COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: TIMING VARIATION RESILIENT SIGNAL PROCESSING: HARDWARE-ASSISTED CROSS-LAYER ADAPTATION

合作研究：时序变化弹性信号处理：硬件辅助跨层自适应

• 批准号: 1319529
• 负责人: Adit Singh
• 金额: $ 20.5万
• 依托单位: Auburn University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-09-01 至 2017-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1319529&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: COLLABORATIVE; RESEARCH; TIMING; VARIATION; RESILIENT

In this research, a new vertically integrated cross-layer timing variation resilience methodology at the algorithm, microarchitecture and circuit levels, with "hardware-assistance" from the latter two levels is proposed. This addresses the effects of process variations and random delay defects in modern deeply scaled technologies as well as the effects of electrical bugs. At the highest level of the layer stack, the project considers algorithmic level workload adaptation as well as adaptation to intermittent errors in the underlying hardware due to low-power/high-speed pipeline and arithmetic unit operation. A key contribution of this research is a novel way to accurately determine when the logic and arithmetic units of pipeline stages have finished computation. This uses concepts from wave pipelined operation of logic circuits and allows activity completion detection within nearly a single or a few gate delays. Such completion sensing allows pipeline stages to "borrow" or "lend" time much more effectively than currently used synchronously clocked pipelines. In addition, backup error detection mechanisms allow the processor pipeline to operate reliably even when there is some kind of malfunction in the completion sensing circuitry. A vertically integrated control algorithm is used to modulate power vs. performance vs. timing error resilience at the circuit, microarchitecture and algorithm (video compression) levels to deliver the desired quality of service at the required video throughput with minimum power consumption. Through this research effort, the development of courses at GaTech in embedded DSP design and test, and yield management research under extreme process variations will be greatly facilitated. The PIs will develop a set of teaching materials on power management and error resilience in real-time digital signal processing systems. The PIs will make maximum effort to involve undergraduate students from the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience for minorities (SURE) program in the proposed research. It will also be possible to involve senior undergraduate project students in this research through targeted advisement. They will participate in H.O.T. Days@ Georgia Tech, a one-week long summer program designed to introduce high school students to electrical and computer engineering concepts. The key involvement will be in working with robots (LEGO Mindstorm, simple functions). Both Georgia Tech and Auburn University aggressively encourage participation of undergraduate students, as well as women and minorities in research. Auburn's participation in the project will also improve the research capabilities of Alabama, an EPSCOR state. Additionally, several master's students from the Historically Black Tuskegee University located near Auburn will take graduate courses at Auburn University. The best prepared among these students will be encouraged to join the project and Ph.D. programs at the participating universities. Thus, funding for this project will support the goals of recruiting more U.S. citizens, women and minorities to graduate programs.

在这项研究中，提出了一种新的垂直集成的跨层时序变化弹性的方法，在算法，微架构和电路的水平，从后两个层次的“硬件辅助”。这解决了现代深度缩放技术中的工艺变化和随机延迟缺陷的影响以及电气故障的影响。 在层堆栈的最高级别，该项目考虑了算法级别的工作负载适应以及适应由于低功耗/高速流水线和算术单元操作而导致的底层硬件中的间歇性错误。这项研究的一个关键贡献是一种新的方法来准确地确定何时流水线阶段的逻辑和算术单元已经完成计算。这使用来自逻辑电路的波流水线操作的概念，并且允许在几乎单个或几个门延迟内进行活动完成检测。这种完成感测允许流水线级比当前使用的同步时钟流水线更有效地“借用”或“借出”时间。此外，备份错误检测机制允许处理器流水线即使在完成感测电路中存在某种故障时也可靠地操作。垂直集成的控制算法用于在电路、微架构和算法（视频压缩）级别上调制功率与性能与定时误差弹性，以在所需的视频吞吐量下以最小的功耗提供所需的服务质量。通过这项研究工作，在GaTech的嵌入式DSP设计和测试课程的发展，以及极端工艺变化下的良率管理研究将大大促进。研究员将编制一套有关实时数字信号处理系统中的电源管理和容错能力的教材。PI将尽最大努力让少数民族夏季本科生研究经验（SURE）计划的本科生参与拟议的研究。通过有针对性的培训，也可以让高年级的本科生项目学生参与这项研究。他们将参加H. O.T.日@格鲁吉亚技术，一个为期一周的夏季计划，旨在向高中生介绍电气和计算机工程的概念。关键的参与将是与机器人（乐高头脑风暴，简单的功能）。格鲁吉亚理工学院和奥本大学都积极鼓励本科生以及妇女和少数民族参与研究。奥本参与该项目还将提高EPSCOR州亚拉巴马的研究能力。此外，位于奥本附近的历史悠久的塔斯基吉大学的几名硕士生将在奥本大学攻读研究生课程。这些学生中准备最好的将被鼓励加入该项目和博士学位。参与大学的课程。因此，该项目的资金将支持招募更多的美国公民，妇女和少数民族的研究生课程的目标。