Encoding Large Asynchronous Controllers With ILP Techniques

State encoding is one of the most difficult problems in the synthesis of asynchronous controllers. This paper presents a method that can solve the problem of large controllers specified with signal transition graphs. The method is based on the structural theory of Petri nets and uses integer-linear programming to insert state signals in locations that guarantee the consistency and absence of critical races. The structural nature of the proposed method makes it conservative, i.e., a solution cannot be guaranteed, even if it exists. Nevertheless, the experiments show that this limitation did not preclude finding a solution for all the examples presented in this paper. The method can be customized for area or delay optimization. The experimental results confirm the quality of the circuits, as compared with state-based methods. They also show the significant benefits that could be obtained if logic synthesis would be incorporated in synthesis frameworks that generate controllers by syntax-directed translation.