Methods and systems for developing data flow programs

Abstract

Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention provide a development tool that enables computer programmers to design and develop a data flow program for execution in a multiprocessor computer system. The tool allows the programmer to define a region divided into multiple blocks, wherein each block is associated with data operated on by code segments of the data flow program. The development tool also maintains dependencies among the blocks, each dependency indicating a relationship between two blocks that indicates that the portion of the program associated with a first block of the relationship needs the resultant data provided by the portions of the program associated with a second block of the relationship. The development tool supports several debugging commands, including insertion of multiple types of breakpoints, adding and deleting dependencies, single stepping data flow program execution, and the like.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a Continuation of Ser. No. 10 / 005,783, filed Nov. 8, 2001, which is a Continuation-In-Part of Ser. No. 09 / 244,138, filed Feb. 4, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,378,066. [0002] The entirety of each of the above identified patent applications are incorporated herein by reference to the extent permitted by law.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0003] This invention relates to the field of multiprocessor computer systems and, more particularly, to data driven processing of computer programs using a multiprocessor computer system. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0004] Multiprocessor computer systems include two or more processors that execute the instructions of a computer program. One processor executes a particular set of instructions while other processors execute different sets of instructions. [0005] Fast computer systems, like multiprocessor computer systems, have stimulated the rapid growth of a new way of performing scientific resea...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention provides a data flow program development tool that allows a programmer to visually identify data dependencies between code segments, observe the execution of a data flow program under development, insert breakpoints, and modify data block code and data assignments and dependencies. This tool helps in developing new data flow programs or converting control flow programs to the data flow paradigm. The invention also includes a computer readable medium containing instructions that cause a data processing system to perform a method for developing data flow programs, and a data structure accessed by a data flow development tool run by a processor in a data processing system."

Problems solved by technology

Computational scientists simulate on supercomputers phenomena too complex to be reliably predicted by theory and too dangerous or expensive to be reproduced in a laboratory.

It is not only that the speed of light and the effectiveness of heat dissipation impose physical limits on the speed of a single processor.

It is also that the cost of advanced single-processor computers increases more rapidly than their power.

Despite these advances, parallel computing has not yet achieved widespread adoption.

The biggest obstacle to the adoption of parallel computing and its benefits in economy and power is the problem of inadequate software.

Although this approach tends to simplify the program development process, it is inherently slow.

Moreover, executing programs developed under the control flow model on multiprocessing computer systems results in a significant waste of resources because of these dependencies.

Wait-time translates into an unacceptable waste of computing resources in that at least one of the processors is idle the whole time while the program is running.

Most source code, however, is in a control form, which is difficult and clumsy to parallelize efficiently for all types of problems.

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