Responsive Multithreaded Processor Research Articles

The Dependable Responsive Multithreaded Processor for Distributed Real-Time Systems

This article illustrates the design and implementation of the Dependable Responsive Multithreaded Processor (D-RMTP) for distributed real-time systems, especially humanoid robots. Paper presents a humanoid robot Kojiro. Kojiro's controllers are currently implemented by using the 16-bit H8 microprocessor with a USB network. We are planning to replace them with the D-RMTPs with responsive link network to improve dependability, so that the small controllers with the D-RMTPs are embedded at every joint of the robot and are interconnected via a real-time network called responsive link for distributed control. Therefore, the D-RMTP is designed to meet severe requirements in terms of footprint, latency, scalability, and dependability. The dependable responsive multithreaded processor (D-RMTP) applies priority-based control to all computation and communication levels. it also implements a hardware-based logging mechanism and errorcorrecting code (ECC) for improving dependability. the system on a chip (SOC), memory modules, and thermal and voltage sensors are integrated into the system in a package (SIP).

1P1-C30 分散リアルタイム制御用M-RMT Processorの設計

In this paper, Motion Responsive MultiThreaded Processor (M-RMTP) for distributed real-time control is designed. The M-RMTP integrates many functions into an ASIC chip, such as Responsive Multithreaded Processing Unit (RMT PU), Responsive Link for real-time communication, and many peripheral functions including DDR SDRAM I/Fs, DMAC, PCI-X, IEEE1394, Ethernet, RS-232C, PWM generators, PWM inputs, pulse counters, and SPI, to control various electronic control systems. System designers can use various on-chip functions easily by connecting required I/Os to the M-RMTP. The designers can realize a distributed real-time control system by connecting several M-RMTPs with their own functions via Responsive Links.

Design and Implementation of the Multimedia Operation Mechanism for Responsive Multithreaded Processor

<I>Responsive Multithreaded (RMT) Processor</I> is designed for distributed real-time systems. This paper focuses on the multimedia processing architecture of <I>RMT Processor</I>. Multimedia processing requires high-throughput calculation for bulky data processing. <I>RMT Processor</I> architecture is based on eight-way prioritized simultaneous multithreading, which executes each thread in order of priority. Since the priority of hard real-time threads is higher than that of multimedia processing threads, instruction issue slots used by the multimedia processing threads are few in <I>RMT Processor</I> when hard real-time threads are executed simultaneously. Therefore multimedia processing threads need to utilize instruction issue slots effectively to achieve high performance. We have designed a novel vector operation mechanism to process multimedia data efficiently in parallel. Because the same instructions are iterated in multimedia processing, the compound operation mechanism is designed to calculate more data per instruction in multimedia processing.

Responsive Multithreaded Processor for Distributed Real-Time Systems

The Responsive MultiThreaded (RMT) Processor is a system LSI that integrates almost all functions for parallel/distributed real-time systems including robots, intelligent rooms/buildings, ubiquitous computing systems, and amusement systems. Concretely, the RMT Processor integrates real-time processing (RMT Processing Unit), real-time communication (Responsive Link II), computer I/O peripherals (DDR SDRAM I/Fs, DMAC, PCI-X, USB2.0, IEEE1394, etc.), and control I/O peripherals (PWM generators, pulse counters, etc.). The RMT Processor, with a design rule of 0.13<I>μ</I>m CMOS Cu 1P8M and a die size 10.0mm square, was fabricated by TSMC. The RMT Processing Unit (RMT PU) executes eight prioritized threads simultaneously using fine-grained multithreading based on priority, called the RMT architecture. Priority of real-time systems is introduced into all functional units, including cache, fetch, and execution, so the RMT PU guarantees real-time execution of prioritized threads. If resource conflicts occur at functional units, higher priority threads overtake lower priority threads. Flexible powerful vector operation units for multimedia processing are also designed. System designers use on-chip functions easily by connecting required I/Os to this chip and the designers realize distributed control by connecting several RMT Processors with their own functions via Responsive Link II.

Design Concept of Responsive Multithreaded Processor for Distributed Real-Time Control

This paper describes the design concept of Responsive MultiThreaded (RMT) Processor for distributed real-time control that controls various embedded systems including robots, home automation, factory automation, etc. RMT processor integrates an 8-way multithreaded processor (RMT processing unit) for real-time processing, four sets of Responsive Link II for real-time communication, and I/O peripherals including DDR SDRAM I/Fs, DMAC, PCI64, USB2.0, IEEE1394, PWM generators, pulse counters, etc., into an ASIC chip. System designers can use various on-chip functions easily by connecting required I/Os to this chip directly. The designers can also realize distributed control systems by connecting several RMT processors with their own functions via Responsive Link II.