CAREER: Software Level Power Analysis and Optimization

本研究提出了在软件层面进行功率分析和优化的新技术。具体地说，这个问题是在通用或特定于应用程序的处理器上下文中解决的。此外，还考虑了具有多条指令问题或乱序执行的处理器，或基于超长指令字（VLIW）范例的体系结构的情况。所建议的模型的主要特征是它们对输入数据的依赖，从而允许配置文件驱动的优化。在此基础上，提出了相应的编译期和运行期优化技术，以降低指令序列的能量。这项研究将使评估当今处理器中存在的任何能量/性能权衡成为可能。此外，基于在特定应用程序处理器上运行的嵌入式软件的功率估计，混合硬件/软件系统的协同设计可以扩展，除了性能之外，还可以将功耗作为进一步的设计约束。

This research proposes novel techniques for power analysis and optimization at software level. Specifically, the problem is addressed in the context of both general purpose or application specific processors. In addition, the case of processors with multiple instruction issues or out-of-order execution, or architectures based on the Very Long Instruction Word (VLIW) paradigm are also considered. The main feature of the proposed models is their dependency on input data, allowing profile-driven optimizations. Based on the proposed models, appropriate optimization techniques at compile-and run-time are proposed for reducing the energy of the instruction sequence. This research will enable the assessment of any energy/performance trade-offs present in today's processors. Also, based on a power estimate of the embedded software running on application specific processors, the co-design of mixed hardware/software systems can be extended to incorporate as a further design constraint power consumption, in addition to performance.