Enhancing the throughput of mesh-type multiprocessor systems

Multiprocessor systems are employed to perform computation-intensive tasks, like image processing in real-time. Interprocessor communications has always been a performance bottleneck in bus-oriented multiprocessor systems. A two-dimensional array (mesh) of simple processors, operating in the SIMD mode has been found very suitable for low-level image processing. Degradation in the throughput of mesh-type multiprocessor systems due to interprocessor communications is determined. It is observed that the ratio of interprocessor communications to the actual computation increases with an increase in the number of processors. Concurrent processing with overlapped interprocessor communication is shown to significantly reduce the degradation, and is illustrated in the case of a low-level image processing algorithm on a 2-dimensional array of processors having dedicated interprocessor links