MIGS: A Multiprocessor Image Generation System Using RISC-like Microprocessors

This paper describes a Multiprocessor Image Generation System termed MIGS based upon RISC-like engines for Image Generation - RIG’s. The internal RIG architecture is also discussed, focusing on its characteristics to achieve high processing power for the very demanding Geometric Computations required in Real-Time Image Generation (RTIG). RIG is a 16 MIPS processor that executes the Geometric Procedures fifteen times faster than a MC68000-12Mhz microprocessor due to the following innovations and characteristics: A novel Data Ready technique, in which data is available without waiting for external memory. Data is transferred in Direct Memory Access (DMA) burst mode directly into processor internal registers in parallel with processing. Indices to the General-Purpose Registers instead of Register Windows schemes, as a fast and efficient parameter passing mechanism in procedure calls. Fast multiplication and division instructions together with a three-staged pipeline architecture with data forwarding.