Nec Corporation

Nec Electronics Corporation

Renesas Electronics Corporation

Masato Motomura

Taro Fujii

Koichiro Furuta

Takao Toi

Kenichiro Anjo

Toru Awashima

Yoshikazu Yabe

Noritsugu Nakamura

Hirokazu Kami

Nobuki Kajihara

Takeshi Inuo

Tooru Awashima

Yoshiharu Aimoto

Toshiro Kitaoka

Kouichiro Furuta

Muneo Fukaishi

Masakazu Yamashina

Katsumi Togawa

Toshirou Kitaoka

Tadayoshi Enomoto

Yoshinosuke Kato

Ryoko Sasaki

Kouichirou Furuta

Yoshiyuki Miyazawa

A reconfigurable device comprises a plurality of processing elements, a main memory unit that stores plural pieces of circuit configuration information, a cache unit that caches circuit configuration information forwarded to at least one of the processing elements from the main memory unit, and a cache control unit that controls forwarding of circuit configuration information from the cache unit to the processing element. The cache control unit selects circuit configuration information which must be forwarded to each processing element. When the selected circuit configuration information is not stored in the cache unit, the cache control unit reads out the circuit configuration information from the main memory unit, stores the read-out circuit configuration information in the cache unit, and sends forward the circuit configuration information to the processing element from the cache unit.

Reconfigurable device

A behavioral synthesis apparatus includes a acquisition unit, a scheduling unit and a generation unit. The acquisition unit acquires a behavioral level description describing an operation of a semiconductor integrated circuit. The scheduling unit separates the acquired behavioral level description into N stage descriptions, and makes a schedule in such a way that input/output operations and computations among the N stage descriptions are pipelined. The generation unit generates a register transfer level description based on the N stage descriptions and a result of scheduling performed by the scheduling unit in such a way as to form stage circuits respectively corresponding to the N stage descriptions and a state control circuit which controls possible 2N&#x2212;1 stage control states of the semiconductor integrated circuit. The generation unit generates the register transfer level description in such a way as to inhibit the operation of a stage circuit which need not be operated.

Behavioral synthesis apparatus, behavioral synthesis method, and computer readable recording medium

A multiplicity of processor elements that are arranged in rows and columns individually execute data processing in accordance with instruction codes that are individually set as data and supply event data as output. A state control unit is composed of a plurality of units that successively switch the instruction codes of the multiplicity of processor elements in accordance with a computer program and the event data, these state control units communicating with each other to realize linked operation as necessary. An event distributing means distributes event data to this plurality of state control units that intercommunicate to realize linked operation, whereby the plurality of state control units can realize linked operation to control a large-scale state transition.

Array-type processor having plural processor elements controlled by a state control unit

A reconfigurable integrated circuit includes a plurality of function blocks and a plurality of programmable switches to switchably connect between function blocks included in the plurality of function blocks. The plurality of function blocks each includes at least one operation unit or one memory unit. The plurality of function blocks each includes at least one data input port connected to at least on of the plurality of programmable switches and at least one data output port connected to at least one of the plurality of programmable switches. Further, at least a pair of function blocks included in the plurality of function blocks is connected without intervening the programmable switch and data being output from a direct output port included in one of the pair of function blocks can be input to a direct input port included in the other of the pair of function blocks.

Switch coupled function blocks with additional direct coupling and internal data passing from input to output to facilitate more switched inputs to second block

Configuration codes for implementing a plurality of circuits having different attributes are generated and stored in a memory for each task executed in a reconfigurable device. When the reconfigurable device is operated, an appropriate circuit to be executed by the reconfigurable device is selected in accordance with an operation state of the system from among a plurality of circuits having different attributes, and the configuration code for implementing the selected circuit is loaded from the memory into the reconfigurable device.

Information processing apparatus and method for using reconfigurable device

An array type processor comprises a data path unit to execute processing, and a state management unit to control the state of the data path unit in accordance with a command that specifies processing on the data. An input DMA circuit reads from a memory information and data to be processed including a command corresponding to the data. The input DMA circuit first transfers the command to the state management unit, and then transfers the data to be processed to the data path unit.

Stream processor and information processing apparatus

An array-type computer processor including a data path unit communicating with a state control unit obtains data of a predetermined number of cooperative partial instruction codes, and operates with temporarily holding only a predetermined number of data-obtained instruction codes comprising cooperative partial instruction codes corresponding to contexts and operation states for the data path unit and the state control unit, respectively, from an external program memory which stores data of a computer program. Every time the operations with the temporarily-held instruction codes, including the corresponding cooperative partial instruction codes, are complete, in accordance with event data entered in the state control unit, the subsequent instruction codes are data obtained as cooperative partial instruction codes respectively corresponding to contexts and operating states, so that the operation according to a computer program can be performed even if the data volume of the computer program is over the storage capacity of the data path unit and the state control unit.

