Design and Program Multi-processor Platform for High-performance Embedded Processing

Abstract

Modern embedded markets call for high density computing ability, making it is difficult to use just one microprocessor to meet function requirements of highperformance embedded systems. Multiple processors, including general-purpose embedded microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSPs), ASICs and FPGA hardware accelerators, are often used in these embedded systems. Not all processors in an embedded device have the same characteristics and they are asymmetric. Heterogeneous multiprocessors bring forward difficulties in both hardware and software designs. The paper addresses the issues of supporting parallelization in asymmetric multiprocessor (AMP) environment from both hardware and software sides, including cache coherence, semaphore and embedded software programming.