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several parameters can be modified in order to optimize the performance of the overall
system and different design metrics.
The physical links between the different nodes of a powerline network present
different characteristics depending on factors like distance between the nodes, elec-
trical appliances connected to the network, quality of the infrastructure, etc. This
is translated to the fact that the transmission speed, latency and QoS can depend
heavily on the route selected to transmit information between two nodes.
Many of the design parameters of the system have to be dimensioned taking
into account the application, the physical effects, noise, etc. This requires many
simulations to be run in order to find the best value for each of these parameters.
However, these simulations require a long real time in order to make appear some of
the effects we want to investigate. This way, it is not possible to work at RTL level
and thus, the use of high level models is mandatory.
This virtual platform approach has been used in past company's designs in a semi-
automatic optimization flow but, in this study, we will improve the system by applying
MULTICUBE fully automatic techniques. This way, we will be able to compare the
results that are obtained in both approaches in terms of performance (how good the
chosen metrics are) and process optimization (how fast we can converge towards an
optimum solution) while minimizing the human intervention in the process.
For that, the use case provided by DS2 will be run through MULTICUBE flow
described in Chap. 1. Chap. 2 introduced the use of MULTICUBE-SCoPE plug-in
from the University of Cantabria for modeling and integration of the platform. This
plug-in will be used in DS2 use case along with modeFRONTIER DSE tool (from
ESTECO) in order to optimize the above-mentioned parameters.
7.2
Design Case Study: High Level Modeling of a Powerline
Network Based on SoC
7.2.1
Application Description
7.2.1.1
Configuration of the System Components
Design of Systems on Silicon (DS2) is a fabless silicon design house and one of
the leading suppliers of silicon and software for Power line Communications (PLC).
Founded in 1998, DS2 produced first time working silicon and is currently marketing
chipsets with performance rates of up to 200 Mbps. DS2 technology converts the
existing electricity grid and domestic power lines into a high-speed communication
network supporting voice, video and data services, at low cost. DS2 technology not
only delivers high performance but it is also flexible and efficient supporting co-
existence between the PLC access and LAN markets. In the framework of the design
space exploration project MULTICUBE, as an industrial test case, DS2 has used a
complete model of its next generation Powerline communication system (DS2 assets
and technologies were recently bought by Marvell Technology Group).
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