基于簇的寄存器堆功耗管理方法

本文采用软硬件协同设计技术,提出以寄存器簇为粒度对嵌入式处理器寄存器堆进行功耗管理的方法.在软件方面,面向寄存器簇的编译优化使循环程序段中寄存器的编号尽可能相邻;在硬件方面,采用寄存器簇缓冲器过滤对寄存器堆的访问并降低其动态功耗,采用基于寄存器簇的动态电压调节电路和门控预充电路降低存储单元和位线的泄漏功耗.实验结果表明,本文方法将寄存器堆的总功耗降低约44.7%,比传统方法达到了功耗、面积和延迟的更优折衷.     

面向访问需求的数据缓存泄漏功耗管理方法

 本文提出面向访问需求的数据缓存泄漏功耗管理方法,根据访存指令对数据缓存的访问需求控制数据缓存的活动.当流水线中未发现访存指令时,将整个数据缓存保持在非活跃状态;而当发现访存指令进入流水线时,采用两种数据缓存访问控制策略以及对这两种策略的动态选择机制,在流水线早期捕获访存地址的访问需求,对数据缓存的活动作出精细控制.实验结果表明,在平均情况下,本文方法将数据缓存的泄漏功耗降低85.4%,而处理器性能提升4.41%,比传统方法在功耗与性能方面均达到更优结果.     

CASA: A New IFU Architecture for Power-Efficient Instruction Cache and TLB Designs

The instruction fetch unit （IFU） usually dissipates a considerable portion of total chip power. In traditional IFU architectures, as soon as the fetch address is generated, it needs to be sent to the instruction cache and TLB arrays for instruction fetch. Since limited work can be done by the power-saving logic after the fetch address generation and before the instruction fetch, previous power-saving approaches usually suffer from the unnecessary restrictions from traditional IFU architectures. In this paper, we present CASA, a new power-aware IFU architecture, which effectively reduces the unnecessary restrictions on the power-saving approaches and provides sufficient time and information for the power-saving logic of both instruction cache and TLB. By analyzing, recording, and utilizing the key information of the dynamic instruction flow early in the front-end pipeline, CASA brings the opportunity to maximize the power efficiency and minimize the performance overhead. Compared to the baseline configuration, the leakage and dynamic power of instruction cache is reduced by 89.7% and 64.1% respectively, and the dynamic power of instruction TLB is reduced by 90.2%. Meanwhile the performance degradation in the worst case is only 0.63%. Compared to previous state-of-the-art power-saving approaches, the CASA-based approach saves IFU power more effectively, incurs less performance overhead and achieves better scalability. It is promising that CASA can stimulate further work on architectural solutions to power-efficient IFU designs.     

一种基于活跃周期的低端口数低能耗寄存器堆设计

多端口寄存器堆有助于挖掘指令级和线程级并行性,但同时带来面积、能耗和访问时间的压力.文章面向超标量和SMT处理器,给出了一种方法,即通过增加一个小的活跃值堆(Active Value File,AVF)选择性地保存处于活跃周期(从产生到最后一次使用之间)的物理寄存器值.AVF结构可分担主寄存器堆的访问压力并降低端口数目,实现简单且具有写过滤的特点.在获得较大幅度能耗降低的同时不影响时钟频率且IPC损失较小.