Recursive function data allocation to scratch-pad memory

This paper presents the first automatic scheme to allocate local (stack) data in recursive functions to scratch-pad memory (SPM) in embedded systems. A scratch-pad is a fast directly addressed compiler-managed SRAM memory that replaces the hardware-managed cache. It is motivated by its significantly lower access time, energy consumption, real-time bounds, area and overall runtime. Existing compiler methods for allocating data to scratch-pad are able to place only code, global, heap and non-recursive stack data in scratch-pad memory; stack data for recursive functions is allocated entirely in DRAM, resulting in poor performance. In this paper we present a dynamic yet compiler-directed allocation method for recursive function stack data that for the first time, is able to place a portion of recursive stack data in scratch-pad. It has almost no software-caching overhead, and is able to move recursive function data back and forth between scratch-pad and DRAM to better track the program...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2007
• Where: CASES
• Authors: Angel Dominguez, Nghi Nguyen, Rajeev Barua
• Keywords: CASES 2007, Recursive Function, Recursive Function Data, Stack Data, System Software