On the Cost of Freedom From Interference in Heterogeneous SoCs

Abstract

In heterogeneous CPU+GPU SoCs where a single DRAM is shared between both devices, concurrent memory accesses from both devices can lead to slowdowns due to memory interference. This prevents the deployment of real-time tasks, which need to be guaranteed to complete before a set deadline. However, freedom from interference can be guaranteed through software memory scheduling, but may come at a significant cost due to frequent CPU-GPU synchronizations. In this paper we provide a compile-time model to help developers make informed decisions on how to achieve freedom from interference at the lowest cost.