Automated Parameter Tuning for Multi-FPGA Partitioning: A Preference-Guided Approach

Yutao Dai, Shengbo Tong, Chunyan Pei, Zhuohua Liu, Wei Xing, Yi Liu, Rui Wang, Wenjian Yu

Abstract: Parameter tuning for multi-FPGA partitioning algorithms represents a bottleneck in modern chip emulation and verification workflows. Current multilevel partitioning tools require manual configuration of various parameters, where each evaluation can take tens of seconds to minutes, making exhaustive search impractical and expert-driven tuning both time-consuming and suboptimal. To automate this process, we propose a preference-guided Bayesian optimization framework specifically designed for industrial FPGA partitioning parameter tuning under limited evaluation budgets. Our approach maximizes the minimum timing slack by incorporating domain-specific insights: we exploit the strong correlation between cutsize and timing performance through a priority-based ranking scheme that guides a pairwise Gaussian process to learn configuration preferences. Additionally, we introduce a kernel input transformation that properly handles the mixed discrete-continuous parameter space typical in EDA tools. Our method converges faster with fewer evaluations and achieves the best timing slack in 60–70% of cases on industrial circuit benchmarks compared to existing methods including standard Bayesian optimization, quasi-random sampling, and state-of-the-art preference learning techniques. The proposed framework reduces parameter tuning from days of manual effort to hours of automated optimization, offering practitioners a deployment-ready solution that improves both design quality and engineering productivity.

External IDs:dblp:conf/aspdac/DaiTPLXLWY26