Multiprocessor system on a chip

A multiprocessor system on a chip (MPSoC, /ˌɛmˌpiːˈsɒk/ em-pee-SOCK or /ˌɛmˌpiːˌɛsˌoʊˈsiː/ em-PEE-ess-oh-SEE) is a system on a chip (SoC) which includes multiple microprocessors. As such, it is a multi-core system on a chip.

MPSoCs usually targeted for embedded applications. It is used by platforms that contain multiple, usually heterogeneous, processing elements with specific functionalities reflecting the need of the expected application domain, a memory hierarchy and I/O components. All these components are linked to each other by an on-chip interconnect, such as buses and Networks on chip (NoCs). These architectures meet the performance needs of multimedia applications, telecommunication architectures, network security and other application domains while limiting the power consumption through the use of specialised processing elements and architecture.

Structure

A multiprocessor system on a chip must by definition have multiple processor cores. MPSoCs often contain multiple logically distinct processor modules as well. Additionally, MPSoCs typically contain:

Memory blocks, often using scratchpad RAM and direct memory access

timing sources to generate clock signals to control execution of SoC functions
- crystal oscillators and phase-locked loops are popular clock generators.
peripherals including counters and power-on reset generators
external interfaces, typically for communication protocols
- These are often based upon industry standards such as USB, FireWire, Ethernet, USART, SPI, HDMI, I²C, etc.
- each interface is typically to one given core or logical unit on the MPSoC
a network on a chip (NoC) to communicate and share data between the processors and functional units of the MPSoC

Applications

MPSoCs are used when microcontrollers or systems-on-chip must have multiprocessing capabilities. This can include smartphone devices, embedded systems, digital signal processors and other various applications.

Examples

This section is a short list of multiprocessor systems-on-chip.

Design considerations

Benchmarks

MPSoC research and development often compares many options. Benchmarks, such as COSMIC,[1] are developed to help such evaluations.

gollark: > Furthermore, online assessment sessions set up to be used with this browser can’t be opened with other browsers, essentially dissuading anyone accessing the tests with a less-secure browser.Hmmm, how is it detecting *that*? I wonder if you can just spoof it with user agent changer and some userscripts.

gollark: It really seems like one of those things, like DRM, which is inevitably doomed to fail because you can't shove some content at a user/computer and then somehow control what they do with it.

gollark: There's some way to hide your VM's VMness from programs, isn't there?

gollark: I would probably just try and run it in a VM in some convoluted way (I'm sure it's possible).

gollark: Good, good.

References

"COSMIC". www.ece.ust.hk. Retrieved 2018-10-11.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

[1] "COSMIC". www.ece.ust.hk. Retrieved 2018-10-11.