Enabling new applications for mobile devices often requires the use of specialized hardware
to reduce power consumption. Because of time-to-market pressure, current design
methodologies for embedded applications require an early partitioning of the design,
allowing the hardware and software to be developed simultaneously, each adhering to a
rigid interface contract. This approach is problematic for two reasons:(1) a detailed hardware-
software interface is difficult to specify until one is deep into the design process, and (2) it …

Specialized hardware is necessary to reduce power consumption in mobile devices. Current
design methodologies require an early partitioning of the application, allowing the hardware
and software to be developed simultaneously, each adhering to a rigid interface contract.
Early specification of detailed interface contracts is difficult and prevents the later migration
of functionality across the interface. We address this problem using the Bluespec Codesign
Language~(BCL) which permits the designer to specify the hardware-software partition in …