A Network-on-Chip Channel Allocator for Run-Time Task Scheduling in Multi-Processor System-on-Chips

Multi-processor system-on-chips (MPSoC) with network-on-chip based interconnection systems have emerged as the promising solution to computation intensive signal processing applications. But the mapping of applications onto the MPSoC and the allocation of computation and communication resources for applications, jobs and tasks is still a challenge. In this paper we describe the concept of a global communication resource allocator working on task level. The allocator reserves virtual channels at run-time across the NoC between two submodules in the MPSoC providing deterministic latency and bandwidth. The allocators global knowledge allows for channel allocation even in highly utilized NoCs with already many allocated channels. Area consumption and reservation delay of the channel allocator are considered.