Structured memory access architecture

TLDR: The authors investigate one method of reducing the Von Neumann bottleneck by reducing addressing overhead and improves system performance by efficiently generating operand requests, making fewer memory references, and maximizing computation and access process overlap.

Abstract: The authors investigate one method of reducing the Von Neumann bottleneck. Program referencing behaviour is determined by analyzing dynamic address traces. The structured memory access (SMA) architecture uses a computation processor (CP) and a decoupled memory access processor (MAP) with special hardware for efficient accessing of program and data structures and for effective branch and loop management. Prototypical SMA machines are compared to conventional Vax-like machines. SMA machines perform significantly better than conventional machines with the same parameter values. The SMA architecture reduces addressing overhead and improves system performance by (1) efficiently generating operand requests, (2) making fewer memory references, and (3) maximizing computation and access process overlap. 8 references.