A SystemC library for specifying pipeline abstractions

We describe a SystemC library for specifying, modeling, and simulating hardware pipelines. The library includes a set of overloaded operators defining a pipeline expression language that allows the user to quickly specify the architecture of the pipeline. The pipeline expression is used to derive the connectivity of the SystemC modules that define the stages of the pipeline and to automatically insert latches and control modules between the stages to handle the proper routing of transactions through pipeline. Using the SystemC simulator the pipeline can then be simulated and evaluated. The pipeline expression language sits on top of SystemC, exposes all of the features of C++ and SystemC enabling the user to specify, evaluate, and analyze pipeline architectures.     

An analysis/synthesis interface for Pascal compilers

Many Pascal compilers are based upon a model which has two unpleasant properties: a large working set of procedures and lack of flexibility in object code structure. In this paper we analyse the source of these faults and describe an alternative model which avoids them. We then present the details of the key interface in the alternative model, as realized by a particular compiler.     

Neverlang: A framework for feature-oriented language development

Reuse in programming language development is an open research problem. Many authors have proposed frameworks for modular language development. These frameworks focus on maximizing code reuse, providing primitives for componentizing language implementations. There is also an open debate on combining feature-orientation with modular language development. Feature-oriented programming is a vision of computer programming in which features can be implemented separately, and then combined to build a variety of software products. However, even though feature-orientation and modular programming are strongly connected, modular language development frameworks are not usually meant primarily for feature-oriented language definition. In this paper we present a model of language development that puts feature implementation at the center, and describe its implementation in the Neverlang framework. The model has been evaluated through several languages implementations: in this paper, a state machine language is used as a means of comparison with other frameworks, and a JavaScript interpreter implementation is used to further illustrate the benefits that our model provides.     

An Optimizing Compiler for Automatic Shader Bounding

Programmable shading provides artistic control over materials and geometry, but the black box nature of shaders makes some rendering optimizations difficult to apply. In many cases, it is desirable to compute bounds of shaders in order to speed up rendering. A bounding shader can be automatically derived from the original shader by a compiler using interval analysis, but creating optimized interval arithmetic code is non‐trivial. A key insight in this paper is that shaders contain metadata that can be automatically extracted by the compiler using data flow analysis. We present a number of domain‐specific optimizations that make the generated code faster, while computing the same bounds as before. This enables a wider use and opens up possibilities for more efficient rendering. Our results show that on average 42–44% of the shader instructions can be eliminated for a common use case: single‐sided bounding shaders used in lightcuts and importance sampling.     

Type Systems for Optimizing Stack-based Code

We give a uniform type-systematic account of a number of optimizations and the underlying analyses for a bytecode-like stack-based low-level language, including analysis soundness proofs and strongest analysis (principal type inference) algorithms. Specifically, we treat dead store instructions, load-pop pairs, duplicating load instructions, store-load pairs. The load-pop pairs and store-load pairs elimination optimizations are built on top of bidirectional analyses, facilitating correct elimination of instruction pairs spanning across basic block boundaries. As a result, no assumptions are needed about input code (it need not be the compiled form of a high-level source program, the stack need not be empty at basic block boundaries and not even need it be checked for safety before the analysis). The soundness proofs and strongest analysis algorithms are simple and uniform.     

An implementation of Algol 68 for a small computer

A large subset of the language Algol 68 has been implemented on a small computer—the TESLA 200 with a 64 Kbyte store. In this paper, the general structure of the compiler and organization of the program at run-time are described. Especially, the original methods and devices are mentioned that cause a considerable enhancement of the speed of compilation and program run. These concern the syntax analysis (consistent notation, error recovery), the organization of the resulting program (procedure organization, algorithms of work with multiple values) and the techniques of code generation. We try to show that Algol 68 is a suitable programming language for small as well as large computers and that it can successfully compete with traditional programming languages.     

一种基于过程图模型的编译优化测试程序自动生成方法

近年来,以数据依赖分析为基础的高级编译优化成为现代编译器的重要研发内容.针对这类编译优化的测试问题提出了一种测试程序自动生成方法,能够根据指定的数据依赖特征生成测试程序.首先设计了LoSpec语言用以描述测试程序,然后采用一种便于表示数据依赖关系的模型——过程图作为中间表示模型实现了测试程序的自动生成,并开发了自动测试工具LoTester.与已有方法相比,该方法对高级优化更具针对性,自动化程度较高. LoTester目前在一款面向多媒体应用的优化编译器EECC的开发中得到应用并获得了良好效果.     

