Research using Tensilica's Technology

Two themes being pursued in our laboratory are related to the project. High performance computing environments and software tools are available.

1. Optimized implementation of IPSec using Tensilica tools
We focus on IPSec protocol since it is relevant to networked embedded systems, which represent a major and rapidly growing part of the embedded systems market. Tensilica tools provide many design spaces including Fusion, SIMD/Vector, FLIX, Specialized Operations, and their combinations. The effect of each design alternative and its parameter on the performance and cost of IPSec implementations on configurable and extensible embedded processor using the tools is quite useful both for academia and industry. Results of tradeoffs between the performance (# of clock cycles) and cost (energy consumption) of IPSec implementation over the design space prepared with Xtensa will be the main outcomes. More specifically, the tradeoffs relevant to encryption (AES, RSA, Elliptic Encryption etc) and authentication (SHA-2, HMAC-MD5, etc) will be obtained.

2. Architectural study on Information-flow secure processor
A run-time Information flow engine capable of enforcing user-defined information-flow security policies for any program is to be studied in this project. Conventionally, program binaries were translated from an instruction-set architecture (ISA) to an information-flow secure (IFS) ISA. We propose a framework where the translation needed to track the information-flow takes place at the level of high-level programming instead of at the level of binary codes. Tensilica tools make the study on the framework feasible. We expect that the approach is easily evaluated and compared with the previous work using the tools because the number of clock cycles for executing the program by the IFS ISA is obtained together with the compiler targeted to the IFS ISA.

Outline of Curriculum and Courses

• Undergraduate curriculum for Computer Science
  1. Logic Design
  2. Computer Architecture
  3. Operating System
  4. Compiler Design
• Graduate curriculum for Computer Science
  1. Fundamentals of Computer Systems
  2. Fundamentals of Computer Engineering
  3. Topics on Systems Software
  4. Topics in Computer Engineering

Student/Assistants Outreach

Two graduate students and two undergraduate students will use the tools per year.

We will be able to propose to the Department to participate in recruiting programs with Tensilica tools.

Links:

University URL

Department URL

Project URL

Prof. Koki Abe
Email: abe@cs.uec.ac.jp