Parametric throughput analysis of scenario-aware dataflow graphs

Abstract

Scenario-aware dataflow graphs (SADFs) efficiently model dynamic applications. The throughput of an application is an important metric to determine the performance of the system. For example, the number of frames per second output by a video decoder should always stay above a threshold that determines the quality of the system. During design-space exploration (DSE) or run-time management (RTM), numerous throughput calculations have to be performed. Throughput calculations have to be performed as fast as possible. For synchronous dataflow graphs (SDFs), a technique exists that extracts throughput expressions from a parameterized SDF in which the execution time of the tasks (actors) is a function of some parameters. Evaluation of these expressions can be done in a negligible amount of time and provides the throughput for a specific set of parameter values. This technique is not applicable to SADFs. In this paper, we present a technique, based on Max-Plus automata, that finds throughput expressions for a parameterized SADF. Experimental evaluation shows that our technique can be applied to realistic applications. These results also show that our technique is better scalable and faster compared to the available parametric throughput analysis technique for SDFs.