Name
Abstract | ||
|---|---|---|
Soft vector processors can accelerate data parallel algorithms on FPGAs while retaining software programmability. To handle divergent control flow, vector processors typically use mask registers and predicated instructions. These work by executing all branches and finally selecting the correct one. Our work improves FPGA based vector processors by adding wavefront skipping, where wavefronts that are completely masked off are skipped. This accelerates conditional algorithms, particularly useful where elements terminate early if simple tests fail but require extensive processing in the worst case. The difference in logic speed and RAM area for FPGA based circuits versus ASICs led us to a different implementation than used in fixed vector processors, storing wavefront offsets in on-chip BRAM rather than computing wavefronts skipped dynamically. Additionally, we allow for partitioning the wavefronts so that partial wavefronts can skip independently of one another. We show that |
Year | DOI | Venue |
|---|---|---|
2015 | 10.1145/2684746.2689072 | FPGA |
Keywords | Field | DocType |
fpga,divergent control flow,conditional execution,soft vector processors,mobile processors | Wavefront,Computer science,Parallel algorithm,Parallel computing,Control flow,Field-programmable gate array,Algorithm,Real-time computing,Software,Electronic circuit,Conditional execution | Conference |
Citations | PageRank | References |
0 | 0.34 | 11 |
Authors | ||
3 | ||
Name | Order | Citations | PageRank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Severance | 1 | 64 | 5.19 |
| Joe Edwards | 2 | 0 | 0.68 |
| Guy G. F. Lemieux | 3 | 179 | 14.96 |