Scalable and Efficient Associative Processor Solution to Guarantee Real-Time Requirements for Air Traffic Control Systems

https://kent-islandora.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/node/17407/87333-thumbnail.jpgThis paper proposes a solution to air traffic control (ATC) using an enhanced SIMD machine model called an Associative Processor (AP). Our solution differs from previous ATC systems that are designed for MIMD computers and have a great deal of difficulty meeting the predictability requirements for ATC, which are critical for meeting the strict certification standards required for safety critical software components. The proposed AP solution supports accurate predictions of worst case execution times and guarantees all deadlines are met. Furthermore, the software developed based on the AP model is much simpler and smaller in size than the current corresponding ATC software. As the associative processor is built from SIMD hardware, it is considerably cheaper and simpler than the MIMD hardware currently used to support ATC. We have designed a prototype for eight ATC real-time tasks on ClearSpeed CSX600 accelerator that is used to emulate AP. Performance is evaluated in terms of execution time and predictability and is compared to the fastest host-only version implemented using OpenMP on an 8core multiprocessor (MIMD). Our extensive experiments show that the AP implementation meets all deadlines that can be statically scheduled. To the contrary, some tasks miss their deadlines when implemented on MIMD. It is shown that the proposed AP solution will support accurate and meaningful predictions of worst case execution times and will guarantee that all deadlines are met.</p

Tractable Real-Time Air Traffic Control Automation

https://kent-islandora.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/node/17411/87500-thumbnail.jpgA different paradigm is needed for real-time command and control (C&amp;C) problems. &nbsp;Past approaches, using multiprocessors (MP), for real-time computing have had great difficulty in meeting real problem requirements. &nbsp;We review some reasons why C&amp;C problems that require a solution on a MP architecture may be intractable, and then show an architecture where these reasons for intractability are nonexistent. &nbsp;We describe a polynomial time solution to the air traffic control (ATC) problem, which is a typical C&amp;C problem. This solution uses a static, non-preemptive table driven schedule using a SIMD architecture called an associative processor (AP). The AP is an ideal processor for set and database operations since its single thread instruction stream can operate on an entire set of data with each instruction. &nbsp;The AP eliminates multi-thread instructions, which account for much of the MP intractability mentioned above.</p

Tractable Real-Time Air Traffic Control Automation

A different paradigm is needed for real-time command and control (C&amp;C) problems. Past approaches, using multiprocessors (MP), for real-time computing have had great difficulty in meeting real problem requirements. We review some reasons why C&amp;C problems that require a solution on a MP architecture may be intractable, and then show an architecture where these reasons for intractability are nonexistent. We describe a polynomial time solution to the air traffic control (ATC) problem, which is a typical C&amp;C problem. This solution uses a static, non-preemptive table driven schedule using a SIMD architecture called an associative processor (AP). The AP is an ideal processor for set and database operations since its single thread instruction stream can operate on an entire set of data with each instruction. The AP eliminates multi-thread instructions, which account for much of the MP intractability mentioned above. Keywords: Real-time processing, air traffic control, associative processors, multiprocessors 1