A model-year architecture approach to hardware reuse in digital signal processor system design

This paper describes our team's hardware model-year architecture (MYA) approach to develop cost-effective signal processors that can be applied to a wide range of military and commercial applications. We present an overview of the MYA approach and describe the framework. We introduce two key hardware architectural interfaces: the Standard Virtual Interface (SVI) and the Reconfigurable Network Interface (RNI). Next we describe several implementations of the SVI and RNI to illustrate how they would be used and some of the issues involved in implementing this approach. We discuss how the MYA relates to other efforts in the area of standard interfaces such as PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect), PacketWay, the Virtual Microarchitecture Interface (VMI) and the Virtual Socket Interface Alliance (VSIA). Finally, we present our conclusions.