Sequencer Dataflow Operator for Energy-Efficient Spatial Acceleration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Exascale computing requires high system-level floating point performance within a tight power budget, which classical von Neumann architectures struggle to achieve due to out-of-order scheduling, complex register files, and high energy costs, leading to difficulties in improving both performance and energy efficiency simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
A spatial array of processing elements connected by lightweight communication networks, executing dataflow graphs directly, with a sequencer dataflow operator that decouples loop control signals from dataflow tokens, eliminating memory prefetching and associated energy waste, and achieving high clock frequencies while minimizing energy, area, and latency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional processor architectures are used to execute instructions, then general-purpose computing capability is maintained, but performance and energy efficiency deteriorate when executing dataflow graphs in high-performance computing applications
Solution Approach 1:
The processor is segmented into a spatial array of independent processing elements (PEs) that can be selectively activated. Each PE is a simple computational unit that operates on data tokens flowing through the array, eliminating the need for complex control logic in each element while achieving high parallelism for dataflow graph execution
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the traditional von Neumann architecture by eliminating the central processor and memory hierarchy. Instead, computation is distributed across the spatial array of PEs, and data flows directly between computational elements without traditional memory access patterns, fundamentally reversing the data-flow direction and control structure
2Productivity
If a spatial array of processing elements is used to execute dataflow graphs, then performance improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Complex control logic, memory management, and instruction decoding functions are extracted from the individual processing elements and implemented as external control circuits. This allows each PE to be a simple computational unit while the overall system maintains high functionality through centralized control mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The processing elements are designed as universal, identical units that can perform multiple operations through configuration. Each PE contains a configurable operation selector that determines whether it performs arithmetic, logic, or data movement functions, allowing the same hardware structure to serve multiple purposes
3Productivity
If memory prefetching and speculation are used in traditional architectures, then throughput is improved, but energy consumption and area increase
Solution Approach 1:
The dataflow architecture provides self-service by automatically routing data tokens to the appropriate processing elements based on data availability and operational readiness. This eliminates the need for complex memory prefetching logic and speculation mechanisms, as the system naturally processes data as it becomes available without requiring predictive memory access
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and apparatuses relating to a sequencer dataflow operator of a configurable spatial accelerator are described. In one embodiment, an interconnect network between a plurality of processing elements receives an input of a dataflow graph comprising a plurality of nodes forming a loop construct, wherein the dataflow graph is overlaid into the interconnect network and the plurality of processing elements with each node represented as a dataflow operator in the plurality of processing elements and at least one dataflow operator controlled by a sequencer dataflow operator of the plurality of processing elements, and the plurality of processing elements is to perform an operation when an incoming operand set arrives at the plurality of processing elements and the sequencer dataflow operator generates control signals for the at least one dataflow operator in the plurality of processing elements.