A Hierarchical View of the Search Space in the Data Path

This work has attempted to exploit information sharing to improve the results of Adaptive Simulated Annealing 1] as an optimization algorithm of the high-level synthesis of testable data paths. We have used Messengers 3] as a coordination tool to run several parallel instances of the annealing algorithm on the same design with diierent probability arrays for the perturbations. When all these instances complete annealing, they exchange information about the best design among them which is given by a cost function 2] based on area, speed and testability costs of the digital design. This best design is then used as a starting point and several instances of annealing are run again in an attempt to further improve the design.