Abstract

In this paper we present a formal model of asynchronous communication as a function in the Boyer-Moore logic. The function transforms the signal stream generated by one processor into the signal stream consumed by an independently clocked processor. This transformation "blurs" edges and "dilates" time due to differences in the phases and rates of the two clocks and the communications delay. The model can be used quantitatively to derive concrete performance bounds on asynchronous communications at ISO protocol level 1 (physical level). We develop part of the reusable formal theory that permits the convenient application of the model. We use the theory to show that a biphase mark protocol can be used to send messages of arbitrary length between two asynchronous processors. We study two versions of the protocol, a conventional one which uses cells of size 32 cycles and an unconventional one which uses cells of size 18. Our proof of the former protocol requires the ratio of the clock rates of the two processors to be within 3% of unity. The unconventional biphase mark protocol permits the ratio to vary by 5%. At nominal clock rates of 20MHz, the unconventional protocol allows transmissions at a burst rate of slightly over 1MHz. These claims are formally stated in terms of our model of asynchrony; the proofs of the claims have been mechanically checked with the Boyer-Moore theorem prover, NQTHM. We conjecture that the protocol can be proved to work under our model for smaller cell sizes and more divergent clock rates but the proofs would be harder. Known inadequacies of our model include that (a) distortion due to the presence of an edge is limited to the time span of the cycle during which the edge was written, (b) both clocks are assumed to be linear functions of time (i....

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