Resources instead of cores?

Abstract

Mapping conventional applications to multiple cores is a difficult problem. To provide a general solution, it is proposed to abandon the very concept of processor cores and to populate the silicon real estate with less complex control and operation units, designated as resources. A hardware-software API is described that can put into effect a practically unlimited number of such resources and that allows for completely describing and exploiting the inherent parallelism of the application problems. The paper introduces the principles of operation, discusses problems of feasibility and outlines the basic philosophy behind the approach. The proposed principles may lead to: Instruction set architectures which can cope with a transfinite number of hardware resources. Processor circuits containing resources of intermediate granularity and appropriately optimized interconnects. Considerable reduction of power consumption during operation at full speed. .