Chapter One Introduction to Pipelined Processors

Handler’s Classification Based on the level of processing, the pipelined processors can be classified as: Arithmetic Pipelining Instruction Pipelining Processor Pipelining

Arithmetic Pipelining The arithmetic logic units of a computer can be segmented for pipelined operations in various data formats. Example : Star 100

Arithmetic Pipelining

Arithmetic Pipelining Example : Star 100 It has two pipelines where arithmetic operations are performed First: Floating Point Adder and Multiplier Second : Multifunctional All scalar instructions Floating point adder, multiplier and divider. Both pipelines are 64-bit and can be split into four 32-bit at the cost of precision

Star 100 Architecture

Instruction Pipelining The execution of a stream of instructions can be pipelined by overlapping the execution of current instruction with the fetch, decode and operand fetch of the subsequent instructions It is also called instruction look-ahead

Instruction Pipelining

Example : 8086 The organization of 8086 into a separate BIU and EU allows the fetch and execute cycle to overlap. This is called pipelining.

Processor Pipelining This refers to the processing of same data stream by a cascade of processors each of which processes a specific task The data stream passes the first processor with results stored in a memory block which is also accessible by the second processor The second processor then passes the refined results to the third and so on.

Processor Pipelining

Li and Ramamurthy's Classification According to pipeline configurations and control strategies, Li and Ramamurthy classify pipelines under three schemes Unifunction v/s Multi-function Pipelines Static v/s Dynamic Pipelines Scalar v/s Vector Pipelines

Uni-function v/s Multi-function Pipelines

Unifunctional Pipelines A pipeline unit with fixed and dedicated function is called unifunctional. Example: CRAY1 (Supercomputer - 1976) It has 12 unifunctional pipelines described in four groups: Address Functional Units: Address Add Unit Address Multiply Unit

Unifunctional Pipelines Scalar Functional Units Scalar Add Unit Scalar Shift Unit Scalar Logical Unit Population/Leading Zero Count Unit Vector Functional Units Vector Add Unit Vector Shift Unit Vector Logical Unit

Unifunctional Pipelines Floating Point Functional Units Floating Point Add Unit Floating Point Multiply Unit Reciprocal Approximation Unit

Cray 1 : Architecture

Cray -1

Multifunctional A multifunction pipe may perform different functions either at different times or same time, by interconnecting different subset of stages in pipeline. Example 4X-TI-ASC (Supercomputer - 1973)

4X-TI ASC It has four multifunction pipeline processors, each of which is reconfigurable for a variety of arithmetic or logic operations at different times. It is a four central processor comprised of nine units.

Multifunctional It has one instruction processing unit four memory buffer units and four arithmetic units. Thus it provides four parallel execution pipelines below the IPU. Any mixture of scalar and vector instructions can be executed simultaneously in four pipes.

Architecture Overview of 4X-TI ASC

Static Vs Dynamic Pipeline

Static Pipeline It may assume only one functional configuration at a time It can be either unifunctional or multifunctional Static pipelines are preferred when instructions of same type are to be executed continuously A unifunction pipe must be static.

Dynamic pipeline It permits several functional configurations to exist simultaneously A dynamic pipeline must be multi-functional The dynamic configuration requires more elaborate control and sequencing mechanisms than static pipelining

Scalar Vs Vector Pipeline

Scalar Pipeline It processes a sequence of scalar operands under the control of a DO loop Instructions in a small DO loop are often prefetched into the instruction buffer. The required scalar operands are moved into a data cache to continuously supply the pipeline with operands Example: IBM System/360 Model 91

IBM System/360 Model 91 In this computer, buffering plays a major role. Instruction fetch buffering: provide the capacity to hold program loops of meaningful size. Upon encountering a loop which fits, the buffer locks onto the loop and subsequent branching requires less time. Operand fetch buffering: provide a queue into which storage can dump operands and execution units can fetch operands. This improves operand fetching for storage-to-register and storage-to-storage instruction types.

Architecture overview of IBM 360/Model 91

Vector Pipelines They are specially designed to handle vector instructions over vector operands. Computers having vector instructions are called vector processors. The design of a vector pipeline is expanded from that of a scalar pipeline. The handling of vector operands in vector pipelines is under firmware and hardware control. Example : Cray 1

Linear pipeline (Static & Unifunctional) In a linear pipeline data flows from one stage to another and all stages are used once in a computation and it is for one functional evaluation.

