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Title: Method of simulating additional processors in a simd parallel processor array

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6432581

This patent describes a single-instruction multiple-data (SIMD) parallel processor comprising a controller and an array of processors controlled in parallel by the controller, each processor comprising an identical input, an identical output, an identical processing element and an identical memory associated with each processing element, the processing element operating in accordance with instructions provided by the controller on data provided by its input associated memory to produce data at its output, a method of simulating the presence of additional processors in the array comprising the steps of: subdividing the memory associated with the processing elements in identical fashion to form a plurality of submemories associated with each processing memory whereby each memory is divided into at least first and second submemories, the first submemories of all the processing elements comprising a first memory group and the second submemories of all the processing elements comprising a second memory group, providing to each memory group in turn a first identical sequence of instructions by: providing instructions from the controller to the processors to cause the processing elements of at least some processors each to process data stored at first memory locations in a first submemory associated with the processing element, and at a subsequent time, providing the same instructions from the controller to the processors to cause the processing elements of at least some processors each to process data stored at second memory locations in a second submemory associated with the processor, the first and second memory locations in the first and second submemories having the same relative location in their respective submemories.

Assignee:
Thinking Machines Corp., Cambridge, MA
Patent Number(s):
US 4773038
OSTI ID:
6432581
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: Filed date 24 Feb 1986
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English