Using UML as Front-end for Heterogeneous Software Code Generation Strategies

In this paper we propose an embedded software design flow, which starts from an UML model and provides automatic mapping to other models like Simulink or finite-state machines (FSM). An automatic synthesis of an executable and synthesizable Simulink model is also proposed, enabling the use of UML as front-end for a multi-model design strategy that includes a Simulink-based MPSoC target design flow. In addition, the proposed synthesis tool automatically handles processor allocation, mapping of threads to processors, and insertion of required Simulink temporal barriers, ports, and dataflow connections. Following this approach, the UML model is mapped to the more appropriated model and specialized code generators are used. Therefore, this approach allows designers to employ UML to model the whole system and reuse this model to generate code using different strategies and targeting different platforms.