Mixing signals and modes in synchronous data-flow systems

Synchronous data-flow languages such as Scade/Lustre manage infinite sequences, or streams, as primitive values making them naturally adapted to the description of datadominated systems. Their conservative extension with means to define control-structures or modes has been a long-term research topic through which several solutions have emerged. In this paper, we pursue this effort and generalize existing solutions by providing two constructs: a general form of state machines called parameterized state machines, and valued signals, as can be found in Esterel. Parameterized state machines greatly reduce the reliance on error-prone mechanisms such as shared memory in automaton-based programming. Signals provide a new way of programming with multi-rate data in synchronous data-flow languages. Together, they allow for a much more direct and natural programming of systems that combine data-flow and statemachines. The proposed extension is fully implemented in the new Lucid Synchrone compile...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2006
• Where: EMSOFT
• Authors: Jean-Louis Colaço, Grégoire Hamon, Marc Pouzet
• Keywords: EMSOFT 2006, Keywords Synchronous Languages, Parameterized State Machines, Software Engineering, Synchronous Data-flow Languages