Programming a multi-processor system

A computer-implemented method for creating a program for a multi-processor system, wherein the multi-processor system comprises an array of processors and a plurality of memories coupled to the processors, wherein the plurality of memories are interspersed among the plurality of processors within an apparatus, wherein each of the processors is coupled to at least one other processor, the method comprising:

• creating machine language instructions based on source code, wherein the machine language instructions are designed to execute on the array of processors, wherein the source code specifies first functionality, and wherein the source code specifies a plurality of tasks and communication of data among the plurality of tasks;
• selecting communication mechanisms between tasks to perform at least a portion of the specified communication of data, wherein the communication mechanisms include shared local variables and message passing pathways, wherein the message passing pathways are via a plurality of communications units coupled to processors in the array of processors;
• determining an assignment of tasks to respective processors in the multi-processor system, including assigning tasks that use shared local variables to processors that neighbor memories selected to store the shared local variables;
• and
• storing the machine language instructions in various ones of the plurality of memories, wherein the multi-processor system is operable to execute the machine language instructions using the local variables and the message passing pathways to implement the first functionality.

A non-transitory computer readable memory medium comprising program instructions for creating a program for a multi-processor system, wherein the multi-processor system comprises an array of processors, wherein each of the processors is coupled to at least one other processor, wherein there are multiple communication mechanisms between the respective processors, wherein the program instructions are executable to:

• create machine language instructions based on source code, wherein the machine language instructions are designed to execute on the array of processors, wherein the source code specifies first functionality, and wherein the source code specifies a plurality of tasks and communication of data among the plurality of tasks;
• select communication mechanisms between tasks to perform at least a portion of the specified communication of data, wherein the communication mechanisms include shared local variables and message passing pathways, wherein the message passing pathways are via a plurality of communications units coupled to processors in the array of processors;
• determine an assignment of tasks to respective processors in the multi-processor system, including to assign tasks that use shared local variables to processors that neighbor memories selected to store the shared local variables;
• and
• store the machine language instructions in various ones of a plurality of memories of the multi-processor system, wherein the multi-processor system is operable to execute the machine language instructions using the local variables and the message passing pathways to implement the first functionality.

An apparatus configured to create a program for a multi-processor system, wherein the multi-processor system comprises an array of processors and a plurality of memories coupled to the processors, wherein the plurality of memories are interspersed among the plurality of processors within an apparatus, wherein each of the processors is coupled to at least one other processor, the apparatus comprising:

• means for creating machine language instructions based on source code, wherein the machine language instructions are designed to execute on the array of processors, wherein the source code specifies first functionality, and wherein the source code specifies a plurality of tasks and communication of data among the plurality of tasks;
• means for selecting communication mechanisms between tasks to perform at least a portion of the specified communication of data, wherein the communication mechanisms include shared local variables and message passing pathways, wherein the message passing pathways are via a plurality of communications units coupled to processors in the array of processors;
• means for determining an assignment of tasks to respective processors in the multi-processor system, including assigning tasks that use shared local variables to processors that neighbor memories selected to store the shared local variables;
• and
• means for storing the machine language instructions in various ones of the plurality of memories, wherein the multi-processor system is operable to execute the machine language instructions using the local variables and the message passing pathways to implement the first functionality.