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A Recomputation-based Algorithm for Error Correction in Scratchpad Memory

Sayadi, Hossein | 2014

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  1. Type of Document: M.Sc. Thesis
  2. Language: Farsi
  3. Document No: 46455 (19)
  4. University: Sharif University of Technology
  5. Department: Computer Engineering
  6. Advisor(s): Miremadi, Ghassem
  7. Abstract:
  8. Scratchpad memory (SPM) is extensively used as the on-chip memory in modern embedded processors alongside of the cache memory or as its alternative. Soft errors in SPM are one of the major contributors to system failures, due to ever-increasing susceptibility of SPM cells to energetic particle strikes. Since a large fraction of soft errors occurs in the shape of Multiple-Bit Upsets (MBUs), traditional memory protection techniques, i.e., Error Correcting Code (ECCs), are not affordable for SPM protection; mainly because of their limited error coverage and/or their high overheads. This thesis proposes a novel recomputation-based algorithm that efficiently protects SPM with high error correction capability and minimum overheads. This proposed data recomputation algorithm recomputes the correct value whenever an error is detected in the SPM.
    The main idea underlying this method consists of four stages: 1) identifying the vulnerable data in SPM by analyzing the program behavior and data access patterns, 2) determining how vulnerable data are generated and consumed at runtime, 3) generating the corresponding recomputation subroutine and inserting corresponding control instruction in appropriate code location for each vulnerable data, and 4) linking the recomputation subroutines and the source code to produce the modified source code. To the best of our knowledge, there has been no prior effort to improve the reliability of SPMs through data recomputation. Therefore, this approach is the first recomputation-based error correction method in scratchpad memories. The simulation results show that the proposed algorithm significantly reduces the vulnerability of SPM from 91.2% to 10.8%. Moreover, the proposed algorithm imposes no area overhead and no hardware modification, meanwhile its performance overhead is less than 1%
  9. Keywords:
  10. Reliability ; Error Correction ; Embedded System ; Data Recomputaiton ; Scratch Pad Memory (SPM)

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