The "MIND" Scalable PIM Architecture

MIND (Memory, Intelligence, and Network Device) is an advanced parallel computer architecture for high performance computing and scalable embedded processing. It is a Processor-in-Memory (PIM) architecture integrating both DRAM bit cells and CMOS logic devices on the same silicon die. MIND is multicore with multiple memory/processor nodes on each chip and supports global shared memory across systems of MIND components. MIND is distinguished from other PIM architectures in that it incorporates mechanisms for efficient support of a global parallel execution model based on the semantics of message-driven multithreaded split-transaction processing. MIND is designed to operate either in conjunction with other conventional microprocessors or in standalone arrays of like devices. It also incorporates mechanisms for fault tolerance, real time execution, and active power management. This paper describes the major elements and operational methods of the MIND architecture

Characterization of robotics parallel algorithms and mapping onto a reconfigurable SIMD machine

The kinematics, dynamics, Jacobian, and their corresponding inverse computations are six essential problems in the control of robot manipulators. Efficient parallel algorithms for these computations are discussed and analyzed. Their characteristics are identified and a scheme on the mapping of these algorithms to a reconfigurable parallel architecture is presented. Based on the characteristics including type of parallelism, degree of parallelism, uniformity of the operations, fundamental operations, data dependencies, and communication requirement, it is shown that most of the algorithms for robotic computations possess highly regular properties and some common structures, especially the linear recursive structure. Moreover, they are well-suited to be implemented on a single-instruction-stream multiple-data-stream (SIMD) computer with reconfigurable interconnection network. The model of a reconfigurable dual network SIMD machine with internal direct feedback is introduced. A systematic procedure internal direct feedback is introduced. A systematic procedure to map these computations to the proposed machine is presented. A new scheduling problem for SIMD machines is investigated and a heuristic algorithm, called neighborhood scheduling, that reorders the processing sequence of subtasks to reduce the communication time is described. Mapping results of a benchmark algorithm are illustrated and discussed

Dynamically reconfigurable architecture for embedded computer vision systems

The objective of this research work is to design, develop and implement a new architecture which integrates on the same chip all the processing levels of a complete Computer Vision system, so that the execution is efficient without compromising the power consumption while keeping a reduced cost. For this purpose, an analysis and classification of different mathematical operations and algorithms commonly used in Computer Vision are carried out, as well as a in-depth review of the image processing capabilities of current-generation hardware devices. This permits to determine the requirements and the key aspects for an efficient architecture. A representative set of algorithms is employed as benchmark to evaluate the proposed architecture, which is implemented on an FPGA-based system-on-chip. Finally, the prototype is compared to other related approaches in order to determine its advantages and weaknesses

Hierarchical stack filtering : a bitplane-based algorithm for massively parallel processors

With the development of novel parallel architectures for image processing, the implementation of well-known image operators needs to be reformulated to take advantage of the so-called massive parallelism. In this work, we propose a general algorithm that implements a large class of nonlinear filters, called stack filters, with a 2D-array processor. The proposed method consists of decomposing an image into bitplanes with the bitwise decomposition, and then process every bitplane hierarchically. The filtered image is reconstructed by simply stacking the filtered bitplanes according to their order of significance. Owing to its hierarchical structure, our algorithm allows us to trade-off between image quality and processing time, and to significantly reduce the computation time of low-entropy images. Also, experimental tests show that the processing time of our method is substantially lower than that of classical methods when using large structuring elements. All these features are of interest to a variety of real-time applications based on morphological operations such as video segmentation and video enhancement

Report from the MPP Working Group to the NASA Associate Administrator for Space Science and Applications

NASA's Office of Space Science and Applications (OSSA) gave a select group of scientists the opportunity to test and implement their computational algorithms on the Massively Parallel Processor (MPP) located at Goddard Space Flight Center, beginning in late 1985. One year later, the Working Group presented its report, which addressed the following: algorithms, programming languages, architecture, programming environments, the way theory relates, and performance measured. The findings point to a number of demonstrated computational techniques for which the MPP architecture is ideally suited. For example, besides executing much faster on the MPP than on conventional computers, systolic VLSI simulation (where distances are short), lattice simulation, neural network simulation, and image problems were found to be easier to program on the MPP's architecture than on a CYBER 205 or even a VAX. The report also makes technical recommendations covering all aspects of MPP use, and recommendations concerning the future of the MPP and machines based on similar architectures, expansion of the Working Group, and study of the role of future parallel processors for space station, EOS, and the Great Observatories era

O pior caso estático de otimização do tempo de execução utilizando dpso para arquitetura ASIP

