Multi-Criteria Optimization of Real-Time DAGs on Heterogeneous Platforms under P-EDF

This paper tackles the problem of optimal placement of complex real-time embedded applications on heterogeneous platforms. Applications are composed of directed acyclic graphs of tasks, with each DAG having a minimum inter-arrival period for its activation requests, and an end-to-end deadline within which all of the computations need to terminate since each activation. The platforms of interest are heterogeneous power-aware multi-core platforms with DVFS capabilities, including big.LITTLE Arm architectures, and platforms with GPU or FPGA hardware accelerators with Dynamic Partial Reconfiguration capabilities. Tasks can be deployed on CPUs using partitioned EDF-based scheduling. Additionally, some of the tasks may have an alternate implementation available for one of the accelerators on the target platform, which are assumed to serve requests in non-preemptive FIFO order. The system can be optimized by: minimizing power consumption, respecting precise timing constraints; maximizing the applications’ slack, respecting given power consumption constraints; or even a combination of these, in a multi-objective formulation. We propose an off-line optimization of the mentioned problem based on mixed-integer quadratic constraint programming (MIQCP). The optimization provides the DVFS configuration of all the CPUs (or accelerators) capable of frequency switching and the placement to be followed by each task in the DAGs, including the software-vs-hardware implementation choice for tasks that can be hardware-accelerated. For relatively big problems, we developed heuristic solvers capable of providing suboptimal solutions in a significantly reduced time compared to the MIQCP strategy, thus widening the applicability of the proposed framework. We validate the approach by running a set of randomly generated DAGs on Linux under SCHED_DEADLINE, deployed onto two real boards, one with Arm big.LITTLE architecture, the other with FPGA acceleration, verifying that the experimental runs meet the theoretical expectations in terms of timing and power optimization goals

Circular Supply Chains in Emerging Economies – a comparative study of packaging recovery ecosystems in China and Brazil

This paper provides a circular supply chain perspective of packaging recovery ecosystems being implemented by Tetra Pak, a prime global player in the food packaging industry, in two major emerging economies: China and Brazil. The circular supply chain archetype considered in the research allowed a consistent comparative analysis of Tetra Pak’s circular supply chains in both countries. Through a case study approach, the research provides theoretical propositions and learning points that are valuable for academics and practitioners interested in the Chinese and Brazilian markets as well as in the supply chains supporting recovery ecosystems in the packaging industry. In particular, the distinct environments in the Chinese and Brazilian markets render Tetra Pak opportunities to design circular supply chains in different ways showing adaptation and learning to local market characteristics. The industrial perspectives from these emerging economies add to the contributions offered in the paper. Overall, the conceptual considerations and practical recommendations presented in the paper provide useful insights for the development of further studies and implementation of industrial practices advocated by the circular economy

Lógica e escalonamento de teste para sistemas com redes intra-chip baseadas em topologia de malha

