ACiD-WG Winter School
3-7 January 2005

University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory


Topic: Timing for Deep Submicron Chips

- Mixing synchronous and asynchronous techniques to build robust systems on chip

Overview

The International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS) identifies the technology push towards hybridization of synchronous and asynchronous timing conventions and a possible shift to asynchronous or GALS (globally-asynchronous locally-synchronous) design techniques. The winter school will address these issues.

The school presumes that attendees will have a background in synchronous (clocked) circuit design, but not in asynchronous circuit design. Consequently, the school starts by introducing robust asynchronous design principles, before moving on to mixed synchronous/asynchronous design issues.

Programme

The programme is available as a PDF download flyer and there is a PowerPoint side advert.

Monday 3 January 2005 Arrival and evening reception
  No talks on this day
  Please check into your accommodation (most people are at Gonville and Caius College)
  The reception is from 6pm - further details below.
 
Tuesday 4 January 2005 Introduction to asynchronous circuits
  Jens Sparsų et al. will present material from chapters 1 to 8 of Principles of asynchronous circuit design - a systems perspective by Sparsų and Furber
 
Wednesday 5 January 2005 Synthesis of asynchronous controllers and interfaces
  Morning: Alex Yakovlev et al. will introduce the use of signal transition graphs (STGs) and Petri nets to synthesise asynchronous circuits
  Afternoon: Hands-on session - designing asynchronous controllers using Petrify
 
Thursday 6 January 2005 Mixing synchronous and asynchronous techniques
  Morning: Luciano Lavagno et al. - Transforming synchronous circuits into asynchronous circuits using the desynchronization technique
  Afternoon part 1: David Kinniment - Synchronisers and arbitration
  Afternoon part 2: Simon Moore - Globally Asynchronous Locally Synchronous (GALS) systems design
 
Friday 7 January 2005 Research topics and hands-on session
  Morning: Research topics in mixed synchronous/asynchronous design
  Afternoon: Doug Edwards et al. - an introduction to the Balsa asynchronous circuit synthesis system plus an introduction to the use of the new simulation and visualisation tools to debug and optimise Balsa asynchronous circuits. This will be a hands-on session.

 

Timing: we will aim to run the Tuesday to Friday sessions around the following format:

        09:30  First lecture
        10:30break
        11:30Second lecture
        12:30Lunch
        14:00Third lecture
        15:30break
        16:00Fourth lecture
        17:30Finish lecture
        19:00Dinner


The reception on the Monday evening will be at the Slug and Lettuce Pub (near Gonville and Caius college) from 6pm. The idea is to informally meet up with people over a beer and have food as required.

Dinner will be provided at Gonville and Caius College on Tue and Thur evenings. Dinner will be at Trinity Hall on the Wed.

Registration and Accommodation

Registration is now closed.

Registration Fee
Academic/student rate£200  (€300)
Industrial rate£500  (€750)

 

This fee includes a copy of the proceedings, reception on Monday, lunches for Tuesday to Friday and dinners on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Accommodation is in addition.

Student room accommodation at Gonville and Caius College will be available for £140 for 5 nights (arrive Monday and depart Saturday) which can be booked with the registration.

Deligates

A deligates list is now available. Please ensure your friends are registered.

Location

This winter school is being hosted by the Computer Laboratory, University of Cambridge. Directions to the Computer Laboratory building.

Accommodation will be at Gonville and Caius College, one of the 35 Cambridge Colleges

Transport

Cambridge has little parking for cars, and what there is is expensive. We can provide some overnight parking at the Computer Lab by prior arrangement. However, we advise that you travel by train or coach. The train station is 1 mile from the centre and there is a shuttle bus which runs every 8 minutes into the centre. The coach station (Drummer Street) is right in the centre. The Computer Lab is approximately 1 mile from the centre.

Links:

Background and History

The Working Group on Asynchronous Circuit Design (ACiD-WG) is organising this event at the end of a period of funding from the European Commission. Previous well-attended schools have been held in Grenoble, France in 2002 and Lyngby, Denmark in 1997. The working group has also run many workshops and other events - see the ACiD-WG home page for details.

Contacts

Local organiser:   Simon Moore  (winter-school@cl.cam.ac.uk)      
Secretarial Support:    Kate Ellis    (winter-school@cl.cam.ac.uk)     tel: +44 (0)1223 763500
ACiD-WG Coordinator:    Mark Josephs       

 


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Simon Moore
July 2004