This paper presents the architecture of a highly parallel processor array system which executes programs by means of a data driven control mechanism. The data driven control mechanism makes it easy to construct an MIMD (multiple instruction stream and multiple data stream) system, since it unifies inter-processor data transfer and intra-processor execution control. The design philosophy of the data flow processor array system presented in this paper is to achieve high performance by adapting a system structure to operational characteristics of application programs, and also to attain flexibility through executing instructions based on a data driven mechanism.
The operational characteristics of the proposed system are analyzed using a probability model of the system behavior. Comparing the analytical results with the simulation results through an experimental hardware system, the results of the analysis clarify the principal effectiveness of the proposed system. This system can achieve high operation rates and is neither sensitive to inter-processor communication delay nor sensitive to system load imbalance.
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