High Performance General-Purpose Microprocessors: Past and Future

It can be observed from looking backward that processor architecture isimproved through spirally shifting from simple to complex and fromcomplex to simple. Nowadays we are facing another shifting from complexto simple, and new innovative architecture will emerge to utilize thecontinuously increasing transistor budgets. The growing importance ofwire delays, changing workloads, power consumption, anddesign/verification complexity will drive the forthcoming era of ChipMultiprocessors (CMPs). Furthermore, typical CMP projects both fromindustries and from academics are investigated. Through going intodepths for some primary theoretical and implementation problems of CMPs,the great challenges and opportunities to future CMPs are presented anddiscussed. Finally, the Godson series microprocessors designed in Chinaare introduced.