ADOPT: efficient hardware address generation in distributed memory architectures

An address generation and optimization environment (ADOPT) for distributed memory architectures, is presented. ADOPT is oriented to minimize the area overhead introduced by the use of large numbers of customized address calculation units, needed to cope with the increasing bandwidth requirements of memory intensive real-time signal processing applications. Different high-level optimizing architectural alternatives are explored, such as algebraic optimizations and efficient data-path clustering and assignment, to minimize the space/time-multiplexed address unit cost. Furthermore, in order to significantly reduced the routing complexity, typically present in partitioned architectures, a methodology for the synthesis of a distributed architecture for hierarchical local controllers for address generation, is also proposed. The techniques presented are demonstrated on a realistic test-vehicle, showing significant savings on the overall addressing cost.