Facilitating IP deployment in a MARTE-based MDE methodology using IP-XACT: A Xilinx EDK case study

In this paper we present framework for the deployment of hardware IPs at high-levels of abstraction. It is based in a model-driven approach that aims at the automatic generation of Dynamic Partial Reconfiguration designs created in Xilinx Platform Studio (XPS). Contrary to previous approaches, we make use of the IP-XACT standard to facilitate the deployment of hardware IPs, their parameterization and subsequent integration. We propose an extension to the MARTE profile for IP deployment, and we introduce the necessary model transformations to obtain a highlevel representation from an IP-XACT component library. These models are then used to create a platform in MARTE that abstracts the technologic aspects of the chosen back-end. The so-obtained UML platform is transformed in an IP-XACT design, which is exploited to generate the files used by XPS for system implementation. In this way, we promote IP reuse and deployment while remaining back-end independent, by using specific vendor extensions. Finally, we analyze the advantages of the proposed methodology by a case study in system integration.