CRUSEO PROCESSOR

PRESENTATION BY MYDHILI ANUPINDI

WHAT IS CRUSEO

An x86-based CPU chip from Transmeta that is designed for Internet appliances and other handheld devices that require batteries.

APPLICATIONS

It consumes significantly less power than mobile x86 chips from Intel, AMD and others because it places more of the processing burden on the software. Designed to run Windows and Linux applications, Crusoe uses a software translation layer known as "Code Morphing" that turns x86 instructions into Crusoe instructions

The Crusoe Processor

Consists of a hardware engine logically surrounded by a software layer. H/W: The engine is a VLIW CPU capable of executing up to four operations in each clock cycle. No resemblance to the x86 instruction set S/W: Code Morphing Software(CMS) Dynamically morphs x86 instructions into VLIW instructions

The Crusoe Processor

Crusoe Processor Fundamentals

CMS
VLIW

CMS

CMS

Is fundamentally a dynamic translation system Each new CPU design only requires a new version of the Code Morphing software to translate x86 instructions to the new CPUs native instruction set. on the motherboard, improved versions can even be downloaded into processor in the field.

The only program written directly for the VLIW engine is the Code Morphing Software itself.

Because the CMS would typically reside in standard Flash ROMs Decoupled the x86 ISA from the underlying processor hardware.

Each new CPU design only requires a new version of the Code Morphing software to translate x86 instructions to the new CPUs native instruction set. on the motherboard, improved versions can even be downloaded into processor in the field

Code Morphing Software

VLIW
VLIW engine Two integer units, a floating point unit, a memory(store/load) unit, a branch unit Molecule: a long(64 or 128bits) instruction word contain up to four RISC-like instructions, called atom. All atoms within a molecule are executed in parallel, and the molecule format directly determines how atoms get routed to functional units. This greatly simplifies the decode and dispatch hardware. A Crusoe processor uses a Very-Long Instruction Word (VLIW) instruction set at its software is responsible for the translation of x86 instructions to VLIW so that they can be processed by the CPU

Crusoes VLIW instr. Scheduling

Crusoe Processor Fundamentals

Hierarchy

ADVANTAGES
...

"Transmeta's Crusoe processor enabled us to incorporate the advantages of low power.

processor

with clear advantages in power and compatibility.

DISADVANTAGE

Increased delay due to long chain pf passtransistors