IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,047,192
Granted Patent B2
US 9,047,192 · App. 13/724,987 · Granted Jun 2, 2015

Signature-based store checking buffer

Inventors: Vilas Sridharan (Brookline, MA); Sudhanva Gurumurthi (Watertown, MA)
Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
G06F11/08G06F11/1004G06F17/30743G06F11/167
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,047,192
App. No.
13/724,987
Granted
Jun 2, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system and method for optimizing redundant output verification, are provided. A hardware-based store fingerprint buffer receives multiple instances of output from multiple instances of computation. The store fingerprint buffer generates a signature from the content included in the multiple instances of output. When a barrier is reached, the store fingerprint buffer uses the signature to verify the content is error-free.

Claims (37)

1. A system, comprising:

a hardware-based store fingerprint buffer installed in an electronic circuit that processes data in parallel and configured to perform operations comprising:

receiving a first instance of output associated with a first instance of computation;

receiving a second instance of output associated with a second instance of computation, wherein the first and second instances of the computation are part of a workgroup adapted for parallel execution;

generating a leading signature associated with a portion of content of the first instance of output;

generating a trailing signature associated with a portion of content of the second instance of output, wherein the leading signature and the trailing signature are stored in different memory locations associated with the hardware-based store fingerprint buffer; and

verifying that the content is error-free by comparing the leading signature and the trailing signature.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a graphics processing unit (GPU) configured to include the hardware-based store fingerprint buffer.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a compute unit configured to include the hardware-based store fingerprint buffer.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the content in the first instance of output includes data and storage address for the data.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the hardware-based store fingerprint buffer is further configured to generate the signature by generating a signature associated with data included in the first instance of output, wherein the signature is a checksum of the data in the first instance of output and data in a previous instance of output associated with the instance of computation.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the content of the first instance of output and the second instance of output is data.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the content of the first instance of output and the second instance of output are storage addresses for data.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the hardware-based store fingerprint buffer is further configured to:

compare content in the memory locations to zero to verify the content is error-free.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the hardware-based store fingerprint buffer is further configured to:

receive a barrier instruction, wherein the barrier instruction is an indication to the fingerprint buffer to verify the signature;

confirm that instances of output associated with multiple instances of computation were processed by the store fingerprint buffer prior to the store fingerprint buffer verifying the signature.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instances of computation are redundant.

11. A method for optimizing redundant output verification, comprising:

receiving, in a hardware-based store fingerprint buffer installed in an electronic circuit that processes data in parallel, a first instance of output associated with a first computation and a second instance of output associated with a second computation, wherein the first and second instances of the computation are part of a workgroup adapted for parallel execution;

generating a leading signature associated with a portion of content of the first instance of output;

generating a trailing signature associated with a portion of content of the second instance of output, wherein the leading signature and the trailing signature are stored in different memory locations associated with the hardware-based store fingerprint buffer; and

verifying that the content is error-free by comparing the leading signature and the trailing signature.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein a graphics processing unit (GPU) includes the hardware-based store fingerprint buffer.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein a compute unit includes the hardware-based store fingerprint buffer.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the content in the first instance of output includes data and storage address for the data.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the generating further comprises:

generating a signature associated with data included in the first instance of output, wherein the signature is a checksum of the data in the first instance of output and data in a previous instances of output associated with the instance of computation.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the portion of the content of the first instance of output and the second instance of output is data.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the portion of the content of the first instance of output and the second instance of output are storage addresses for data.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein

the verifying includes comparing content in the memory locations to zero to verify the content is error-free.

19. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

receiving a barrier instruction, wherein the barrier instruction is an indication to the fingerprint buffer to verify the signature;

confirming that instances of output associated with multiple instances of computation were processed by the store fingerprint buffer prior to the store fingerprint buffer verifying the signature.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the instances of computation are redundant.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 21, 2013
From: SRIDHARAN, VILAS; GURUMURTHI, SUDHANVA
To: ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 029846/0564 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20140181594A1 · Jun 26, 2014