2006 Paper 8 Question 1
Comparative Architectures
(a) One or more processors must be selected for inclusion in a portable device that
handles audio, image, video, telephone calls and simple word processing.
Possible design combinations include:
• a single processor;
• a pair of basically similar processors but with different coprocessor
and bus structures;
• a standard processor and a custom VLIW processor.
Explain whether one of these combinations is clearly the best. [2 marks]
(b) For each of the following processor technologies, justify whether it is applicable
in the device:
(i) Dynamically Scheduled Instruction Dispatch;
(ii) Simultaneous Multi-Threading (SMT);
(iii) SIMD extensions, similar to Intel’s MMX;
(iv) Virtual Memory;
(v) Dynamic Clock Frequency/Power Control;
(vi) Snooping Cache.
[3 marks each]