1. Platform-based Design
5KK70
TU/e
2008
Henk Corporaal
Bart Mesman

2. 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
Platform-based Design: 5kk10
Multiprocessors: 5kk80
Embedded System Laboratory: 5kk33 (lab course)
11/17/2018
Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman

3. Processor Architectures and Program Mapping
Objectives:
Study the processing components of future multi-processor platforms, ranging from
highly flexible processors, to
highly computational-efficient processors
Learn how to map applications to these components
Learn how to exploit the (data) memory hierarchy
11/17/2018
Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman

4. Processor design spectrum
DSP
Programmable
CPU
Programmable
DSP
Application specific
instruction set
processor (ASIP)
Application
specific processor
flexibility
efficiency
11/17/2018
Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman

5. Processor design spectrum
low medium high
high
medium
low
flexibility
efficiency
ASIC
GP proc
FPGA
DSP
ASIP
11/17/2018
Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman

6. Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman
ICE of silicon
106
105
104
103
102
101
100 2 1
0.5
0.25
0.13
0.07
Computational efficiency
[MOPS/W]
Feature size [m]
[Roza]
Intrinsic computational efficiency
3DTV
Query by
humming
i386SX
i486DX P5
68040
microsparc
Super
sparc
601
604
Ultra P6
604e
21164a
Turbosparc
21364
7400
Wait for programmable solution or
be proactive and take action now
11/17/2018
Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman

7. Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman
Topics (1)
Basic RISC principles: MIPS example
DSP processors
VLIW architectures
SIMD architectures
ASIPs
MIMD architectures
NoC and MPSoC
Compiling code for ILP architectures
11/17/2018
Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman

8. Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman
Topics (2)
RTOS
Wireless Sensor Networks
Smart Camera (Networks)
Data Memory Management techniques
Loop transformations
Student presentations (2x)
based on studied articles
11/17/2018
Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman

9. Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman
Lab exercises
Exploration:
Programming and Exploration using the Imagine or SiHive architecture
Programming a real MP platform:
CELL,
GPU or
IC3D (with Xetal SIMD) platform
Program transformations:
Optimizing the memory behavior of your program to achieve extreme low power
Applying loop transformations
11/17/2018
Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman

10. Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman
Exam and Grading
Exam is oral
Labexercises can be largely done at home
Grading is 40 % theory + 50 % assignments + 10% student presentation
Material:
Website
Slides and Handouts
Lab material (largely online)
11/17/2018
Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman

11. Embedded System Architectures on Silicon
TIVO
Application oriented
smart devices
adaptable, flexible
real-time DSP
… implemented in silicon
1 cm2 1V
1 W
10 Euro
not a Pentium but a
domain specific and
programmable ES
11/17/2018
Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman

12. Embedded System Architect
Applications
(DSP) algorithms
C/C++, Java
Matlab, SDL, ...
is reponsible for a strategic
interaction between the
different disciplines
has a basic knowledge of the
is a generalist, not a specialist
Embedded System Architect
low power
analog,
robustness/dfm
VHDL, Verilog
Challenge:permanently
confronted with new
domains
11/17/2018
Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman

13. What is a system ? What is system level design ?
Can an IC be a system?
Or is the PCB that uses the IC the real system ?
IC => PCB => rack => system
There is always a larger system surrounding the current one.
This is often seen as “the real system”.
So nobody is doing system level design ?
It’s hard to define unless we can find an underlying common
characteristic.
A system is something complex.
11/17/2018
Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman

14. Complexity [DeMan] Complexity depends on
the number of different component types (not number of components)
different types of interactions
lack of structure in the interactions
Complex
simple
Complexity is different for the architect and for the IC technologist
11/17/2018
Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman

15. What is a system ? A system is a complex set of heterogeneous elements
[Rechtin]
A system is a complex set of heterogeneous elements
that all together form an organic whole.
The whole is more than the sum of the parts.
The system has properties beyond those of the parts.
The added value comes from the interaction
between the parts.
Ex. CD player = electronics + optics + mechanics
11/17/2018
Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman

16. Conclusion: type of signal and control processing is different
2 schools:
build implementation hardware which can execute both
e.g. general purpose processor
separation on 2 different parts
e.g. processing of events in software (ARM, MIPS, etc…)
processing of signals more hardware oriented
11/17/2018
Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman

17. Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman
Example: CD system
Servo
index
Decoder
A/D
A/D
D/A
4 laser
diodes
Motor
loudspeakers
External world
11/17/2018
Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman

18. Embedded electronic systems
This is explained in the following slides by comparing
the introduction of embedded systems with
the introduction of the electric motor in the 19th century.
11/17/2018
Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman

19. Phase 1: the electric factory
- One central large electric motor
- Power was distributed to the workplaces via axes
and belts
11/17/2018
Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman

20. Phase 2: the home electric motor
- Every home got its private electric motor
- A whole suite of appliances could be plugged into
this single motor
11/17/2018
Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman

21. Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman
11/17/2018
Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman

22. Phase 3: ubiquitous electric motor
- The electric motor is embedded in the appliance
- You often are not aware of the fact that it contains
an electric motor (e.g. 60 electric motors in a modern
high end car)
11/17/2018
Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman

23. Phase 1: the computing factory
- One central large mainframe computer
- Compute power was distributed to the workplace
terminals via 9600 bps telephone wires
11/17/2018
Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman

24. Phase 2: the personal computer at home
- Every home got its private computer
- A whole suite of add-ons can be plugged into
this single computer
11/17/2018
Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman

25. Phase 3: embedded systems
- The micro-controller is embedded in the appliance
- You often are not aware of the fact that it contains
a micro-controller (e.g. 70 micro-controllers in a modern
high end car: engine control, ABS, airbag, airco, interior
illumination, central lock, alarm, radio, ...)
11/17/2018
Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman

26. Ambient Intelligence, the concept
An environment that is sensitive, adaptive and responsive to
the presence of people or objects
An environment where technology is embedded, hidden in
the background
An environment that will preserve security, privacy and
trustworthiness while utilizing information when needed
and appropriate.
People to the foreground, technology to the background
Ubiquitous communications
Distributed computing
Intelligent interfaces
So, what is Ambient Intelligence ?
Ambient Intelligence refers to an environment that is sensitive, adaptive and responsive to the presence of people or objects. Essential in the concept is that technology is not explicitly visible but embedded, hidden in the background, able to augment activities through smart, non-explicit assistance. Ambient Intelligence also refers to an environment that will preserve security, privacy and trustworthiness while utilizing information when needed and appropriate.
[Boekhorst]
11/17/2018
Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman

27. Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman
[DeMan]
11/17/2018
Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman

28. Comparison embedded system PC purpose-built and programmable
appliance oriented smart devices
multiple hw/sw platforms
real-time constraint
system adapts to the environment
high reliability (no reset button)
user friendly
deeply embedded software
running on limited resources PC
general purpose
Who “Computes”, anyway ?
Single hardware platform
ASAP (as soon as possible)
env. adapts to the system (wait)
lower reliability
difficult to use
end-user software
unlimited resources
BUT: both use similar technology
e.g. programmable cores, RTOS (e.g. Win-CE)
11/17/2018
Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman

29. Embedded Systems: Characteristics
safety critical
reactive systems: 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
internet oriented embedded systems
11/17/2018
Processor Architectures and Program Mapping H. Corporaal and B. Mesman