The minimax cache: an energy-efficient framework for media processors

Abstract

This work is based on our philosophy of providing interlayer system-level power awareness in computing systems. Here, we couple this approach with our vision of multi-partitioned memory systems, where memory accesses are separated based on their static predictability and memory footprint and managed with various compiler controlled techniques. We show that media applications are mapped more efficiently when scalar memory accesses are redirected to a mini-cache. Our results indicate that a partitioned 8K cache with the scalars being mapped to a 512 byte mini-cache can be more efficient than a 16K monolithic cache from both performance and energy point of view for most applications. In extensive experiments, we report 30% to 60% energy-delay product savings over a range of system configurations and different cache sizes.