Com o avanço da tecnologia de fabricação de chips o atraso em fios globais será maior que o atraso em portas lógicas. Além disso, fios globais longos são mais suscetíveis a problemas de integridade como crosstalk. Uma proposta recente de interconnecção global chamada redes intra-chip reduz essas limitações referentes a fios longos. Além dessas vantagens, redes intra-chip permitem desacoplar comunicação e computação, dividindo um sistema em sub tarefas independentes. Devido as essas vantagens é possível integrar mais lógica em um chip que usa redes intra-chip. Entretanto, o acréscimo de lógica no chip aumenta o custo de teste. Os módulos do chip precisam de mecanismos para transportar dados de teste, que são tipicamente barramentos usados exclusivamente para teste. Entretanto, como mencionado anteriormente, fios globais são caros e acrescentar barramentos de teste pode não ser possível em um futuro próximo. Por outro lado, uma rede intra-chip tem acesso a maioria dos módulos do chip. Esta rede pode ser usada para transportar dados de teste, evitando o acréscimo de barramentos dedicados ao teste. O objetivo dessa tese é estudar o uso de redes intra-chip para o transporte de dados de teste, enfatizando uma abordagem genérica que possa ser aplicada a uma dada rede. Para tanto, essa tese foi divida em três partes: modelos, projeto, e otimização. A tese propõe um modelo funcional de rede que é compatível com a maioria das recém propostas redes intra-chip. O modelo de teste, baseado no modelo funcional da rede, compreende o conjunto de informações necessárias para otimizar a arquitetura de teste. A arquitetura de teste, por sua vez, consiste de lógica para teste e algoritmo de otimização. A lógica de teste compreende lógica para ATE interface e lógica envoltória para módulos de hardware. Os algoritmos otimizam o tempo de teste e a área de lógica de teste no nível dos módulos e no nível do chip. Uma arquitetura convencional de teste de SoCs baseada em barramento de teste dedicado foi comparada com a arquitetura proposta para SoCs baseados em redes intra-chip. Os resultados apontam que o tempo de teste do SoC com a arquitetura proposta aumenta em média 5%. Os resultados também mostram que a lógica de teste da arquitetura proposta é cerca de 20% maior que na arquitetura de teste convencional. Por outro lado, o fluxo de projeto baseado na arquitetura de teste proposta é mais simples que a convencional. Além disso, a arquitetura proposta reduz o nÚmero de fios globais em torno de 20% a 50% para SoCs complexos. Estes resultados demonstram que a arquitetura proposta é melhor para sistemas complexos com um grande nÚmero de módulos.With the advance of microchip technology, global and long wires will cost more in terms of delay than in terms of logic gates. ln addition, long wires are more susceptible to signal integrity problems such as crosstalk. A recently proposed global interconnect called network-on-chip alleviates the limitation of long wires. Moreover, on-chip networks allow decoupling communication and computation to divide a complete system into manageable and independent sub tasks. Thus, it is possible to integrate more logic into the chip using network-on-chip. However, the complexity growth of cores also increases the test costs since more logic is embedded into a single chip. These embedded cores need a test access mechanism for test data transportation, typically implemented as test-dedicated buses. As mentioned before, global wires are expensive, then, adding test buses may not be feasible in the near future. On the other hand, the on-chip network has access to most cores of the chip. This network could be used also for test data transportation, avoiding additional test-dedicated buses. The goal of this thesis is to study the reuse of on-chip networks for test data transportation, looking for a general reuse approach that can be easily used in a given network. To reach this goal, the thesis is divided in three parts: models, design, and optimization. This thesis proposes a functional model of a network, compatible with most recently proposed best-effort on-chip networks. Based on this functional model, a test model is devised. The test model comprises of a set of necessary and sufficient information required to optimize the test architecture. The test architecture consists of DfT logic and scheduling algorithm. The design of DfT logic comprises adaptation logic for the external tester and test wrappers for the modules. The optimization procedure, focused on mesh-based best-effort NoCs, schedules test data such that the chip test length and DfT silicon are a are minimized. A conventional SoC test architecture based on test-dedicated buses is compared to the proposed approach for best-effort NoCs. The experimental results show that SoC test length has increased 5% on average. The results have also shown that the are a overhead for proposed DfT is around +20% compared to the silicon area to implement the DfT of a convehtional test architecture. On the other hand, we have also presented a simpler design fiow and 20% to 50% of global wiring savings due to the use of NoC for test data transportation. The results corroborate with the conclusion that the proposed NoC reuse is a good approach for complex systems based on a large number of cores and routers

Lógica e escalonamento de teste para sistemas com redes intra-chip baseadas em topologia de malha

