wntrmute@cmx.npac.syr.edu (Jim Brule) (06/08/90)
Coherent Processor(TM)
(4096 Element Associative Processor)
The Coherent Processor(TM) (CP) is a peripheral product that gives an
IBM MicroChannel(TM) workstation the power of 4,096 parallel processors
in one 32-bit adaptor slot. It uses Content Addressable Memory (CAM) to
search and operate on an entire table of data in parallel. Coherent
Research, Inc. (CRi) has developed a chip with 256 parallel processors
on it which is the basis of the Coherent Processor(TM), the first system
to provide thousands of processors in a desktop computer.
Typical applications of the CP are to speed up databases, neural
networks, or expert systems, or to work in a real-time environment such
as local area networks, radar or process control.
Programming the Processor is easy. The CP Development System provides
hardware and software support for writing, debugging, and running
parallel application programs in the C language. The C program calls
macros which are executed by the CP. A compiler for the CP macro
language allows the user to create custom design routines. When the C
program is initialized, the necessary macros are loaded into the CP
control store for high-speed execution. Complete example programs with
application notes and source code are provided with software release.
In general, any computation which can be expressed as a sequence of
table lookups can be greatly accelerated by using the Coherent
Processor. The CP is easier to program than many parallel machines.
CRi will provide customer support to assist you in applying the CP to
your problem. Once the application has been developed and tested, its
macros can be stored in RAM, EPROM or flash memory. CRi can provide OEM
Coherent Processor configurations with 1,024 to 65,384 processors in 1K
increments on a variety of buses.
In addition to the IBM PS/2 version, a SUN workstation version will be
completed later this year. The Coherent Processor(TM) is now available
for the IBM PS/2 in 4 weeks ARO at $ 19,500.
Coherent Research, Inc.
1 Adler Drive
East Syracuse, NY 13057
Tel: (315)-433-1010