Evaluating Heterogeneous Architectures based on Zynq AP SOC for Real-Time Video Processing

摘要

Embedded systems are known as valid candidates to efficiently support image and video processing algorithms. Their high flexibility, speed performances and low power consumption are mainly due to the joint design of their software and specific hardware portions. The Zynq All Programmable System on Chip, that integrates ARM processor and high performance programmable logic resources, is nowadays often preferred to the more traditional realization platforms, such as Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) and Digital Signal Processors (DSPs). In this paper, we evaluate two different design strategies, each with its own Zynq-based support platform, giving to the designers useful hints on how to identify the best design choices for the target application. The first support platform presented here also makes use of an embedded operating system (OS); it significantly limits the required design efforts and time-to-market. The second architecture is realized without the OS support, and of course reaches much higher performances than the former, but requiring higher development and verification times. Both platforms exploit a hardware accelerator for the function of interest. As a case study, a simple but complete image processing architecture has been designed by using both the above platforms. Performances measurements revealed that an approximate speed improvement between 4 and 52 times could be obtained with respect to an all-software implementation.