Synthesising an asynchronous DMA controller with Balsa

A DMA controller has been designed and implemented as part of the AMULET3i asynchronous microprocessor macrocell using a mixture of synchronous and asynchronous circuit techniques. The synthesis language Balsa has been used to implement the major part of the controller, the asynchronous control. The use of Balsa has allowed the controller to be rapidly re-engineered in response to a changing specification.