A 2-layer component-based architecture for heterogeneous CPU-GPU embedded systems

Abstract

Traditional embedded systems are evolving into heterogeneous systems in order to address new and more demanding software requirements. Modern embedded systems are constructed by combining different computation units, such as traditional CPUs with Graphics Processing Units (GPUs). Adding GPUs to conventional CPU-based embedded systems enhances the computation power but also increases the complexity in developing software applications. A method that can help to tackle and address the software complexity issue of heterogeneous systems is component-based development. The allocation of the software application onto the appropriate computation node is greatly influenced by the system information load. The allocation process is increased in difficulty when we use, instead of common CPU-based systems, complex CPU-GPU systems. This paper presents a 2-layer component-based architecture for heterogeneous embedded systems, which has the purpose to ease the software-to-hardware allocation process. The solution abstracts the CPU-GPU detailed component-based design into single software components in order to decrease the amount of information delivered to the allocator. The last part of the paper describes the activities of the allocation process while using our proposed solution, when applied on a real system demonstrator.