Efficient bandwidth regulation at memory controller for mixed criticality applications

Abstract

We design a bandwidth regulation module, by adapting and extending the algorithm of MemGuard Linux kernel module for hardware implementation. Our extensions differentiate among NoC sources with rate-constrained and best-effort traffic provisions, support a violation free-guaranteed operating mode for rate-constrained flows, and support dynamic adaptivity through EWMA prediction. Our strategies enhance support for mixed criticality applications on MPSoCs. C++-based statistical simulation shows improvements over hardware adaptation of the original MemGuard algorithm without our extensions. Using SystemC, we further evaluate MemGuard at the memory controller of a NoC-based SoC model using an MPEG4 traffic model and compare its hardware cost using synthesis from Xilinx Vivado HLS and Vivado, with ARM AMBA AXI4 and a 4×4 STNoC instance.