Hardware Function Optimization Methodology

Hardware functions are synthesized into hardware in the PL by the Vivado HLS compiler. This compiler automatically translates C/C++ code into an FPGA hardware implementation, and as with all compilers, does so using compiler defaults. In addition to the compiler defaults, Vivado HLS provides a number of optimizations that are applied to the C/C++ code through the use of pragmas in the code. This chapter explains the optimizations that can be applied and a recommended methodology for applying them.

The are two flows for optimizing the hardware functions.

• Top-down flow: In this flow, program decomposition into hardware functions proceeds top-down within the SDSoC environment, letting the system compiler create pipelines of functions that automatically operate in dataflow mode. The microarchitecture for each hardware function is optimized using Vivado HLS.
• Bottom-up flow: In this flow, the hardware functions are optimized in isolation from the system using the Vivado HLS compiler provided in the Vivado Design suite. The hardware functions are analyzed, optimizations directives can be applied to create an implementation other than the default, and the resulting optimized hardware functions are then incorporated into the SDSoC environment.

The bottom-up flow is often used in organizations where the software and hardware are optimized by different teams and can be used by software programmers who wish to take advantage of existing hardware implementations from within their organization or from partners. Both flows are supported, and the same optimization methodology is used in either case. Both workflows result in the same high-performance system. Xilinx sees the choice as a workflow decision made by individual teams and organizations and provides no recommendation on which flow to use. Examples of both flows are provided inPutting It All Together.

The optimization methodology for hardware functions is shown in the figure below.

The figure above details all the steps in the methodology and the subsequent sections in this chapter explain the optimizations in detail.

Step 4 is used to minimize, or specifically control, the latency through the design and is only required for applications where this is of concern. Step 5 explains how to reduce the resources required for hardware implementation and is typically only applied when larger hardware functions fail to implement in the available resources. The FPGA has a fixed number of resources, and there is typically no benefit in creating a smaller implementation if the performance goals have been met.