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language:langs:dflow [2020/12/02 01:00]
127.0.0.1 external edit
language:langs:dflow [2022/05/13 08:50]
rajit
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 The dataflow sublanguage provides a convenient short-hand when designing asynchronous circuits using pipelined asynchronous circuits. The dataflow language operates exclusively on channels, and treats channels as variables to specify the dataflow computation.  The dataflow sublanguage provides a convenient short-hand when designing asynchronous circuits using pipelined asynchronous circuits. The dataflow language operates exclusively on channels, and treats channels as variables to specify the dataflow computation. 
-<code>+<code act>
 chan(int) a, b, c; chan(int) a, b, c;
  
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 </code> </code>
 This corresponds to an adder, with inputs on channels ''a'' and ''b'' and the output on channel ''c''. There is an implicit assumption that the design is pipelined, and corresponds to the following CHP program: This corresponds to an adder, with inputs on channels ''a'' and ''b'' and the output on channel ''c''. There is an implicit assumption that the design is pipelined, and corresponds to the following CHP program:
-<code>+<code act>
 *[ a?x,b?y;c!(x+y) ] *[ a?x,b?y;c!(x+y) ]
 </code> </code>
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 The //split// dataflow element receives a control token and a data token, and uses the value of the control token to route the data token to one of the output channels. If the control token=0, the first channel is used; if it is 1, then the next  channel is used; etc. The syntax for this is shown below: The //split// dataflow element receives a control token and a data token, and uses the value of the control token to route the data token to one of the output channels. If the control token=0, the first channel is used; if it is 1, then the next  channel is used; etc. The syntax for this is shown below:
-<code>+<code act>
 dataflow { dataflow {
   {c} I -> O0, O1   {c} I -> O0, O1
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 </code> </code>
 The data input on channel ''I'' is routed to either ''O0'' or ''O1'', depending on the token received on input ''c''. In some cases, one might want to discard a token based on a condition. In this case, the special symbol ''*'' can be used. The following specifies a circuit where the input is sent to the output ''O'' if the condition ''c'' is 1, otherwise it is discarded. The data input on channel ''I'' is routed to either ''O0'' or ''O1'', depending on the token received on input ''c''. In some cases, one might want to discard a token based on a condition. In this case, the special symbol ''*'' can be used. The following specifies a circuit where the input is sent to the output ''O'' if the condition ''c'' is 1, otherwise it is discarded.
-<code>+<code act>
 dataflow { dataflow {
   {c} I -> *, O   {c} I -> *, O
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 Splits with more than two outputs use the same syntax. The control token is assumed to take on an integer value specifying which output channel is used. Splits with more than two outputs use the same syntax. The control token is assumed to take on an integer value specifying which output channel is used.
-<code>+<code act>
 dataflow { dataflow {
   {c} I -> O0, O1, O2, ..., On   {c} I -> O0, O1, O2, ..., On
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 The //controlled merge// dataflow element receives a control token, and then uses the token determine which input channel should be used to accept an input data token. This data token is routed to the output. The syntax is: The //controlled merge// dataflow element receives a control token, and then uses the token determine which input channel should be used to accept an input data token. This data token is routed to the output. The syntax is:
-<code>+<code act>
 dataflow { dataflow {
   {c} I0, I1 -> O   {c} I0, I1 -> O
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 </code> </code>
 In this example, if a 0 is received on ''c'', then the data token on ''I0'' is sent to the output ''O''. Multi-way merges use a syntax analogous to splits: In this example, if a 0 is received on ''c'', then the data token on ''I0'' is sent to the output ''O''. Multi-way merges use a syntax analogous to splits:
-<code>+<code act>
 dataflow { dataflow {
   {c} I0, I1, ..., Ik -> O   {c} I0, I1, ..., Ik -> O
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 Copies are implicit, and are automatically introduced when the same channel name is used multiple times on the left hand side. In the example below, an input token is received on ''a'' and ''b'' and the sum and product are produced on channels ''sum'' and ''prod'' Copies are implicit, and are automatically introduced when the same channel name is used multiple times on the left hand side. In the example below, an input token is received on ''a'' and ''b'' and the sum and product are produced on channels ''sum'' and ''prod''
