CSR:Small:Efficient and Predictable Memory Hierarchies for High-Performance Embedded Systems

[0915503]面向高性能嵌入式系统的高效、可预测的内存结构[摘要]终端嵌入式系统越来越多地用于复杂的计算，如高级图像处理和语音处理。这种复杂的任务通常涉及不规则的数据结构，如链接数据结构，或者即使使用规则的数据结构也表现出不规则的访问模式。由于难以确定将来要访问的地址，因此管理此类任务的刮记板内存变得越来越具有挑战性。对于这种复杂的应用程序，硬件管理的存储（缓存）可以相对较好地执行，而无需进行大量编程工作。然而，由于在编译时很难预测缓存的动态行为，因此缓存不能提供在实时系统中获得严格的最坏情况执行时间（WCET）所需的可预测性。该项目的目标是探索一种新的智能实时缓存，它提供了简单的存储管理，并允许程序以低开销控制缓存行为，提供支持实时分析的可预测性。这项工作包括：(1)指令和架构支持，它提供了以低开销控制缓存行为的原语；(2)开发编译时分析和运行时支持，以支持新的缓存；(3)拟议系统的概念验证。改进的内存性能和可预测性将使计算机系统更高效，能够解决更具挑战性的问题，并提高现有应用程序的能源效率。该项目还将向本科生和高中生推广工程对社会的价值，并吸引更多的学生进入这一领域。它还将通过出版物和工具发布传播研究成果，从而使公众受益。

0915503CSR:Small:Efficient and Predictable Memory Hierarchies for High-Performance Embedded SystemsAbstractHigh-end embedded systems are increasingly used for complex computation, such as advanced image processing and speech processing. Such complex tasks often involve irregular data structures such as linked data structures, or exhibit irregular access patterns even with regular data structures. Managing scratchpad memory for such tasks becomes increasingly challenging due to the difficulty of determining addresses that will be accessed in the future. For such complex applications, hardware-managed storage (caches) can perform relatively well without much programming effort. However,caches do not offer predictability required to derive a tight worst case execution time (WCET) bound in real-time systems, due to their dynamic behavior that is difficult to predict at compile time. The goal of the project is to explore a new intelligent real-time cache, which offers ease of storage management as well as allows programs to control caching behavior with low overheads, providing predictability that supports real time analysis. The work consists of: (1) Instruction and architecture support that provides primitives to control cache behavior with low overheads, (2)Development compile-time analysis and run-time support to support the new cache, and (3)Proof-of-concept of the proposed system. Improved memory performance and predictability will be to make computer systems more efficient, enable more challenging problems to be solved, and improve energy-efficiency of existing applications. This project will also extend outreach to undergraduate and high-school students about the value of engineering to society and attract more students into the field. It will also benefit the public by disseminating research results through publications and tool releases.