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Asynchronous Array Of Simple Processors
The asynchronous array of simple processors (AsAP) architecture comprises a 2-D array of reduced complexity programmable processors with small scratchpad memories interconnected by a reconfigurable mesh network. AsAP was developed by researchers in the VLSI Computation Laboratory (VCL) at the University of California, Davis and achieves high performance and energy efficiency, while using a relatively small circuit area. It was made in 2006. AsAP processors are well suited for implementation in future fabrication technologies, and are clocked in a globally asynchronous locally synchronous (GALS) fashion. Individual oscillators fully halt (leakage only) in 9 cycles when there is no work to do, and restart at full speed in less than one cycle after work is available. The chip requires no crystal oscillators, phase-locked loops, delay-locked loops, global clock signal, or any global frequency or phase-related signals whatsoever. The multi-processor architecture makes use of task-lev ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Scratchpad Memories
Scratchpad memory (SPM), also known as scratchpad, scratchpad RAM or local store in computer terminology, is an internal memory, usually high-speed, used for temporary storage of calculations, data, and other work in progress. In reference to a microprocessor (or CPU), scratchpad refers to a special high-speed memory used to hold small items of data for rapid retrieval. It is similar to the usage and size of a scratchpad in life: a pad of paper for preliminary notes or sketches or writings, etc. When the scratchpad is a hidden portion of the main memory then it is sometimes referred to as ''bump storage''. In some systems it can be considered similar to the L1 cache in that it is the next closest memory to the ALU after the processor registers, with explicit instructions to move data to and from main memory, often using DMA-based data transfer. In contrast to a system that uses caches, a system with scratchpads is a system with non-uniform memory access (NUMA) latencies, becaus ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |