Multiple precision for resource minimization

Presents the Synoptix high-level synthesis and precision optimization system for FPGAs. Given abstract specifications in the form of infinite-precision signal flow graphs and a set of error constraints, Synoptix creates hardware descriptions of fixed-point arithmetic implementations. The width of each signal is individually optimized in order to achieve the minimal resource utilization while satisfying user-specified constraints such as signal-to-noise ratio. A heuristic for solving the optimization problem is introduced, and the results of implementations on an Altera Flex10k-based reconfigurable computing platform are reported. It is demonstrated that significant area reductions can be obtained by optimizing signal widths individually, compared to the use of a single uniform signal width.