Accelerator IP puts Java in hardware

inSilicon Corp has introduced the JVXtreme Accelerator, a performance-enhanced extension of the company's proprietary JVX Java acceleration technology announced last June.

inSilicon Corp has introduced the JVXtreme Accelerator, a performance-enhanced extension of the company's proprietary JVXT Java acceleration technology announced last June.

Adaptable to a variety of profiles ranging from televisions to personal digital assistants (PDAs) and automobiles, the JVXtreme accelerator is targeted to performance-demanding embedded applications such as set-top boxes, advanced PDAs, and next-generation mobile phones.

The growth and variety of wired and wireless Internet appliances is expanding exponentially, and Java language is being integrated into these devices as the de-facto Internet service-enabling language.

Yet the inherent performance latency of Java decreases the Internet application response time, necessitating the need for acceleration, and as a result, improved user experience.

Boosting Java execution as much as 55 times at peak levels and 15 times in sustained modes over software Java virtual machines, the JVXtreme accelerator integrates easily with any CPU architecture, including those from ARM, MIPS Technologies, and Intel, as well as IBM/Motorola 68K and PowerPC processors.

When paired with a 200MHz ARM9 and a P-Java system, JVXtreme achieves 1820 Embedded Caffeine Marks.

Used with an ARM9-KVM combination running at 200MHz, the accelerator pumps Java execution to 1300 Embedded Caffeine Marks.

JVXtreme operates at approximately 3-4 times the performance of inSilicon's first-generation JVX accelerator.

The inSilicon JVXtreme accelerator will also work within any Java configuration and operating system (OS).

Because it is completely transparent to the operating system, the JVXtreme accelerator can be dropped into an existing architecture while retaining all legacy hardware and software compatibility.

Besides differentiating the JVXtreme accelerator from other Java acceleration techniques, this level of transparency also eliminates the need for additional drivers because there are no I/O operations to perform.

Designers can simply designate the accelerator's address space and set its base registers.

For RTOS implementations, JVXtreme preserves the real-time behaviour and capabilities of its environment, while accelerating thread-switching in hardware to improve real-time performance.

Additional flexible architectural features include an on-board memory stack that can be configured to the target application, eliminating the need for additional RAM or ROM.

Implemented in approximately 35,000 gates, the JVXtreme accelerator includes hardware stack and system interfaces.

It integrates to the host processor through the system memory bus or an optional co-processor bus interface.

JVXtreme hardware is integrated with the system software by porting the chosen Java virtual machine (JVM) to the combination of the host CPU and JVXtreme.

This task involves a modification of the JVM interpreter loop.

No porting or modification is required for the operating system to enable JVXtreme acceleration.

The JVXtreme accelerator speeds the actual execution of Java by implementing 87 of the most commonly used Java byte codes in hardware.

In addition, JVXtreme uses an instruction folding mechanism that allows it to execute two byte codes in the same cycle.

JVXtreme also speeds up more than 60% of the remaining software-emulated byte codes by assisting the CPU in their execution through more efficient code flow and use of a common hardware stack.

The JVXtreme accelerator is licensed as semiconductor intellectual property (IP) hardware/software solution, with per-unit royalties based on production volumes.

The accelerator will be available this Spring.

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