Block-Based Processor Architecture with Parallel Execution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current processor architectures face challenges in achieving sustained performance improvements due to limitations in Instruction Set Architectures (ISAs) and inefficiencies in resource utilization, particularly in managing instruction flow and register renaming, which hinder energy efficiency and complexity reduction.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a block-based processor architecture with Explicit Data Graph Execution (EDGE) ISA, which enables atomic execution of instructions, reduces the need for complex architectural features like register renaming and misspeculation recovery, and supports high instruction-level parallelism through explicit dataflow execution, allowing for improved compiler and processor performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If out-of-order superscalar implementations are used to improve processor performance, then execution speed increases, but area and power consumption increase due to complex architectural features like register renaming and misspeculation recovery
Solution Approach 1:
The processor architecture segments instruction execution into fixed-size blocks (e.g., 8 instructions per block) that are executed atomically. This segmentation eliminates the need for complex register renaming and misspeculation recovery mechanisms by enforcing a simpler block-based execution model, thereby reducing architectural complexity while maintaining performance through parallel block execution
Solution Approach 2:
The architecture dynamically schedules and executes instruction blocks in parallel across multiple execution units. By dynamically allocating blocks to available execution resources and enabling out-of-order block execution without traditional superscalar complexity, the system achieves high execution speed with reduced architectural overhead
2Device complexity
If traditional ISA with sequential instruction execution is used, then architectural simplicity is maintained, but instruction-level parallelism and processor performance are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The architecture performs preliminary actions by pre-fetching and preparing multiple instruction blocks before they are needed for execution. Instruction blocks are fetched, decoded, and scheduled in advance, allowing the execution units to remain continuously busy and increasing instruction throughput while maintaining architectural simplicity through the block-based model
Solution Approach 2:
The system ensures continuity of useful action by maintaining multiple instruction blocks in various stages of execution simultaneously. With parallel execution units working on different blocks at the same time and continuous block generation from the instruction stream, the architecture achieves high instruction throughput while preserving architectural simplicity through the uniform block execution model
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage are disclosed for providing early access to target addresses in block-based processor architectures. In one example of the disclosed technology, a method of performing a branch in a block-based architecture can include executing one or more instructions of a first instruction block using a first core of the block-based architecture. The method can include, before the first instruction block is committed, initiating non-speculative execution of instructions of a second instruction block.