Com o avanço da tecnologia de fabricação de chips o atraso em fios globais será maior que o atraso em portas lógicas. Além disso, fios globais longos são mais suscetíveis a problemas de integridade como crosstalk. Uma proposta recente de interconnecção global chamada redes intra-chip reduz essas limitações referentes a fios longos. Além dessas vantagens, redes intra-chip permitem desacoplar comunicação e computação, dividindo um sistema em sub tarefas independentes. Devido as essas vantagens é possível integrar mais lógica em um chip que usa redes intra-chip. Entretanto, o acréscimo de lógica no chip aumenta o custo de teste. Os módulos do chip precisam de mecanismos para transportar dados de teste, que são tipicamente barramentos usados exclusivamente para teste. Entretanto, como mencionado anteriormente, fios globais são caros e acrescentar barramentos de teste pode não ser possível em um futuro próximo. Por outro lado, uma rede intra-chip tem acesso a maioria dos módulos do chip. Esta rede pode ser usada para transportar dados de teste, evitando o acréscimo de barramentos dedicados ao teste. O objetivo dessa tese é estudar o uso de redes intra-chip para o transporte de dados de teste, enfatizando uma abordagem genérica que possa ser aplicada a uma dada rede. Para tanto, essa tese foi divida em três partes: modelos, projeto, e otimização. A tese propõe um modelo funcional de rede que é compatível com a maioria das recém propostas redes intra-chip. O modelo de teste, baseado no modelo funcional da rede, compreende o conjunto de informações necessárias para otimizar a arquitetura de teste. A arquitetura de teste, por sua vez, consiste de lógica para teste e algoritmo de otimização. A lógica de teste compreende lógica para ATE interface e lógica envoltória para módulos de hardware. Os algoritmos otimizam o tempo de teste e a área de lógica de teste no nível dos módulos e no nível do chip. Uma arquitetura convencional de teste de SoCs baseada em barramento de teste dedicado foi comparada com a arquitetura proposta para SoCs baseados em redes intra-chip. Os resultados apontam que o tempo de teste do SoC com a arquitetura proposta aumenta em média 5%. Os resultados também mostram que a lógica de teste da arquitetura proposta é cerca de 20% maior que na arquitetura de teste convencional. Por outro lado, o fluxo de projeto baseado na arquitetura de teste proposta é mais simples que a convencional. Além disso, a arquitetura proposta reduz o nÚmero de fios globais em torno de 20% a 50% para SoCs complexos. Estes resultados demonstram que a arquitetura proposta é melhor para sistemas complexos com um grande nÚmero de módulos.With the advance of microchip technology, global and long wires will cost more in terms of delay than in terms of logic gates. ln addition, long wires are more susceptible to signal integrity problems such as crosstalk. A recently proposed global interconnect called network-on-chip alleviates the limitation of long wires. Moreover, on-chip networks allow decoupling communication and computation to divide a complete system into manageable and independent sub tasks. Thus, it is possible to integrate more logic into the chip using network-on-chip. However, the complexity growth of cores also increases the test costs since more logic is embedded into a single chip. These embedded cores need a test access mechanism for test data transportation, typically implemented as test-dedicated buses. As mentioned before, global wires are expensive, then, adding test buses may not be feasible in the near future. On the other hand, the on-chip network has access to most cores of the chip. This network could be used also for test data transportation, avoiding additional test-dedicated buses. The goal of this thesis is to study the reuse of on-chip networks for test data transportation, looking for a general reuse approach that can be easily used in a given network. To reach this goal, the thesis is divided in three parts: models, design, and optimization. This thesis proposes a functional model of a network, compatible with most recently proposed best-effort on-chip networks. Based on this functional model, a test model is devised. The test model comprises of a set of necessary and sufficient information required to optimize the test architecture. The test architecture consists of DfT logic and scheduling algorithm. The design of DfT logic comprises adaptation logic for the external tester and test wrappers for the modules. The optimization procedure, focused on mesh-based best-effort NoCs, schedules test data such that the chip test length and DfT silicon are a are minimized. A conventional SoC test architecture based on test-dedicated buses is compared to the proposed approach for best-effort NoCs. The experimental results show that SoC test length has increased 5% on average. The results have also shown that the are a overhead for proposed DfT is around +20% compared to the silicon area to implement the DfT of a convehtional test architecture. On the other hand, we have also presented a simpler design fiow and 20% to 50% of global wiring savings due to the use of NoC for test data transportation. The results corroborate with the conclusion that the proposed NoC reuse is a good approach for complex systems based on a large number of cores and routers

Reliability, availability and serviceability of networks-on-chip / Erika Cota, Alexandre de Morais Amory, Marcelo Soares Lubaszewski.

Book Fair 2013.xiii, 209 p.

Reliability, Availability and Serviceability of Networks-on-Chip

This book presents an overview of the issues related to the test, diagnosis and fault-tolerance of Network on Chip-based systems. It is the first book dedicated to the quality aspects of NoC-based systems and will serve as an invaluable reference to the problems, challenges, solutions, and trade-offs related to designing and implementing state-of-the-art, on-chip communication architectures.This book presents an overview of the issues related to the test, diagnosis and fault-tolerance of Network on Chip-based systems.  It is the first book dedicated to the quality aspects of NoC-based systems and will serve as an invaluable reference to the problems, challenges, solutions, and trade-offs related to designing and implementing state-of-the-art, on-chip communication architectures.   This book first presents the characteristics of the NoC design (topologies, structures, routers, wrappers, and protocols), as well as a summary of the terms used in the field and an overview of the existing industrial and academic NoCs. Secondly, the main aspects of the test of a NoC-based system are discussed, starting with the test of the embedded cores where the NoC plays an important role. Current test strategies are presented, such as the reuse of the network for core testing, test scheduling for the NoC reuse, test access methods and interface, efficient reuse of the network, and power-aware and thermal aware NoC-based SoC testing. Then, the challenges and solutions for the NoC infrastructure (interconnects, routers, and network interface) test and diagnosis are presented. Finally, fault tolerance techniques for the NoC are discussed, including techniques based on error control coding, retransmission, fault location, and system reconfiguration. Provides state-of-the-art research on the challenges to test, diagnose and tolerate faults in NoC-based systems; Includes numerous, current test strategies, including re-use of the network for core testing, test scheduling for the NoC reuse, test access methods and interface, efficient re-use of the network, and power-aware and thermal-aware NoC-based SoC testing;  Offers a single source reference to the latest research, otherwise available only in disparate journals and conference proceedings.