Workcraft: A static data flow structure editing, visualisation and analysis tool

Abstract

Reliable high-level modeling constructs are crucial to the design of efficient asynchronous circuits. Concepts such as static data flow structures (SDFS) considerably facilitate the design process by separating the circuit structure and functionality from the lower-level implementation details. Aside from providing a more abstract, higher level view, SDFS allow for efficient circuit analysis that is done by converting it to a Petri Net preserving behavioural equivalence. Once the equivalent Petri Net is obtained, existing theoretical and tool base can be applied to perform the model verification. However, recent advances in SDFS design were largely theoretical. There are no practical software tools available which would allow working with different SDFS models in a consistent way and provide means for their analysis and comparison. This paper presents a tool which aims to provide a common, cross-platform environment to assist with aforementioned tasks. The tool offers a GUI-based framework for visual editing, real-time simulation, animation and extendable analysis features for different SDFS types. The models themselves, as well as the supporting tools, are implemented as plug-ins. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007.