-<code>+<code act>
 dataflow { dataflow {
   a + b -> sum;   a + b -> sum;
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 In pipelined circuits, it is important to be able to introduce slack to optimize performance. The syntax for this is the following: In pipelined circuits, it is important to be able to introduce slack to optimize performance. The syntax for this is the following:
-<code>+<code act>
 dataflow { dataflow {
   a + b -> [4] sum   a + b -> [4] sum
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 Finally, we need to be able to introduce initial tokens with pre-specified initial values. The bracket notation is overloaded for this purpose. Finally, we need to be able to introduce initial tokens with pre-specified initial values. The bracket notation is overloaded for this purpose.
-<code>+<code act>
 dataflow { dataflow {
   a + b -> [4,2] sum   a + b -> [4,2] sum
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 There are two other primitives that are also supported, because they can be useful in certain circumstances. They are both variations of the controlled merge. The first is the //deterministic// merge. This is similar to a controlled merge except that the user has apriori knowledge that the input tokens arrive in a mutually exclusive manner. The syntax for this is: There are two other primitives that are also supported, because they can be useful in certain circumstances. They are both variations of the controlled merge. The first is the //deterministic// merge. This is similar to a controlled merge except that the user has apriori knowledge that the input tokens arrive in a mutually exclusive manner. The syntax for this is:
-<code>+<code act>
 dataflow { dataflow {
   {*} I0, I1 -> O   {*} I0, I1 -> O
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 </code> </code>
 The ''*'' is used to indicate that there is no channel needed for the control. The second variant is the //non-deterministic// merge. This is similar to the uncontrolled merge, but mutual exclusion on token arrival is not guaranteed. If two tokens arrive simultaneously, the merge non-deterministically picks one of the tokens to propagate to the output. This is specified as follows: The ''*'' is used to indicate that there is no channel needed for the control. The second variant is the //non-deterministic// merge. This is similar to the uncontrolled merge, but mutual exclusion on token arrival is not guaranteed. If two tokens arrive simultaneously, the merge non-deterministically picks one of the tokens to propagate to the output. This is specified as follows:
-<code>+<code act>
 dataflow { dataflow {
  {|} I0, I1 -> O  {|} I0, I1 -> O
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 </code> </code>
 Note that this introduces an arbiter.  Note that this introduces an arbiter. 
 +
 +Often it is helpful to know what decision was made by the arbiter. To support this, we permit an optional second channel on the right hand side of the dataflow expression as follows:
 +<code act>
 +dataflow {
 + {|} I0, I1 -> O, c
 +}
 +</code>
 +For each output generated, the control channel ''c'' will produce a 0 or 1 token depending on the choice made by the arbiter.
 +
 +===== Sink =====
 +
 +A dataflow sink simply receives and discards a token from a channel. Sinks are not needed in general, since the channel that corresponds to the sink can be optimized away by an implementation. However, sinks can be useful when a particular process is re-used in a context when one of its outputs is not used. The syntax is the following:
 +<code act>
 +dataflow {
 +   c -> *
 +}
 +</code>
 +The values received on ''c'' are discarded by the sink.
  
 ====== Examples ====== ====== Examples ======
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 As a simple example, consider a multiply-accumulate block. The block can be specified as follows: As a simple example, consider a multiply-accumulate block. The block can be specified as follows:
  
-<code>+<code act>
 dataflow { dataflow {
    a * b -> mul;    a * b -> mul;
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 Suppose we augment this with an external control token on ''c'' that is 0 for normal operation (above), and is set to 1 when the internal state is reset to zero. The resulting dataflow circuit would be: Suppose we augment this with an external control token on ''c'' that is 0 for normal operation (above), and is set to 1 when the internal state is reset to zero. The resulting dataflow circuit would be:
  
-<code>+<code act>
 dataflow { dataflow {
   a * b -> mul;   a * b -> mul;
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 } }
 </code> </code>
 +
 +====== Clusters and Ordering ======
 +
 +It can be convenient to group dataflow elements into clusters. The syntax for grouping dataflow elements is:
 +
 +<code act>
 +dataflow {
 +   ...
 +   dataflow_cluster {
 +      a + b -> c;
 +      a - b -> d
 +   }
 +   ...
 +}
 +</code>
 +
 +