A synchronous latency-insensitive RISC for better than worst-case design

Abstract

Variability of process parameters in nanometer CMOS circuits makes standard worst-case design methodology waste much of the advantages of scaling. A common-case design, though, is a perilous alternative, as it gives up much of the design yield. Better than worst-case (BTWC) design methodology reconciles performance and yield. In this paper we present a BTWC RISC processor that tolerates worst-case extra delays of critical paths without significant impact on the overall performance. We obtain this result by coupling latency-insensitive design and variable-latency (VL) units. A software built-in self-test checks VL units individually to determine whether to activate them or not. Compared to a worst-case approach, the RISC clock frequency increases by 23% in a 45nm CMOS technology. The impact of VL on instructions per cycle is circumscribed to the worst process case only and very limited, as we show through a set of benchmarks.