Non-linear pipeline In floating point adder, stage (2) and (4) needs a shift register. We can use the same shift register and then there will be only 3 stages. Then we should have a feedback from third stage to second stage. Further the same pipeline can be used to perform fixed point addition. A pipeline with feed-forward and/or feedback connections is called non-linear

Example: 3-stage nonlinear pipeline

3 stage non-linear pipeline Output A Input Output B Sa Sb Sc It has 3 stages Sa, Sb and Sc and latches. Multiplexers(cross circles) can take more than one input and pass one of the inputs to output Output of stages has been tapped and used for feedback and feed-forward.

3 stage non-linear pipeline The above pipeline can perform a variety of functions. Each functional evaluation can be represented by a particular sequence of usage of stages. Some examples are: Sa, Sb, Sc Sa, Sb, Sc, Sb, Sc, Sa Sa, Sc, Sb, Sa, Sb, Sc

Reservation Table Each functional evaluation can be represented using a diagram called Reservation Table(rt). It is the space-time diagram of a pipeline corresponding to one functional evaluation. X axis – time units Y axis – stages

Reservation Table For first sequence Sa, Sb, Sc, Sb, Sc, Sa called function A , we have   1 2 3 4 5 Sa A Sb Sc

Reservation Table For second sequence Sa, Sc, Sb, Sa, Sb, Sc called function B, we have   1 2 3 4 5 Sa B Sb Sc

3 stage non-linear pipeline Output A Output B Sa Sb Sc Input Reservation Table Time    1 2 3 4 5 Sa Sb Sc Stage 

Function A

3 stage pipeline : Sa, Sb, Sc, Sb, Sc, Sa Output A Input Output B Sa Sb Sc Reservation Table Time    1 2 3 4 5 Sa A Sb Sc Stage 

3 stage pipeline : Sa, Sb, Sc, Sb, Sc, Sa Output A Input Output B Sa Sb Sc Reservation Table Time    1 2 3 4 5 Sa A Sb Sc Stage 

3 stage pipeline : Sa, Sb, Sc, Sb, Sc, Sa Output A Input Output B Sa Sb Sc Reservation Table Time    1 2 3 4 5 Sa A Sb Sc Stage 

3 stage pipeline : Sa, Sb, Sc, Sb, Sc, Sa Output A Input Output B Sa Sb Sc Reservation Table Time    1 2 3 4 5 Sa A Sb Sc Stage 

3 stage pipeline : Sa, Sb, Sc, Sb, Sc, Sa Output A Input Output B Sa Sb Sc Reservation Table Time    1 2 3 4 5 Sa A Sb Sc Stage 

3 stage pipeline : Sa, Sb, Sc, Sb, Sc, Sa Output A Input Output B Sa Sb Sc Reservation Table Time    1 2 3 4 5 Sa A Sb Sc Stage 

Function B

3 stage pipeline: Sa, Sc, Sb, Sa, Sb, Sc Output A Input Output B Sa Sb Sc Reservation Table Time    1 2 3 4 5 Sa B Sb Sc Stage 

3 stage pipeline: Sa, Sc, Sb, Sa, Sb, Sc Output A Input Output B Sa Sb Sc Reservation Table Time    1 2 3 4 5 Sa B Sb Sc Stage 

3 stage pipeline: Sa, Sc, Sb, Sa, Sb, Sc Output A Input Output B Sa Sb Sc Reservation Table Time    1 2 3 4 5 Sa B Sb Sc Stage 

3 stage pipeline: Sa, Sc, Sb, Sa, Sb, Sc Output A Input Output B Sa Sb Sc Reservation Table Time    1 2 3 4 5 Sa B Sb Sc Stage 

3 stage pipeline: Sa, Sc, Sb, Sa, Sb, Sc Output A Input Output B Sa Sb Sc Reservation Table Time    1 2 3 4 5 Sa B Sb Sc Stage 

3 stage pipeline: Sa, Sc, Sb, Sa, Sb, Sc Output A Input Output B Sa Sb Sc Reservation Table Time    1 2 3 4 5 Sa B Sb Sc Stage 

Reservation Table After starting a function, the stages need to be reserved in corresponding time units. Each function supported by multifunction pipeline is represented by different RTs Time taken for function evaluation in units of clock period is compute time.(For A & B, it is 6)

Reservation Table Marking in same row => usage of stage more than once Marking in same column => more than one stage at a time

Multifunction pipelines Hardware of multifunction pipeline should be reconfigurable. Multifunction pipeline can be static or dynamic

Multifunction pipelines Static: Initially configured for one functional evaluation. For another function, pipeline need to be drained and reconfigured. You cannot have two inputs of different function at the same time

Multifunction pipelines Dynamic: Can do different functional evaluation at a time. It is difficult to control as we need to be sure that there is no conflict in usage of stages.