Transformation of ADA programs into silicon (82 Mar. 1 - 82 Oct. 31)

technical reportThis report outlines the beginning steps taken in an integrated research effort toward the development of a methodology, and supporting systems, for transforming Ada programs, or program units, (directly) into corresponding VLSI systems. The time seems right to expect good results. The need is evident; special purpose systems should be realistic alternatives where simplicity, speed, reliability, and security are dominant factors. Success in this research can lead to attractive options for embedded system applications

Characteristics of a functional programming language

Journal ArticleA programming language kernel is presented where an algorithm is a function defined through a functional expression. The only data structure introduced is an object that may be an atom or a sequence of objects. A number of functional forms are defined, with a notation close to ordinary mathematical notation, and their usage is demonstrated through several examples. The language allows a high degree of parallelism in an underlying interpreting machine

ADA to silicon transformations: the outline of a method

technical reportThis report explores the contention that a high-order language specification of a machine (such as an Ada program) can be methodically transformed into a hardware representation of that machine. One series of well-defined steps through which such transformations can take place is presented in this initial study

CASL - A language for automating the implementation of computer architectures

technical reportThe computer Architecture Specification Language (CASL), described in this paper, is intended for use by computer architects CASL is a state machine description language especially useful for describing digital systems at the "register transfer" level and designed to meet the needs of the computer architect as a design and documentation medium. A machine described in CASL may be decomposed into cooperating Modules, each representing an asynchronous finite state machine. Each Module consiste of an Abstractions, Structure, and Procedure section. An architect may use the Abstractions section to define his own data representations and primitive operations. The Structure section describes structural elements section describes structural elements (combinatorial and sequential hardware "building blocks") and connections (explicit specifications of each data path). The Procedure section is a textual (nearly ALGOL-like) representation of the state transition graph and the sets of control signals issued concurrently in each state to drive the structure. Statements in each state are collateral, rather than sequential, and CASE structures are used for conditional selection of control signals to be issued by a state. A macro facility is provided to encode groups of control signals

Transparent interface between software and hardware versions of ADA compilation units

technical reportThe Ada-to-Silicon project at Utah is developing a methodology (and associated software and hardware) for the high level testing of Ada compilation units that are represented as hardware components (circuitry). There are two motivations for this research

Transforming an Ada program unit to silicon and verifying its behavior in an Ada environment: a first experiment

Journal ArticleMicroelectronics technology has advanced so rapidly and been so successful that we are new having to build large systems with a multitude of diverse, interacting components. Some components of these systems exhibit distinct architectures and may, in fact, be implemented following different choices of data abstraction realized in a variety of logic and circuit technologies. When we as designers understand how to build such systems, we are no longer just software engineers or just hardware engineers

A Fortran IV Primer

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Semiannual technical report transformation of ADA programs into silicon (1 Sept. 1981- 28 Feb. 1982)

technical reportThis report summarizes the first six months work of the research project, "Transformation of Ada Programs into Silicon." Our project has five main objectives: 1. Develop and document elements of a transformation methodology for converting Ada programs, or program constructs, into VLSI systems which are ensembles of intercommunicating state machines. This research includes: selecting intermediate languages, as deemed necessary, and identifying a sufficient set of transformation rules for mapping program specifications through successive levels of representation, from Ada to integrated circuits. 2. Demonstrate the methodology developed in 1 by manually applying it to a non-trivial example: transforming an Ada-encoded representation of the DoD Standard Internet Protocol (or a significant .subset thereof) into NMOS circuitry. 3. Work toward a theory for identifying substructures within Ada programs for which the transformation methodology is attractive or suitable, according to pragmatic considerations. (That is, attempt to determine the advantages and disadvantages of converting prototypical Ada constructs into silicon.) Identify and classify those Ada program constructs that are especially "good" candidates for conversion. " 4. Develop specifications for a set of software tools for use in automating the transformation methodology developed in 1. 5. Develop a methodology for testing integrated circuits representing Ada program units and for integrating such circuits into a larger system embodying the remainder of the Ada program of which the produced integrated circuit was extracted

Transformation of Ada program units into silicon (Fourth Semiannual technical report 83 Apr 1 - 83 Nov 15)

technical reportThis report, augmented with several appended papers and supplementary reports describes the most recent six months of work on the research project, "Transformation of Ada Programs into Silicon". This report is also the last of the series to be rendered under the current contact