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no scope for later variations because the domains cannot

interact. Design changes such moving from a soft to hard-

wired processor or implementing a software algorithm in

programmable hardware would force a significant, and

potentially costly, redesign though the domains. The result

is a sequential and inflexible approach to design where

physical hardware must be developed first, then followed

by the programmable hardware and finally the application

software. Little chance exists to explore design options to

circumvent problems or achieve a better result.

Abstracting FPGA design to a higher level does not get

around these limitations, and in some ways exacerbates

them by making the domain and its design data even more

exclusive. While programmable hardware design becomes

significantly easier, it still does not allow for interaction

with the interdependent hardware and software domains.

Uniﬁed Design Abstraction

What’s needed to take the concepts of design abstraction

to the next level is a complete design environment that

incorporates the concepts from the ground up, so that all

domains can freely interact, regardless of the level of indi-

vidual design abstraction. This requires a design system

that’s unified at the platform level, where a single applica-

tion and single pool of design data is used for the entire

design process.

Embedded hardware design can then become an integral

part of the design process that reaches into the hard-

ware and application software domains. Changes in any

domain will modify the single collection of data and

become instantly available in the other domains, and any

high level design processes are inherently ‘understood’ by

the rest of the design system. Design abstraction in the

embedded hardware space moves beyond being a simple,

isolated layer that sits on top of the normal process to one

that interactively permeates though the complete design

system.

With such as system in place, typical tasks like imple-

menting a USB stage in a design are vastly simplified. In

this case, the USB stage is likely to have elements that

need to be incorporated in all domains – connectors and

interface hardware in the physical space, bus interfaces in

programmable hardware, plus drivers and protocol layers

in the application software domain. The single pool of

design data, which includes library parts, holds a single

model of the USB block that incorporates all elements.

The model can be simply dropped into the design, where

it is manifested in all domains regardless of their level of

design abstraction. IP cores or saved design can be used in

the same way.

System-Wide High Level Design

Design abstraction at this level of sophistication also

opens the door to a system-based approach to electronic

product development. The processes are no longer iso-

lated, and there is less need to enforce a rigidly sequential

workflow since design changes are easier and incur less

design disruption.

The high level development process, now implemented

globally, allows designers to focus first and foremost on

creating the correct end-user experience without being

swamped or distracted by low level design complexity.

Hardware decisions can be fixed later in the design cycle

when the requirements are fully known, the hardware-

software partition is easier to move and a more iterative,

exploratory approach to development is possible.

Using an abstracted design process that does not funda-

menta lly interconnect to the rest of t he system is like using

Windows as just an interface to the underlying operating

system. Without the base level infrastructure of program-

ming hooks, system calls and APIs, Windows would revert

to the clown suit metaphor – even though the suit actually

looks rather nice now.

With today’s complex electronics design tasks, high design

abstraction is no longer just a desirable add-on for an

individual process that it may benefit. On the contrary, as

design becomes increasingly complex, which it undoubt-

edly will, and the lines between the design domains

continue to blur, ‘unified’ design abstraction is rapidly

becoming essential.

This approach not only makes the next generation of elec-

tronics designs possible, but also frees designers to focus

on the crucial task of creating innovative and connected

designs that deliver a true competitive edge.

Rob Evans studied Electronic Engineering at

RMIT in Melbourne, Australia. He has over

20 years experience in the electronics design

and publishing industry including several

years as the Technical Editor for Electronics

Australia. Rob currently holds the position of

Technical Editor at Altium Limited

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