Combining asynchronous and synchronous circuits using stretchable clocks

In this paper we demonstrate how synchronous and asynchronous modules can be combined on a quasi-delay-insensitive bus. The synchronous modules are implemented using stretchable clocks and connected to other components using asynchronous handshaking. The bus makes the system modular and scaleable by guaranteeing that the complexity of the system grows linearly with each module added. By allowing designers to use both asynchronous and synchronous techniques in a single design we show that many of the desirable qualities of each method can be preserved