The Semi-Automatic Generation of Processing Element Control Paths for Highly Parallel Machines

Abstract

This paper describes a recently implemented program that very rapidly generates control paths for different variants of the constituent processing elements of a particular massively parallel machine, the NON-VON Supercomputer. The program, called PLATO, accepts as input a set of instruction opcodes, together with associated control information, and produces as output a functionally correct, highly area-efficient set of PLA's for the processing elements. One novel aspect of the program is its use of a channel routing algorithm to generate a Weinberger Array layout for the OR-plane of the PLA. By supporting extremely rapid generation of processing elements with different instruction sets, PLATO facilitates "rapid turnaround" architectural experimentation of a sort that would otherwise be impractical. Use of the program has already yielded major area and performance improvements in the NON-VON processing element. Many of the techniques employed in the PLATO system should prove applicable to the semi-automatic layout of processing elements for other multiprocessor machines.