KR20110067795A - Tightly-coupled memory management method to improve responsibility of real-time processes - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A tightly-coupled memory management method is provided to improve the response of real-time processes by determining the page to be loaded on the TCM in consideration of a process priority or memory address accessed to TCM, access frequency and recent access time. CONSTITUTION: A process to be saved in a tightly-coupled memory (TCM) requests the access to TCM(210). The TCM transfers the process or the memory information to a TCM manager(220). The process information includes the priority information. The memory information includes the address of the accessed memory, access frequency and recent access time. The TCM manager determines a memory page to be loaded on TCM in consideration of the information on the process or the memory, and then executes the load(230).

Description

Tightly-coupled memory management method to improve responsibility of real-time processes

According to the present invention, the TCM (tightly-coupled memory) can improve the responsiveness of the real-time process by determining the pages to be loaded in the TCM in consideration of process priority information or a memory address, access frequency, and recent access time. It is about an operation method.

The present invention is derived from a study conducted as part of the IT growth engine technology development project of the Ministry of Knowledge Economy [Task management number: 2009-S-029-01, Task name: Development of embedded SW common platform for information industrial equipment].

A memory is a device having a function of storing information required by a computer and results obtained by processing data. The type of memory varies depending on the difference between how long the data should be stored and how often it is used.

In order for a computer to process data, it must have a place to store it and a program that can process it. In the process of calling and processing a program to the CPU (processing unit), it is necessary to temporarily store it, and also a storage unit that can store data and programs that are not needed by the processing unit for a while and then take it out when needed. Do. The device responsible for this storage function is called a memory.

Since memory is expensive in proportion to the speed of reading and writing, the memory directly connected to the processing unit is composed of a small amount of high speed to increase the processing speed, and a slow but inexpensive price for storing a large amount of data. Most of the computer systems are constructed in consideration of cost and performance. As such, a structure that complements speed and storage by connecting several types of storage devices in one system is called a memory hierarchy. The memory hierarchy can be divided into three stages.

First, it is a memory that is embedded in the central processing unit and consists of flip-flops having a speed similar to that of the processing unit. These registers temporarily store instructions or data and are called buffers or cache memories.

Second, the main memory is a memory that stores a lot of program instructions and data while the computer is running. Relatively large and fast. The feature of this device is that it can directly access, write and read the place stored by CPU (Central Processing Unit) instructions. Devices used here include a variety of devices, including RAM.

Third, the speed is considerably slower than the main memory because of the large capacity as the auxiliary memory but the mechanical parts are connected. It is used to store input data and processing results, or to store various programs that are not continuously needed by the CPU (central processing unit). The most representative one is a magnetic disk.

Here, a closer look at the cache memory, the cache memory is a high-speed memory embedded in the basic processing unit of the workstation or medium-large computer.

In other words, cache memory is a temporary memory that is installed in a computer to speed up. When measuring the speed of a computer, the speed depends mainly on the speed of the CPU (central processing unit). This means that the peripherals are very slow compared to the CPU so that the speed of the computer is determined by the speed of the CPU. In order to solve this problem, a representative method of speeding up a peripheral device is a cache memory. There are several types of caches in cache memory, including RAM cache (external cache), internal cache, and disk cache.

Hard disks are much slower than RAM. It is slow because you have to read the disk every time you run the program. Thus, a certain amount of temporary memory is created between RAM and disk, and the first time the program is run, the contents of RAM are also stored in that temporary memory. Then, when you run the program, it reads from the temporary memory instead of the hard disk, which makes the read time much faster. This temporary memory is called cache memory.

Cache memory is also used in personal computers (PCs) and has several ten kilobytes of cache memory for several ten megabytes of main memory. There is also a microprocessor with cache memory inside. Increasing the cache inside the CPU to two speeds is faster, and can be used as a cache for each instruction processing and a cache for data processing.

Multiprocessing, on the other hand, refers to a form in which two or more tasks are simultaneously processed in parallel using two or more CPUs in order to increase processing power of a computer system.

Multiprocessing is characterized by the fact that several processors execute different instructions in parallel, increasing overall speed and reliability. One processor is limited in speeding up a lot of work, no matter how much it can improve performance, so you want to build a high-speed computer system using as many as thousands of processors.

Multiple processors share a single main memory and operate on a single operating system, called tightly-coupled or tightly coupled, and each CPU has an independent main memory to communicate with each other and work. It is called loosely-coupled.

Generally refers to tightly-coupled, and even tightly-coupled refers mainly to symmetric multiprocessing. Symmetric multiprocessing is a system where the CPUs are all in the same position in a parallel computer with multiple CPUs. All processors, I / O devices, and memory devices are managed under one operating system, so I / O devices can be connected freely and work can be effectively shared.

This way, if one processor fails, the operating system (OS) removes the problem handler, so you can continue working, and you can even transfer jobs from one processor to another. It is also possible for several processors to work together to perform a single task.

However, since several processors use the same operating system, it is necessary to be able to control the competition between CPUs requiring the same resources and to schedule the CPU utilization effectively. As the multiplicity increases, the overall processing power of the system increases, but one program still handles one task with one CPU.

TCM (tight-coupled memory) is a memory used to perform data operations at high speed by containing frequently used code.

Looking at the difference between the above mentioned cache memory and tight-coupled memory (TCM), the cache memory can improve the overall speed, but the disadvantage is that it is not completely stored or loaded in real time. Therefore, the TCM can be used to achieve accurate timing.

