Memory Architecture Exploration For Programmable Embedded Systems

Memory Architecture Exploration for Programmable Embedded Systems addresses efficient exploration of alternative memory architectures, assisted by a "compiler-in-the-loop" that allows effective matching of the target application to the processor-memory architecture. This new approach for memory architecture exploration replaces the traditional black-box view of the memory system and allows for aggressive co-optimization of the programmable processor together with a customized memory system. The book concludes with a set of experiments demonstrating the utility of this exploration approach. The authors perform architecture and compiler exploration for a set of large, real-life benchmarks, uncovering promising memory configurations from different perspectives, such as cost, performance and power.

Validation of programmable architectures, consisting of processor cores, coprocessors, and memory subsystems, is one of the major bottlenecks in current System-on-Chip design methodology. A critical challenge in validation of such systems is the lack of a golden reference model. As a result, many existing validation techniques employ a bottom-up approach to design verification, where the functionality of an existing architecture is, in essence, reverse-engineered from its implementation. Traditional validation techniques employ different reference models depending on the abstraction level and verification task, resulting in potential inconsistencies between multiple reference models. This book presents a top-down validation methodology that complements the existing bottom-up approaches. It leverages the system architect’s knowledge about the behavior of the design through architecture specification using an Architecture Description Language (ADL). The authors also address two fundamental challenges in functional verification: lack of a golden reference model, and lack of a comprehensive functional coverage metric. Functional Verification of Programmable Embedded Architectures: A Top-Down Approach is designed for students, researchers, CAD tool developers, designers, and managers interested in the development of tools, techniques and methodologies for system-level design, microprocessor validation, design space exploration and functional verification of embedded systems.

Today more than 90% of all programmable processors are employed in embedded systems. The LISA processor design platform presented in this book addresses recent design challenges and results in highly satisfactory solutions, covering all major high-level phases of embedded processor design.

Data Access and Storage Management for Embedded Programmable Processors gives an overview of the state-of-the-art in system-level data access and storage management for embedded programmable processors. The targeted application domain covers complex embedded real-time multi-media and communication applications. Many of these applications are data-dominated in the sense that their cost related aspects, namely power consumption and footprint are heavily influenced (if not dominated) by the data access and storage aspects. The material is mainly based on research at IMEC in this area in the period 1996-2001. In order to deal with the stringent timing requirements and the data dominated characteristics of this domain, we have adopted a target architecture style that is compatible with modern embedded processors, and we have developed a systematic step-wise methodology to make the exploration and optimization of such applications feasible in a source-to-source precompilation approach.

Considered a standard industry resource, the Embedded Systems Handbook provided researchers and technicians with the authoritative information needed to launch a wealth of diverse applications, including those in automotive electronics, industrial automated systems, and building automation and control. Now a new resource is required to report on current developments and provide a technical reference for those looking to move the field forward yet again. Divided into two volumes to accommodate this growth, the Embedded Systems Handbook, Second Edition presents a comprehensive view on this area of computer engineering with a currently appropriate emphasis on developments in networking and applications. Those experts directly involved in the creation and evolution of the ideas and technologies presented offer tutorials, research surveys, and technology overviews that explore cutting-edge developments and deployments and identify potential trends. This first self-contained volume of the handbook, Embedded Systems Design and Verification, is divided into three sections. It begins with a brief introduction to embedded systems design and verification. It then provides a comprehensive overview of embedded processors and various aspects of system-on-chip and FPGA, as well as solutions to design challenges. The final section explores power-aware embedded computing, design issues specific to secure embedded systems, and web services for embedded devices. Those interested in taking their work with embedded systems to the network level should complete their study with the second volume: Network Embedded Systems.

During the past few years there has been an dramatic upsurge in research and development, implementations of new technologies, and deployments of actual solutions and technologies in the diverse application areas of embedded systems. These areas include automotive electronics, industrial automated systems, and building automation and control. Comprising 48 chapters and the contributions of 74 leading experts from industry and academia, the Embedded Systems Handbook, Second Edition presents a comprehensive view of embedded systems: their design, verification, networking, and applications. The contributors, directly involved in the creation and evolution of the ideas and technologies presented, offer tutorials, research surveys, and technology overviews, exploring new developments, deployments, and trends. To accommodate the tremendous growth in the field, the handbook is now divided into two volumes. New in This Edition: Processors for embedded systems Processor-centric architecture description languages Networked embedded systems in the automotive and industrial automation fields Wireless embedded systems Embedded Systems Design and Verification Volume I of the handbook is divided into three sections. It begins with a brief introduction to embedded systems design and verification. The book then provides a comprehensive overview of embedded processors and various aspects of system-on-chip and FPGA, as well as solutions to design challenges. The final section explores power-aware embedded computing, design issues specific to secure embedded systems, and web services for embedded devices. Networked Embedded Systems Volume II focuses on selected application areas of networked embedded systems. It covers automotive field, industrial automation, building automation, and wireless sensor networks. This volume highlights implementations in fast-evolving areas which have not received proper coverage in other publications. Reflecting the unique functional requirements of different application areas, the contributors discuss inter-node communication aspects in the context of specific applications of networked embedded systems.

Efficient design of embedded processors plays a critical role in embedded systems design. Processor description languages and their associated specification, exploration and rapid prototyping methodologies are used to find the best possible design for a given set of applications under various design constraints, such as area, power and performance. This book is the first, comprehensive survey of modern architecture description languages and will be an invaluable reference for embedded system architects, designers, developers, and validation engineers. Readers will see that the use of particular architecture description languages will lead to productivity gains in designing particular (application-specific) types of embedded processors. * Comprehensive coverage of all modern architecture description languages... use the right ADL to design your processor to fit your application; * Most up-to-date information available about each architecture description language from the developers...save time chasing down reliable documentation; * Describes how each architecture desccription language enables key design automation tasks, such as simulation, synthesis and testing...fit the ADL to your design cycle;

This book proposes novel memory hierarchies and software optimization techniques for the optimal utilization of memory hierarchies. It presents a wide range of optimizations, progressively increasing in the complexity of analysis and of memory hierarchies. The final chapter covers optimization techniques for applications consisting of multiple processes found in most modern embedded devices.