System level architecture exploration using the SpecC methodology

To implement chip design on a satisfactory target architecture, more architecture exploration should be done at higher levels of abstraction, in the earliest design stages. Using the SpecC language, an executable system level specification language, architecture exploration can be processed easily and smoothly. A SpecC methodology of system level architecture exploration is introduced within this paper to illustrate this process. The design of a JPEG encoder is used as an example to illustrate the system level architecture exploration methodology