Configuration Steering for a Reconfigurable Superscalar Processor

Dynamic configuration steering for a reconfigurable superscalar processor

“…This paper builds on work presented in [1] where a configuration management controller for a reconfigurable superscalar processor is proposed. A main goal of the extensions proposed and studied in this paper is to optimize the usage of the reconfigurable resources available in the processor proposed in [1].…”

“…A main goal of the extensions proposed and studied in this paper is to optimize the usage of the reconfigurable resources available in the processor proposed in [1].…”

“…The architecture assumed in this paper is similar to that presented in [1] and originally proposed in [2]. This architecture is partially run-time reconfigurable at the level of reconfigurable functional unit (RFU) "slots".…”

“…This architecture is partially run-time reconfigurable at the level of reconfigurable functional unit (RFU) "slots". The architecture of [1] provides eight RFU "slots" and a number of fixed functional units (FFUs) that cannot be reconfigured. As a program is executed, the configuration manager loads execution units into the RFU slots, as needed.…”

“…Each type of execution unit that can be loaded requires one or more RFU slots. Five types of execution units are included: (1) integer arithmetic/logic units (IntALUs), (2) integer multiply/divide units (Int-MDUs), (3) load-store units (LSUs), (4) floating-point arithmetic/logic units (FP-ALUs), and (5) floating-point multiply/divide units (FP-MDUs) [1]. Table 1 lists the number of slots required to support each type of execution unit.…”