High-Performance Asynchronous Computer and SoC Architecture

University Of Utah, Salt Lake City UT

Investigators

Abstract

This research is focused on developing circuits and architectures for asynchronous high-performance computers. Asynchronous organization has a number of significant advantages over the traditional globally synchronous approach that we plan to exploit. These advantages can be broken down into two general categories: those that relate to the circuit-level properties of asynchronous circuits, and those that relate to the higher-level sequential properties of this form of implementation. Circuit advantages, which are mostly directly related to the absence of the global clock signal, include lower electro-magnetic interference (EMI), lower power, and easier system integration due to the local and modular interconnection of asynchronous system pieces. Higher-level organizational advantages include the ability of an asynchronous system to adapt to data-dependent delays in system components, take advantage of early completion of system activities, and more naturally mediate sub-task concurrency during system operation.