Signal processing apparatus

Abstract

Signal stream processing jobs contain tasks (100), each task (100) to be performed by repeated execution of an operation that processes a chunk of data from a stream. Each job comprises a plurality of the tasks (100) in stream communication with one another. A plurality of processing units (10), which are mutually coupled for the communication of signal streams execute that tasks. A preliminary computation is performed for each job individually, to determine execution parameters required for the job to support a required minimum stream throughput rate if each task of the job is executed in a respective context wherein opportunities to start execution of the task occur separated at most by a cycle time T defined for the task. At run time combination of jobs is selected for execution. Groups of the tasks of the selected combination of jobs are assigned to respective ones of the processing units (10), checking that for each particular processing unit (10) a sum of worst case execution times for the tasks assigned to that particular processing unit (10) does not exceed the defined cycle time T defined for any of the tasks (100) assigned to the particular processing unit (10). The processing unit (10) execute the selected combination of jobs concurrently, each processing unit (10) time multiplexing execution of the group of tasks (100) assigned to that processing unit (10).

Description

technical field [0001] The invention relates to devices for processing signal streams, to a method of handling such devices and to a method of manufacturing such devices. Background technique [0002] Signal stream processing is required in devices for media access such as TV / Internet access devices, graphics processors, video cameras, audio devices, etc. Modern devices are required to perform ever-increasing amounts of stream processing computation. Stream processing involves processing (at least in principle) successive signal units of an infinite stream of such signal units at the same time as they arrive. [0003] In such a device, the implementation of stream processing computation must meet several requirements: it must satisfy real-time signal stream processing constraints, it must be possible to perform flexible job composition and it must be able to perform a large number of calculations per second. Real-time streaming requirements are needed, for example, to avoi...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, real-time guarantees cannot be provided this way if the input and / or output data rates of different jobs are not synchronized

Also, performing a new throughput time calculation every time a job is attached or removed from the job group would require considerable overhead

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