多物理数值模拟中一种有效的并行耦合方法

在实现多物理并行数值耦合模拟中,需要处理多个物理过程之间网格、并行区域分解的差异.针对该同题,该文基于三维流体力学与激光传播耦合的并行数值模拟,提出了一种实用的并行耦合方法:引入辅助状态将本地插值与通信相分离;构建并行耦合图并定义主导属性,以确定过程间传输的最小数据集合;提供并行数据重分配算法来完成通信.并行数值结果表明:该方法是有效的,在64台处理机上使整体程序获得50.07的加速比.     

Neurosymbolic Models for Computer Graphics

Procedural models (i.e. symbolic programs that output visual data) are a historically-popular method for representing graphics content: vegetation, buildings, textures, etc. They offer many advantages: interpretable design parameters, stochastic variations, high-quality outputs, compact representation, and more. But they also have some limitations, such as the difficulty of authoring a procedural model from scratch. More recently, AI-based methods, and especially neural networks, have become popular for creating graphic content. These techniques allow users to directly specify desired properties of the artifact they want to create (via examples, constraints, or objectives), while a search, optimization, or learning algorithm takes care of the details. However, this ease of use comes at a cost, as it's often hard to interpret or manipulate these representations. In this state-of-the-art report, we summarize research on neurosymbolic models in computer graphics: methods that combine the strengths of both AI and symbolic programs to represent, generate, and manipulate visual data. We survey recent work applying these techniques to represent 2D shapes, 3D shapes, and materials & textures. Along the way, we situate each prior work in a unified design space for neurosymbolic models, which helps reveal underexplored areas and opportunities for future research.     

An Efficient Output-Size Sensitive Parallel Algorithm for Hidden-Surface Removal for Terrains

We describe an efficient parallel algorithm for hidden-surface removal for terrain maps. The algorithm runs in O(log ⁴ n) steps on the CREW PRAM model with a work bound of O((n+k) \polylog ( n)) where n and k are the input and output sizes, respectively. In order to achieve the work bound we use a number of techniques, among which our use of persistent data structures is somewhat novel in the context of parallel algorithms. Received July 29, 1998; revised October 5, 1999.     

EDEN: An Intelligent Software Environment for Diagnosis of Discrete-Event Systems

A software environment, called EDEN, that prototypes a recent approach to model-based diagnosis of discrete-event systems, is presented. The environment integrates a specification language, called SMILE, a model base, and a diagnostic engine. SMILE enables the user to create libraries of models and systems, which are permanently stored in the model base, wherein both final and intermediate results of the diagnostic sessions are hosted as well. Given the observation of a physical system gathered during its reaction to an external event, the diagnostic engine performs the a posteriori reconstruction of all the possible evolutions of the system over time and, then, draws candidate diagnoses out of them. The diagnostic method is described using a simplified example within the domain of power transmission networks. Strong points of the method include compositional modeling, support for model update, ability to focus on any sub-system, amenability to parallel execution, management of multiple faults, and broad notions of system and observation.     

An approach for the systematic development of domain‐specific languages

Building tailored software systems for a particular application domain is a complex task. For this reason, domain‐specific languages (DSLs) receive a constantly growing attention in recent years. So far the main focus of DSL research is on case studies and experience reports for the development of individual DSLs, design approaches and implementation techniques for DSLs, and the integration of DSLs with other software development approaches on a technical level. In this paper, we identify and describe the different activities that we conduct when engineering a DSL, and describe how these activities can be combined in order to define a tailored DSL engineering process. Our research results are based on the experiences we gained from multiple different DSL development projects and prototyping experiments. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An object-based controller for equipment communications in semiconductor manufacturing

Traditionally, all the conventional semiconductor equipment must comply with the semiconductor equipment and materials international (SEMI) semiconductor equipment communication standard/generic equipment model (SECS/GEM) standards to interface with the cell controllers of a legacy manufacturing execution system (MES). In 1998, SEMATECH developed the computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) framework specification to facilitate the creation of an integrated, common, flexible, modular object model leading to an open, multi-supplier CIM system environment in the semiconductor industry. Later, SEMI developed an object-based equipment model (OBEM) standard to take full advantage of the CIM framework. With OBEM, the equipment can communicate with the CIM framework directly by method invocation. This work develops an OBEM-compliant object-based equipment (OBE) in the framework environment, so that this equipment can directly communicate with the MES by method invocation without using the SECS/GEM protocol. The unified modeling language is adopted as the major tool for analyzing and developing the target system. A SECS/GEM adapter is also added on the OBE to enable the OBE to communicate with a legacy factory that uses SECS/GEM standards as the communication protocol. A die bonder is used as an example for development demonstrations.