Journal of KIISE:Computer Systems and Theory (한국정보과학회논문지:시스템및이론)

Korean Institute of Information Scientists and Engineers (한국정보과학회)
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Memory Hierarchy Optimization in Embedded Systems using On-Chip SRAM

On-Chip SRAM을 이용한 임베디드 시스템 메모리 계층 최적화

  • 김정원 (서울대학교 컴퓨터공학부) ;
  • 김승균 (서울대학교 컴퓨터공학부) ;
  • 이재진 (서울대학교 컴퓨터공학부) ;
  • 정창희 ;
  • 우덕균 (한국전자통신연구원 센서네트워크플렛폼연구팀)
  • Published : 2009.04.15
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Abstract

The memory wall is the growing disparity of speed between CPU and memory outside the CPU chip. An economical solution is a memory hierarchy organized into several levels, such as processor registers, cache, main memory, disk storage. We introduce a novel memory hierarchy optimization technique in Linux based embedded systems using on-chip SRAM for the first time. The optimization technique allocates On-Chip SRAM to the code/data that selected by programmers by using virtual memory systems. Experiments performed with nine applications indicate that the runtime improvements can be achieved by up to 35%, with an average of 14%, and the energy consumption can be reduced by up to 40%, with an average of 15%.

컴퓨터 시스템 분야의 대표적인 문제 중 하나는 메모리의 처리 속도가 CPU의 처리 속도보다 매우 느리기 때문에 생기는 CPU 휴면 시간의 증가, 즉 메모리 장벽 문제이다. CPU와 메모리의 속도 차이를 줄이기 위해서는 레지스터, 캐시 메모리, 메인 메모리, 디스크로 대표되는 메모리 계층을 이용하여 자주 쓰이는 데이터를 메모리 계층 상위, 즉 CPU 가까이 위치시켜야 한다. 본 논문에서는 On-Chip SRAM을 이용한 임베디드 시스템 메모리 계층 최적화 기법을 리눅스 기반 시스템에서 최초로 제안한다. 본 기법은 시스템의 가상 메모리를 이용하여 프로그래머가 원하는 코드나 데이터를 On-Chip SRAM에 적재한다. 제안된 기법의 실험 결과 총 9개의 어플리케이션에 대하여 최대 35%, 평균 14%의 시스템 성능 향상과 최대 40% 평균 15%의 에너지 소비 감소를 보였다.

Keywords

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