Rettkowski: Design and Programming Methods for Reconfigurable MPSoCs using a NoC-centric Approach

27.02.2020, 2.00 o'clock, APB 1004

Invitation to the Statusvortrag of Mr. M. Sc. Jens Rettkowski

Topic: Design and Programming Methods for Reconfigurable MPSoCs using a NoC-centric Approach

Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Diana Göhringer
Seniorprof. Dr. Rainer G. Spallek

Abstract: Nowadays, the growing complexity in a wide variety of applications has led to the use of Multiprocessor Systems-on-Chip (MPSoCs). Networks-on-Chip (NoCs) have emerged as a scalable on-chip communication technology for a high number of processing elements (PEs). Nevertheless, this high number results in tremendous communication costs tending to become the performance bottleneck. This work outlines state-of-the-art MPSoCs and NoCs showing in addition to the advances, also the challenges in the domain of parallel programming. On the basis of these challenges, novel design and programming methods for MPSoCs and NoCs implemented on Field-Programmable-Gate-Arrays are presented. A Kahn-Process-Network – based model (KPN-based model) is used to describe a parallel application which can be simply mapped to homogeneous MPSoCs using a light-weight Message-Passing-Interface.  The holistic development of MPSoCs that benefit from application-specific accelerators is made more productive using a methodology and corresponding toolflow. Furthermore, routers that are used in NoCs are optimized by exchanging internal buffers with processing units. They provide additional computing resources to process data while it is transferred between PEs. The main objective of this router model is the efficient utilization of the communication time by performing data preprocessing or providing Quality-of-Services such as security or reliability services. The KPN-based model has been modified to support not only the mapping of tasks to PEs but also the mapping to processing units inside routers. Moreover, this concept that enables data preprocessing inside NoCs has been evaluated within a project that aims to help visually impaired people. In this project, a system has been developed that scans the environment using a Lidar and transforms it into an intuitively usable sound helping people to orient in unknown environments.