V. Kamakoti

Bio: V. Kamakoti is an academic researcher from Indian Institute of Technology Madras. The author has contributed to research in topics: Field-programmable gate array & Benchmark (computing). The author has an hindex of 17, co-authored 121 publications receiving 901 citations. Previous affiliations of V. Kamakoti include National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli & Indian Institute of Science.

Reducing SoC Test Time and Test Power in Hierarchical Scan Test : Scan Architecture and Algorithms

Abstract: A hierarchical or "divide-and-conquer" scan test methodology enables us to partition a large SoC into several partitions and perform design-for-testability (DFT) functions such as scan insertion, pattern generation, and pattern validation separately on individual partitions. Since the effort for DFT related tasks grows super-linearly with gate count, partitioning reduces the effort for DFT tasks. Further, test application can be divided into k + 1 modes, where k modes correspond to independent testing of the partitions and the (k + 1)th mode corresponds to a "residual" (or daisy) mode where faults that are not covered by the individual modes are considered. In reality, however, the daisy mode can be a killer and wipe out the benefits of divide-and-conquer testing. This is especially true for partitions that do not have test wrappers. In this paper, we take up the challenge of reducing the overhead of daisy mode in divide-and-conquer testing. By a careful analysis of the interactions between partitions, additional test modes are introduced to increase the coverage of glue logic, at the same time making sure that the number of scan cells involved in these "intermediate daisy modes" are minimal. We refer to this version of hierarchical scan testing as "quiet and optimized divide-and-conquer scan". Experimental results reveal that the proposed technique reduces the test time overhead of the conventional daisy mode by about 20times. In addition, the technique drastically reduces the switching activity in the daisy modes and hence reduces the test power

Placement and routing for 3D-FPGAs using reinforcement learning and support vector machines

Abstract: The primary advantage of using 3D-FPGA over 2D-FPGA is that the vertical stacking of active layers reduce the Manhattan distance between the components in 3D-FPGA than when placed on 2D-FPGA. This results in a considerable reduction in total interconnect length. Reduced wire length eventually leads to reduction in delay and hence improved performance and speed. Design of an efficient placement and routing algorithm for 3D-FPGA that fully exploits the above mentioned advantage is a problem of deep research and commercial interest. In this paper, an efficient placement and routing algorithm is proposed for 3D-FPGAs which yields better results in terms of total interconnect length and channel-width. The proposed algorithm employs two important techniques, namely, reinforcement learning (RL) and support vector machines (SVMs), to perform the placement. The proposed algorithm is implemented and tested on standard benchmark circuits and the results obtained are encouraging. This is one of the very few instances where reinforcement learning is used for solving a problem in the area of VLSI.

A parallel architectural implementation of the New Three-Step Search algorithm for block motion estimation

Abstract: This paper describes a fully pipelined parallel architecture for the New Three Step Search (NTSS) hierarchical search block-matching algorithm for the estimation of small motions in video coding. Techniques for reducing external memory accesses are also developed. The proposed architecture produces efficient solution for real-time motion estimation required in video applications with low memory bandwidth requirement. This architecture is the best tradeoff in terms of hardware overload and speed among the all-existing Three Step Search (TSS) architectures and is also suitable for estimation of small motion in video coding. This architecture can be used for various video applications from low bit-rate video to HDTV systems.

Delay and peak power minimization for on-chip buses using temporal redundancy

Abstract: In this paper, we propose a novel temporal redundancy based encoding technique for delay and peak power minimization. The proposed encoding scheme is tested with the SPEC2000 CINT benchmarks for 90nm and 65nm technologies. The experimental results show that our approach is very effective in reducing the peak power. From the delay perspective, our approach reduces the delay by at least 11% (4%) in the address (data) buses compared to the data transmission without encoding.

I and i

Abstract: There is, I think, something ethereal about i —the square root of minus one. I remember first hearing about it at school. It seemed an odd beast at that time—an intruder hovering on the edge of reality. Usually familiarity dulls this sense of the bizarre, but in the case of i it was the reverse: over the years the sense of its surreal nature intensified. It seemed that it was impossible to write mathematics that described the real world in …

A Survey of Face Recognition Techniques

Abstract: Face recognition presents a challenging problem in the field of image analysis and computer vision, and as such has received a great deal of attention over the last few years because of its many applications in various domains. Face recognition techniques can be broadly divided into three categories based on the face data acquisition methodology: methods that operate on intensity images; those that deal with video sequences; and those that require other sensory data such as 3D information or infra-red imagery. In this paper, an overview of some of the well-known methods in each of these categories is provided and some of the benefits and drawbacks of the schemes mentioned therein are examined. Furthermore, a discussion outlining the incentive for using face recognition, the applications of this technology, and some of the difficulties plaguing current systems with regard to this task has also been provided. This paper also mentions some of the most recent algorithms developed for this purpose and attempts to give an idea of the state of the art of face recognition technology.

Parallel CAD: Algorithm Design and Programming Special Section Call for Papers TODAES: ACM Transactions on Design Automation of Electronic Systems

Abstract: High-performance parallel computer architecture and systems have been improved at a phenomenal rate. In the meantime, VLSI computer-aided design (CAD) software for multibillion-transistor IC design has become increasingly complex and requires prohibitively high computational resources. Recent studies have shown that, numerous CAD problems, with their high computational complexity, can greatly benefit from the fast-increasing parallel computation capabilities. However, parallel programming imposes big challenges for CAD applications. Fully exploiting the computational power of emerging general-purpose and domain-specific multicore/many-core processor systems, calls for fundamental research and engineering practice across every stage of parallel CAD design, from algorithm exploration, programming models, design-time and run-time environment, to CAD applications, such as verification, optimization, and simulation. This journal special section will cover recent progress on parallel CAD research, including algorithm foundations, programming models, parallel architectural-specific optimization, and verification. More specifically, papers with in-depth and extensive coverage of the following topics will be considered, as well as other topics relevant to the design of parallel CAD algorithms and software tools. 1. Parallel algorithm design and specification for CAD applications 2. Parallel programming models and languages of particular use in CAD 3. Runtime support and performance optimization for CAD applications 4. Parallel architecture-specific design and optimization for CAD applications 5. Parallel program debugging and verification techniques particularly relevant for CAD The papers should be submitted via the Manuscript Central website and should adhere to standard ACM TODAES formatting requirements (http://todaes.acm.org/). The page count limit is 25.

On-Chip Communication Architectures: System on Chip Interconnect

Abstract: Over the past decade, system-on-chip (SoC) designs have evolved to address the ever increasing complexity of applications, fueled by the era of digital convergence. Improvements in process technology have effectively shrunk board-level components so they can be integrated on a single chip. New on-chip communication architectures have been designed to support all inter-component communication in a SoC design. These communication architecture fabrics have a critical impact on the power consumption, performance, cost and design cycle time of modern SoC designs. As application complexity strains the communication backbone of SoC designs, academic and industrial R&D efforts and dollars are increasingly focused on communication architecture design. This book is a comprehensive reference on concepts, research and trends in on-chip communication architecture design. It will provide readers with a comprehensive survey, not available elsewhere, of all current standards for on-chip communication architectures. KEY FEATURES * A definitive guide to on-chip communication architectures, explaining key concepts, surveying research efforts and predicting future trends * Detailed analysis of all popular standards for on-chip communication architectures * Comprehensive survey of all research on communication architectures, covering a wide range of topics relevant to this area, spanning the past several years, and up to date with the most current research efforts * Future trends that with have a significant impact on research and design of communication architectures over the next several years