Processor and pipeline reconfiguration control method

Abstract

A reconfigurable processor calculates execution times of configuration for executing pipeline processing from hardware configuration information, and fixes a clock cycle until processing ends. A counter compares the fixed clock cycle with the actual number of elapsed clocks, and, when the number of elapsed clocks equals the clock cycle, it is determined that pipeline processing has ended, and a configuration controller is notified of this.

1 . A processor that executes predetermined operation processes while switching the connection configuration of a plurality of arithmetic and logic unit (ALU) modules having a plurality of ALUs, comprising: 
 an execution time calculation unit that calculates an execution time of each connection configuration of the ALU modules;    a clock counter that clock-counts execution cycles of the operation processes; and    a configuration control unit that switches the connection configuration of the ALU modules when a clock number, counted by the clock counter, has reached the execution time, calculated by the execution time calculation unit.    
     
     
         2 . The processor according to  claim 1 , comprising a storage unit that stores information relating to the execution time of each connection configuration of the ALU modules, calculated by the execution time calculation unit, wherein: 
 the configuration control unit switches the connection configuration of the ALU modules after reading information relating to a next connection configuration from the plurality of information stored in the storage unit.    
     
     
         3 . The processor according to  claim 1 , wherein the execution time calculation unit calculates the execution time as a time obtained by adding a pipeline processing time, taken when executing pipeline processing by using the plurality of ALU modules, to a waiting time, taken before and after switching the connection configuration.  
     
     
         4 . The processor according to  claim 3 , wherein the execution time calculation unit calculates the execution time of one connection configuration of the ALU modules, based on a number of execute commands in loop processing contained in the operation processes.  
     
     
         5 . A reconfiguration control method, using a processor that executes predetermined operation processes while switching the connection configuration of a plurality of arithmetic and logic unit (ALU) modules having a plurality of ALUs, the method comprising: 
 an execution time calculating step of calculating an execution time of each connection configuration of the ALU modules;    a clock-counting step of clock-counting execution cycles of the operation processes;    a configuration control step of switching the connection configuration of the ALU modules when a clock number, counted in the clock-counting step, has reached the execution time, calculated in the execution time calculating step.    
     
     
         6 . The processor according to  claim 5 , wherein the execution time calculation unit calculates the execution times as a time obtained by adding a pipeline processing time, taken when executing pipeline processing by using the plurality of ALU modules, to a waiting time, taken before and after switching the connection configuration.