Embedded Computer Architecture

5KK73TU/e

2014www.es.ele.tue.nl/~heco/courses/EmbeddedComputerArchitecture

Henk Corporaalwww.es.ele.tue.nl/~heco

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Embedded Systems Courses• We go through all the design steps of a complete

multi-processor embedded system – (containing hardware and software)

• Discuss many design trade-offs

• 4 connected courses:– Systems on Silicon: 5kk60– Embedded Processor Architecture: 5kk73 – Multiprocessors: 5kk80– Embedded System Laboratory: 5kk03

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Embedded Processor Architecture

Objectives:

• Study the processing components of future multi-processor platforms, ranging from– highly flexible processors, to– highly computational-efficient processors

• Learn how to program these platforms and map applications to them

• Learn how to exploit the (data) memory hierarchy

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low medium high

high

medium

low

flexibility

efficiency

ASIC

GP procFPGA

DSP

ASIP

Processor design spectrum

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Your smartphone• 3 Watt

– 1 Watt for digital electronics– 1 Watt for radio– 1 Watt for the rest

• Battery: 4 Wh

• 4G LTE smartphones: 100 Gops / Watt– radio 40 Gops– media processing 20 Gops– graphics 6.5 Gops

• 5G LTE advanced: 1Top / Watt 1pJ/op

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Computational complexity

1 pJ/op

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How far are we: ARM Cortex-M0+

• From: http://www.arm.com/products/processors/cortex-m/cortex-m0plus.php

– The most energy efficient ARM processor

• An optimized architecture with a core pipeline of just two stages, enables the Cortex-M0+ processor to achieve a power consumption of just 9.8µW/MHz (90LP process, minimal configuration), while raising the performance to 2.15 CoreMark/MHz.  

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System-on-Chip: TI OMAP5430

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Topics (1)• Basic RISC principles

– MIPS example and implementation details– ARM overview

• VLIW and DSP architectures• SIMD architectures• GPUs• ASIPs and Accelerators • MIMD architectures

– NoC and MPSoC

• Compiling code for ILP architectures

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Topics (2)

• RTOS

• Neural Network Architectures

• Data Memory Management techniques– Loop transformations

• Student presentations – based on recent articles

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Lab exercises

1. Exploration:• Programming and Exploration using the

SiliconHive (Intel) architecture

2. Programming a real MP platform: • GPU

3. Program transformations:• Optimizing the memory behavior of your program

to achieve extreme low power• Applying loop transformations

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Exam and Grading• Exam is oral• Labexercises can be largely done at home• Grading:

– 30 % theory + – 60 % assignments + – 10% student presentation

• Material:– Website

http://www.es.ele.tue.nl/~heco/courses/EmbeddedComputerArchitecture

– Slides and Handouts (incrementally available_– Lab material (will be put online)

Questions?

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Embedded System Architectures on Silicon

Application oriented smart devices• adaptable, flexible• real-time DSP

TIVO

… implemented in silicon 1 cm2

1V1 W10 Euro

not a Pentium but adomain specific and programmable ES

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Embedded System Architect

Applications(DSP) algorithms C/C++, JavaMatlab, SDL, ...

low poweranalog,

robustness/dfmVHDL, Verilog

Embedded System Architect

• is reponsible for a strategic interaction between the different disciplines

• has a basic knowledge of the different disciplines

• is a generalist, not a specialist

Challenge:permanently confronted with new domains

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ComplexityComplexity depends on• the number of different component types (not number of components) • different types of interactions • lack of structure in the interactions

Complex simple

[DeMan]

Complexity is different for the architect and for the IC technologist

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embedded systempurpose-built and programmableappliance oriented smart devices

multiple hw/sw platformsreal-time constraint

system adapts to the environmenthigh reliability (no reset button)

user friendlydeeply embedded software

running on limited resources

PCgeneral purposeWho “Computes”, anyway ?Single hardware platformASAP (as soon as possible)env. adapts to the system (wait)lower reliabilitydifficult to useend-user software unlimited resources

BUT: both use similar technology e.g. programmable cores, RTOS (e.g. Win-CE)

Comparison

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Embedded Systems: Characteristics• safety critical• reactive: fast reaction on critical control events • portable: weight, power dissipation• mobile: network protocols, power dissipation• consumer systems: cost, reliability, user friendly

interface• professional systems: availability, reliability, remote

analysis and diagnosis, redundancy• multimedia: text, graphics, speech, audio, images

and video• connected through various standards

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Where are these embedded systems

• 70 micro-controllers in a modern high end car:– engine control, – ABS, – airbag, – airco,– interior illumination, – central lock, – alarm, radio, …