The overall goal of ICODES (Interface and Communication based Design ofEmbedded Systems) is the development of new modelling and synthesistechnologies for embedded hardware/software systems. ICODES complementsthe work begun in the ODETTE (http://odette.offis.de/) IST-FP5 project byfocussing on the design and implementation of components distributedbetween hardware and software and the communication between them.

 

ICODES will produce research results and prototypes of Electronic SystemDesign Automation tools, which will enable the European electronic systemindustry to reduce their design time and cost of the next generation ofembedded intelligent devices. These devices will enable new powerfulservices as well as innovative products.

 

Technically, ICODES' main target is to provide a design technology forembedded systems with many communicating components in hardware andsoftware.

 

A methodology to model, evaluate and implement embedded hardware/softwaresystems from the specification at Electronic System Level (ESL) to astandard industrial back-end design flow will be developed. Therefore,ICODES will define a system specification language based on SystemC 2.0.It will enable a holistic view on the design as it provides a singleformalism to model hardware, software, and communication objects.Techniques like communication based design and object-orientation will beintegrated into a seamless design flow for embedded systems. It willsupport analysis and optimisation of the systems communication properties.The design methodology will be implemented by a suite of ESL tools basedon the SystemC anguage. The tool set will include analysis, simulation,optimisation, and synthesis tools supporting interactive design decisionsas well as the automatic translation and optimisation of high levelSystemC models into HDL and C/C++ based implementations.

 

In order to ensure a wide applicability of the methodology and asuccessful path to commercial exploitation, the project is industrydriven. The industrial partners from three strong European industrialsectors, namely Automotive (Bosch), Telecom (Siemens MobileCommunication), and Wireless (Thales Communications), will define therequirements and evaluate the results of the research partners OFFIS andPolitecnico di Milano. The commercial exploitation will be performed by aEuropean ESL SME, namely Magillem Design Services, while ECSI will be in charge of thedissemination activities. OFFIS will additionally be responsible for theproject management and co-ordination.