Introduction: The application of specific instructions significantly improves energy, performance, and code size of configurable processors. The design of these instructions is performed by the conversion of patterns related to application-specific operations into effective complex instructions. This research was presented at the icitkm Conference, University of Delhi, India in 2017. Methods: Static analysis was a prominent research method during late the 1980’s. However, end-to-end measurements consist of a standard approach in industrial settings. Both static analysis tools perform at a high-level in order to determine the program structure, which works on source code, or is executable in a disassembled binary. It is possible to work at a low-level if the real hardware timing information for the executable task has the desired features. Results: We experimented, tested and evaluated using a H.264 encoder application that uses nine cis, covering most of the computation intensive kernels. Multimedia applications are frequently subject to hard real time constraints in the field of computer vision. The H.264 encoder consists of complicated control flow with more number of decisions and nested loops. The parameters evaluated were different numbers of A partitions (300 slices on a Xilinx Virtex 7each), reconfiguration bandwidths, as well as relations of cpu frequency and fabric frequency fCPU/ffabric. ffabric remains constant at 100MHz, and we selected a multiplicity of its values for fCPU that resemble realistic units. Note that while we anticipate the wcet in seconds (wcetcycles/ f CPU) to be lower (better) with higher fCPU, the wcet cycles increase (at a constant ffabric) because hardware cis perform less computations on the reconfigurable fabric within one cpu cycle.    Introducción: la aplicación de instrucciones específicas mejora significativamente la energía, el rendimiento y el tamaño del código de los procesadores configurables. El diseño de estas instrucciones se realiza mediante conversión de patrones relacionados con operaciones específicas de la aplicación con instrucciones complejas y efectivas. Esta investigación se presentó en la Conferencia icitkm, Universidad de Delhi, India en 2017. Métodos: el análisis estático fue un método de investigación prominente durante la década de 1980; sin embargo, las mediciones de extremo a extremo son un enfoque convencional en los entornos industriales. Ambas herramientas de análisis estático se desempeñan a un alto nivel para determinar la estructura del programa que funciona en el código fuente, o que se ejecuta en un binario desmontado. Es posible trabajar a bajo nivel si la información de tiempo de hardware real para la tarea ejecutable presenta las características deseadas.  Introdução: a aplicação de instruções específicas melhora significativamente a energia, o desempenho e o tamanho do código dos processadores configuráveis. O desenho dessas instruções é realizado mediante a conversão de padrões relacionados com operações específicas da aplicação com instruções complexas e efetivas. Esta pesquisa foi apresentada na Conferência icitkm, Universidade de Délhi, Índia em 2017.Métodos: a análise estática foi um método de pesquisa proeminente durante a década de 1980; contudo, as medições de extremo a extremo são uma abordagem convencional nos contextos industriais. Ambas as ferramentas de análise estática se desempenham a um alto nível para determinar a estrutura do programa que funciona no código fonte ou que se executa num binário desmontado. É possível trabalhar a baixo nível se a informação de tempo de hardware real para a tarefa executável apresentar as características desejadas.Resultados: experimentamos, testamos e avaliamos com uma aplicação de codificação H.264 que utiliza nove elementos de configuração e cobre a maioria dos núcleos de cálculo intensivo. As aplicações multimídias estão com frequência sujeitas a duras restrições em tempo real no campo da visão por computador. O codificador H.264 consiste num complicado fluxo de controle com mais número de decisões e circuitos aninhados. Os parâmetros avaliados foram de diferentes números de particiones A (300 cortes num Xilinx Virtex 7 cada um) e largos de banda de reconfiguração, bem como de relações de frequência de cpu e frequência de fabric fcpu/ffabric. ffabric permanece constante a 100MHz. Selecionamos vários de seus valores para fcpu que são semelhantes a unidades realistas. É importante considerar que, ainda quando antecipamos o wcet em segundos (ciclos wcet/ fcpu), para que fossem inferiores (melhores) com fcpu mais alta, os ciclos wcet aumentam (num tecido constante f) porque os ci de hardware realizam menos cálculos no tecido reconfigurável dentro de uma cpu de ciclo.Conclusões: o método é similar à hibridação de árvores e métodos baseados en rotas, os quais são menos precisos, e ao método I pet global, que é mais preciso. A otimização é avaliada com o algoritmo de otimização por enxame de partículas discretas (dpso) para wcet. Para várias aplicações do mundo real que envolvem processadores integrados, a técnica proposta desenvolve conjuntos de instruções melhoradas em comparação com os conjuntos de instruções nativas.Originalidade: para a estimativa de wcet, deve-se considerar a análise de fluxo, a análise de baixo nível e as fases de cálculo do programa. A fase de análise de fluxo ou alto nível de análise ajuda a extrair o comportamento dinâmico do programa que proporciona informação sobre as funções invocadas, sobre o número de iterações de circuito, as dependências entre sentenças if, etc. Isso se deve a que a análise desconhece a rota de execução correspondente ao tempo de execução mais longo.Limitações: essa rota é executada dentro de uma iteração do núcleo que depende da natureza de mb, seja i-mb, seja p-mb, determinada pelo núcleo de estimativa de movimento, quer dizer que sua entrada depende das rotas i-mb e p-mb, que também contêm elementos de configuração separados que conduzem à instabilidade da rota do pior dos casos; em outras palavras, adicionar mais partições à rota atual do pior dos casos pode fazer com que a outra rota se converta no pior dos casos. A tubulação se detém pela demora de reconfiguração e continua ao ingressar no núcleo assim que finaliza o processo de reconfiguraçã

Integration of tools for the Design and Assessment of High-Performance, Highly Reliable Computing Systems (DAHPHRS), phase 1

Systems for Space Defense Initiative (SDI) space applications typically require both high performance and very high reliability. These requirements present the systems engineer evaluating such systems with the extremely difficult problem of conducting performance and reliability trade-offs over large design spaces. A controlled development process supported by appropriate automated tools must be used to assure that the system will meet design objectives. This report describes an investigation of methods, tools, and techniques necessary to support performance and reliability modeling for SDI systems development. Models of the JPL Hypercubes, the Encore Multimax, and the C.S. Draper Lab Fault-Tolerant Parallel Processor (FTPP) parallel-computing architectures using candidate SDI weapons-to-target assignment algorithms as workloads were built and analyzed as a means of identifying the necessary system models, how the models interact, and what experiments and analyses should be performed. As a result of this effort, weaknesses in the existing methods and tools were revealed and capabilities that will be required for both individual tools and an integrated toolset were identified