Code Optimization Techniques for Embedded Processors: Methods, Algorithms, and Tools

Leupers, Rainer

ISBN 10: 0792379896 / ISBN 13: 9780792379898

Published by Springer, 2000

In. Seller Inventory # ria9780792379898_new

Synopsis:

The building blocks of today's and future embedded systems are complex intellectual property components, or cores, many of which are programmable processors. Traditionally, these embedded processors mostly have been pro­ grammed in assembly languages due to efficiency reasons. This implies time­ consuming programming, extensive debugging, and low code portability. The requirements of short time-to-market and dependability of embedded systems are obviously much better met by using high-level language (e.g. C) compil­ ers instead of assembly. However, the use of C compilers frequently incurs a code quality overhead as compared to manually written assembly programs. Due to the need for efficient embedded systems, this overhead must be very low in order to make compilers useful in practice. In turn, this requires new compiler techniques that take the specific constraints in embedded system de­ sign into account. An example are the specialized architectures of recent DSP and multimedia processors, which are not yet sufficiently exploited by existing compilers.

Synopsis: The building blocks of today's embedded systems-on-a-chip are complex IP components and programmable processor cores. This means that more and more system functionality is implemented in software rather than in custom hardware. In turn, this indicates a growing need for high-level language compilers, capable of generating efficient code for embedded processors. However, traditional compiler technology hardly keeps pace with new developments in embedded processor architectures. Many existing compilers for DSPs and multimedia processors therefore produce code of insufficient quality with respect to performance and/or code size, and a large part of software for embedded systems is still being developed in assembly languages. As both embedded software as well as processors architectures are getting more and more complex, assembly programming clearly violates the demands for a short time-to-market and high dependability in embedded system design.The goal of this book is to provide new methods and techniques to software and compiler developers, that help to make the necessary step from assembly programming to the use of compilers also in embedded system design.

"Code Optimization Techniques for Embedded Processors" discusses the state-of-the-art in the area of compilers for embedded processors. It presents a collection of new code optimization techniques, dedicated to DSP and multimedia processors. These include: compiler support for DSP address generation units, efficient mapping of data flow graphs to irregular architectures, exploitation of SIMD and conditional instructions, as well as function inlining under code size constraints.Comprehensive experimental evaluations are given for real-life processors, that indicate the code quality improvements which can be achieved as compared to earlier techniques. In addition, C compiler frontend issues are discussed from a practical viewpoint. "Code Optimization Techniques for Embedded Processors" is intended for researchers and engineers active in software development for embedded systems, and for compiler developers in academia and industry.

Bibliographic Details

Title: Code Optimization Techniques for Embedded ...
Publisher: Springer
Publication Date: 2000
Binding: Hardcover
Condition: New