were introduced that improved design efficiency and quality. Today, high-level synthesis is an integral part of the integrated circuit design flow, especially in complex applications such as integrated systems and advanced computing.
Uses: High-level synthesis is primarily used in the design of integrated circuits and complex digital systems. It allows engineers to translate high-level algorithms and models into hardware implementations, which is particularly useful in the development of embedded systems, processors, and artificial intelligence applications. It is also applied in optimizing designs to meet specific performance and energy consumption requirements.
Examples: Examples of high-level synthesis tools include Catapult from Mentor Graphics, Synphony from Synopsys, and LegUp, which is a C to HDL compiler. These tools enable designers to create complex digital systems more efficiently and quickly, facilitating the implementation of advanced algorithms in hardware.
