Predictive Access Controller for Shared Resource Arbitration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic computing systems experience significant wastage of processor cycles due to stalls in resource access requests and grants, particularly when access controllers select an accessor that is not ready to use the granted access, leading to inefficiencies in shared resource utilization.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a predictive access controller that uses probabilistic techniques, such as active and steady state predictors, to select the most likely accessor for the next processor cycle based on past behavior, reducing wasted cycles by favoring accessors with a history of using granted accesses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a registered arbiter is used to determine resource access for the next processor cycle in advance, then the processing burden during the current processor cycle is reduced, but wasted processor cycles increase when a predicted request is granted but not used by the selected accessor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by determining resource access grants in advance for the next processor cycle using a registered arbiter. This shifts the arbitration workload from the current cycle to the previous cycle, reducing real-time processing burden. However, this creates waste when predicted requests don't materialize or granted access isn't used. The invention addresses this by combining preliminary arbitration with predictive techniques that analyze actual request patterns to improve grant accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms by monitoring whether granted access is actually used by the selected accessor. This feedback information is used to adjust and refine the registered arbiter's predictions for future cycles. The system learns from past arbitration outcomes and request patterns, dynamically adjusting its predictions to reduce wasted processor cycles while maintaining the productivity benefits of advance determination.
2Ease of operation
If access is granted to an accessor that is not ready to use the granted access, then the access controller can proceed with the grant, but processor cycles are wasted when the accessor fails to exploit the granted access
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the access control system adaptive rather than static. The registered arbiter dynamically adjusts its predictions based on observed request patterns and actual usage of granted access. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to learn which accessors are likely to be ready and use granted access, reducing wasted cycles while maintaining ease of operation through automated adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes parameters by using probabilistic predictions and confidence levels to determine whether to grant access in advance. Instead of fixed arbitration rules, the system adjusts grant decisions based on predicted request probability and expected utilization. This parameter-based approach allows flexible optimization between ease of operation and time efficiency based on system conditions.
3Device complexity
If round robin or least recently granted methods are used to select the next accessor, then the arbitration process is simple, but up to 50% of processor cycles may be wasted when the selected accessor is not ready to use the granted access
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes mechanical round-robin or least-recently-granted arbitration mechanisms with a predictive system based on analyzed request patterns. Instead of fixed mechanical rotation through accessors, the system uses probability-based predictions of which accessor will actually request and use the resource. This substitution reduces processor cycle waste while keeping complexity manageable through pattern-based prediction rather than complex real-time analysis.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an access controller configured to control access to a shared resource by plural accessors operable to issue requests for access to the shared resource, the access controller comprising a predictor configured to analyze an activity of an accessor to determine a type of at least one event; predict a future request state of at least one of the accessors based on the determination; and select one of the plurality of accessors to be granted access to the shared resource on a future processor cycle, the selecting being computed using at least the prediction.