Multidimensional Ring Buffer for Reducing Memory Access Latency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Reading data from external memory to the storage area in microprocessors is time-consuming and power-intensive, especially when the same data is reused in computations like image processing or deep learning networks, leading to unnecessary re-reading and increased power consumption.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a multidimensional ring buffer in the microprocessor that allows data to be written and reused from a storage area, reducing the need for repeated data fetches from external memory by moving and overwriting data within the buffer, thereby minimizing the number of reads from external memory.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If data is read from external memory to storage area for computation, then computation can be executed, but time consumption and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-loading data into the storage area before computation is needed. The storage control unit reads data from external memory in advance and stores it in the storage area, so that when computation is required, the data is already available locally, eliminating the need for repeated reading during computation and thus reducing time consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary storage area (buffer memory) between the external memory and the computation unit. This storage area acts as a mediator that holds data temporarily, allowing the computation unit to access data without directly reading from external memory repeatedly. The storage control unit manages this intermediary storage, optimizing the balance between data availability and resource efficiency.
2Productivity
If data is read from external memory to storage area for computation, then computation can be executed, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The storage control unit performs preliminary action by reading data from external memory in advance and storing it in the storage area before computation begins. This ensures that data is available locally when needed, avoiding repeated power-intensive reads from external memory during computation, thus reducing overall power consumption while maintaining computation productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The storage area serves as an intermediary that reduces power consumption by localizing data access. Instead of the computation unit repeatedly accessing external memory (which consumes significant power), the storage control unit manages data in the lower-power storage area, enabling computation to proceed with minimal external memory access and thus reduced power usage.
3Adaptability or versatility
If data is repeatedly read from external memory for reuse in computations, then data availability is maintained, but unnecessary power consumption occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The storage control unit applies preliminary action by detecting when data will be reused in computations and pre-loading it into the storage area in advance. This ensures that reused data is available locally without triggering repeated external memory reads, thereby maintaining data reuse capability while eliminating redundant power consumption from unnecessary reads.
Solution Approach 2:
The storage area acts as an intermediary that enables efficient data reuse. When the storage control unit detects that data needs to be reused, it retrieves the data from the storage area rather than re-reading from external memory. This intermediary mechanism preserves full data reuse capability while avoiding the energy waste of repeated external memory accesses.
Data Source
AI summary
It is desired to provide a technique capable of reducing the time and the power consumption required for computation. Provided is an information processing apparatus including a storage control unit that writes data read from a read target area of an external memory having multiple dimensions to a storage area having the multiple dimensions and a processing unit that executes processing based on the data of the storage area, in which the storage control unit moves the read target area in a first dimension direction in the external memory and performs first overwrite of a back end area of the storage area in a direction corresponding to the first dimension direction with data of a front end area of the read target area after movement in the first dimension direction.