Also, unlike the cache memory, which selects load data only by the way the microprocessor supports it, the TCM can select data to be loaded in software for more flexible operation.

However, there is no memory loading method for properly using the TCM, and there is no TCM operation method for a system particularly requiring fast response.

As described above, in the conventional TCM operating method, there is a problem that there is no memory loading method for properly using the TCM, and that there is no TCM operating method requiring fast response.

Therefore, when the process approaches the memory, the information of the process or information of the memory is delivered to the TCM manager, the TCM manager comprises a step of determining the page to be loaded in the TCM using the process information or memory information Provide operational methods.

In a method of operating a TCM according to an embodiment of the present invention, when a process approaches a memory, information of a process or information of a memory is transferred to a TCM manager, and the TCM manager uses a process information or memory information to prepare a page to be loaded in the TCM. Determining.

Here, the process information is characterized in that the priority information.

In this case, the memory information may be a memory address to be accessed, an access frequency, and a recent access time.

According to the TCM operating method according to an embodiment of the present invention as described above has the following effects.

According to the TCM operating method according to an embodiment of the present invention, the TCM manager determines a page to be loaded in the TCM in consideration of the priority information of the process or the memory address, access frequency, recent access time, etc. to access the TCM, By properly selecting the memory to be loaded, there is an effect of improving the responsiveness of the system.

Advantages and features of the present invention and methods for achieving them will be apparent with reference to the embodiments described below in detail with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but can be implemented in various different forms, and only the embodiments make the disclosure of the present invention complete, and the general knowledge in the art to which the present invention belongs. It is provided to fully inform the person having the scope of the invention, which is defined only by the scope of the claims. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

In describing the embodiments of the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of a known function or configuration may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted. Terms to be described later are terms defined in consideration of functions in the embodiments of the present invention, which may vary according to intentions or customs of users and operators. Therefore, the definition should be based on the contents throughout this specification.

Combinations of each block of the accompanying block diagram and each step of the flowchart may be performed by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be mounted on a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing equipment such that instructions executed through the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing equipment may not be included in each block or flowchart of the block diagram. It will create means for performing the functions described in each step. These computer program instructions may be stored in a computer usable or computer readable memory that can be directed to a computer or other programmable data processing equipment to implement functionality in a particular manner, and thus the computer usable or computer readable memory. It is also possible for the instructions stored in to produce an article of manufacture containing instruction means for performing the functions described in each block or flow chart step of the block diagram. Computer program instructions may also be mounted on a computer or other programmable data processing equipment, such that a series of operating steps may be performed on the computer or other programmable data processing equipment to create a computer-implemented process to create a computer or other programmable data. Instructions that perform processing equipment may also provide steps for performing the functions described in each block of the block diagram and in each step of the flowchart.

In addition, each block or step may represent a portion of a module, segment or code that includes one or more executable instructions for executing a specified logical function (s). It should also be noted that in some alternative embodiments, the functions noted in the blocks or steps may occur out of order. For example, the two blocks or steps shown in succession may in fact be executed substantially concurrently or the blocks or steps may sometimes be performed in the reverse order, depending on the functionality involved.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a block diagram showing a TCM operating apparatus according to the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the TCM operating apparatus according to the present invention includes a memory unit 112 and a TCM manager 114.

The memory unit 112 stores information or data for which memory loading is determined by the TCM manager 114.

When the process 100 requests access to the TCM memory 100, the TCM manager 114 collects information of the process 100 requesting access and information of the memory page 112 requested by the process 100. It is determined whether it is appropriate to load the process 100 into the memory page 112.

Here, the information of the process 100 requesting access to the TCM memory includes priority information and the like.

In addition, at this time, the information related to the memory requested to be accessed by the process 100 includes the address of the memory being accessed, the access frequency, the recent access time, and the like.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a TCM operating method according to the present invention.

1 and 2, the TCM operating method according to the present invention will be described in detail.

First, the process 100 that wants to store in the TCM memory 110 requests access to the TCM memory 110 (step 210).

In operation 210, the TCM memory 110 that is requested to access transmits information of the process 100 or memory 112 that requests memory access to the TCM manager 114 (operation 220).

Here, the information of the process 100 requesting access to the TCM memory includes priority information and the like.

In addition, at this time, the information related to the memory requested to be accessed by the process 100 includes the address of the memory being accessed, the access frequency, the recent access time, and the like.

In operation 220, the TCM manager 114 receiving the information about the process or the memory determines the memory page 112 to be loaded in the TCM in consideration of the information about the process or the memory, and executes the loading (operation 230).

According to the TCM operating method according to an embodiment of the present invention, the TCM manager determines a page to be loaded in the TCM in consideration of the priority information of the process or the memory address, access frequency, recent access time, etc. to access the TCM, By choosing the appropriate memory to load, you can improve the responsiveness of the system.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but is capable of various modifications within the scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, but should be defined not only by the scope of the following claims, but also by those equivalent to the scope of the claims.

1 is a block diagram showing a TCM operating apparatus according to the present invention.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a TCM operating method according to the present invention.

Claims (1)

When the process accesses the memory, information of the process or information of the memory is transferred to the TCM manager; And The TCM manager uses the process information or memory information to determine which pages to load into the TCM. TCM operating method comprising a.

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