Array&#x2014;type computer processor with reduced instruction storage

A data processing device for debugging code for a parallel arithmetic device that includes a plurality of data processing circuits arranged in a matrix and that causes, for each operating cycle, successive transitions of operation states in accordance with object code includes: operation execution means for causing the parallel arithmetic device to execute state transitions by means of the object code; device halt means for temporarily halting the state transitions for each operating cycle; a result output means for reading and supplying as output at least a portion of held data, connection relations, and operation commands of the plurality of data processing circuits of the halted parallel arithmetic device; a resume input means for receiving as input a resume command of the state transitions; and an operation resumption means for causing the operation execution means to resume the state transitions upon input of a resume command.

Data processing system for debugging utilizing halts in a parallel device

A multiplicity of processor elements, which both individually execute data processing in accordance with instruction codes that have been set as data and for which mutual connection relations are switch-controlled, are arranged in matrix form, and the instruction codes of this multiplicity of processor elements are successively switched by a state control unit. The state control units are composed of a plurality of units that intercommunicate to realize linked operation, and the multiplicity of processor elements is divided into a number of element areas that corresponds to the number of state control units. The plurality of state control units are arranged for each of the plurality of element areas and are connected to the processor elements, whereby the plurality of state control units can individually control a plurality of small-scale state transitions, or the plurality of state control units can cooperate to control a single large-scale state transition.

Array-type processor having state control units controlling a plurality of processor elements arranged in a matrix

A memory system has a memory controller and a plurality of memories. The plurality of memories are connected via a switch to an end of a bus, which is connected to the memory controller, wherein the plurality of memories are controlled by the switch. By suppressing reflection and loads on the bus, a higher data transmission speed can be obtained.

High-speed memory system

An arrayed processor has a plurality of processing elements each having a plurality of types of arithmetic logic units for processing data having different numbers of bits from one another. The arrayed processor divides a series of processing data of various numbers of bits supplied from an external circuit into data of more bits and data of fewer bits. These data are processed in parallel by the arithmetic logic units of the processing elements. The efficiency of arrayed processor can be increased, since small-scale processing operations are individually performed by the processing elements and connections between the processing elements are made according to object codes.

Processor having array of processing elements whose individual operations and mutual connections are variable

An array-type computer processor stops, with a plurality of computer programs held, a state control unit and a data-path unit, upon input of event data for task switching. The array-type computer processor obtains the operation state of the state control unit and the processed data of the data-path unit when stopped, and temporarily holds them for each of a plurality of the computer programs. Upon completion of this, the array-type computer processor reads the operation state and processed data of any other computer program and sets them in the state control unit and data-path unit. Upon completion of this, the array-type computer processor outputs to the state control unit the event data for starting the operation. The state control unit then starts to sequentially transfer the operation state, thereby making it possible to perform the process operations according to a plurality of computer programs in a time-sharing manner.

Array-type computer processor

An object code for sequentially switching contexts of processing circuits arrayed in a matrix in a parallel operation apparatus is generated from a general source code descriptive of operation of the parallel operation apparatus. A Data Flow Graph (DFG) is generated from the source code descriptive of operation of the parallel operation apparatus according to limiting conditions, registered in advance, representing a physical structure, etc. of the parallel operation apparatus, and scheduled in a Control Data Flow Graph (CDFG). An Register Transfer Level (RTL) description is generated from the CDFG, converting a finite-state machine into an object code and converting a data path into a net list. An object code of the processing circuits is generated in each context from the net list.

Data processing apparatus and method for generating the data of an object program for a parallel operation apparatus

To execute all processing in an array section of an array-type processor, each processor must execute processing of different types, i.e., processing of an operating unit and processing of a random logic circuit, which limits its size and processing performance. A data path section including processors arranged in an array are connected via programmable switches to primarily execute processing of operation and a state transition controller configured to easily implement a state transition function to control state transitions are independently disposed. These sections are configured in customized structure for respective processing purposes to efficiently implement and achieve the processing of operation and the control operation.

Array type processor with state transition controller identifying switch configuration and processing element instruction address

A data holding circuit that retreats and restore internal statuses. The data holding portion includes a data holding portion and a memory . At least one internal state of the data holding portion is retreated via a retreating signal line to the memory , while being restored via the memory through the restoration signal line

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Kanagawa, Japan

Masato Motomura