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A Safari Through the MPSoC Run-Time Management Jungle

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Abstract

The multiprocessor SoC (MPSoC) revolution is fueled by the need to execute multiple advanced multimedia applications on a single embedded computing platform. At design-time, the applications that will run in parallel and their respective user requirements are unknown. Hence, a run-time manager (RTM) is needed to match all application needs with the available platform resources and services. Creating such a run-time manager requires two decisions. First, one needs to decide what functionality to implement. Second, one has to decide how to implement this functionality in order to meet boundary conditions like e.g. real-time performance. This paper is the first to detail a generic view on MPSoC run-time management functionality and its design space trade-offs. We substantiate the run-time components and the implementation trade-offs with academic state-of-the-art solutions and a brief overview of some industrial multiprocessor run-time management examples. We show a clear trend towards more hardware acceleration, a limited distribution of management functionality over the platform and increasing support for adaptive multimedia applications. In addition, we briefly detail upcoming run-time management research issues.

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Notes

  1. Also denoted as job utility function [4] or application utility function.

  2. This often means an additional processor or programmable IP block that provides run-time management services.

  3. The comparison is based on publicly/freely available information.

  4. In the microkernel world, only the most basic functionality (BIOS) is incorporated into the RTOS kernel. The run-time management or operating system functionality responsible for more high level tasks, such as resource management, execute outside the RTOS kernel and are commonly denoted as servers. Hence the name RM server for the resource management functionality.

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  1. IMEC, Kapeldreef 75, 3001, Leuven, Belgium

    Vincent Nollet & Diederik Verkest

  2. Technical University Eindhoven, Eindhoven, The Netherlands

    Henk Corporaal

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  1. Vincent Nollet
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Nollet, V., Verkest, D. & Corporaal, H. A Safari Through the MPSoC Run-Time Management Jungle. J Sign Process Syst 60, 251–268 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11265-008-0305-4

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