Evolving machine microprograms

The realization of a control unit can be done using a complex circuitry or microprogramming. The latter may be considered as an alternative method of implementation of machine instructions that can reduce the complexity and increase the flexibility of the control unit. The microcode efficiency and speed are of vital importance for the computer to execute machine instructions fast. This is a difficult task and it requires expert knowledge. It would be interesting and very helpful to have automated tools that, given a machine instruction description, could generate an efficient and correct microprogram. A good option is to use evolutionary computation techniques, which have proved been effective in the evolution of computer programs. In this paper, we intend to show how evolutionary computing techniques could be used to face this problem of generating efficient microprograms. We have developed a microarchitecture simulator of a real machine in order to evaluate an individual and to as...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2008
• Where: GECCO
• Authors: Pedro A. Castillo Valdivieso, G. Fernández, Antonio Mora, Juan Julián Merelo Guervós, José Luis Bernier, Alberto Prieto
• Keywords: Control Unit, GECCO 2008, Machine Instruction, Optimization, Real Machine