Programming a multi-processor system

摘要

A computer-implemented method for creating a program for a multi-processor system comprising a plurality of interspersed processors and memories. A user may specify or create source code using a programming language. The source code specifies a plurality of tasks and communication of data among the plurality of tasks. However, the source code may not (and preferably is not required to) 1) explicitly specify which physical processor will execute each task and 2) explicitly specify which communication mechanism to use among the plurality of tasks. The method then creates machine language instructions based on the source code, wherein the machine language instructions are designed to execute on the plurality of processors. Creation of the machine language instructions comprises assigning tasks for execution on respective processors and selecting communication mechanisms between the processors based on location of the respective processors and required data communication to satisfy system requirements.

主权项

1. A computer-implemented method for creating a program for a multi-processor system, wherein the multi-processor system comprises an array of processors and a plurality of memories coupled to the processors, wherein the plurality of memories are interspersed among the plurality of processors within an apparatus, wherein each of the processors is coupled to at least one other processor, the method comprising:
storing source code in response to user input, wherein the source code specifies first functionality, wherein the source code is intended to execute on the multi-processor system, wherein the source code specifies a plurality of tasks and communication of data among the plurality of tasks, wherein the source code further does not specify allocation of local variables among the plurality of tasks; creating machine language instructions based on the source code, wherein the machine language instructions are designed to execute on the array of processors; determining an assignment of tasks to respective processors in the multi-processor system; subsequent to the determining, selecting communication mechanisms between tasks assigned to the respective processors based on location of the respective processors in the array and required communication of data, wherein the selecting includes:
allocating local variables to memories proximate to two or more processors assigned to execute tasks that own the local variables; andconfiguring message passing links via a plurality of communications units coupled to processors in the array of processors, wherein the message passing links are for tasks that are assigned to processors that do not share proximate memories, and wherein the configuring includes synthesizing the message links between processors by binding communication requirements in the source code to routing logic; and storing the machine language instructions in various ones of the plurality of memories, wherein the multi-processor system is operable to execute the machine language instructions using the allocated local variables and configured message passing links to implement the first functionality.