NOSC (Naval Ocean Systems Center) Code 911 Digital Dynamics Processor (DDP). A Mildly Coupled Distributed-Computing System

摘要

This paper describes the Naval Ocean Systems Center (NOSC), Code 911 Digital Dynamics Processor (DDP). The DDP is a multiprocessor system designed for high speed numerical calculation. This system implements a new variation of common memory in order to allow a far greater number of processors than found currently on a TCDS. The conceptual design of the DDP was done in mid and late 1984 by Jack Zyphur. A variation of this design was implemented in hardware by Mitchell (1989) in early 1985. The first prototype was only two processor slaves, a repeater slave, and a master. Since the original goal of the DDP was to replace an EAI 8800 Analog computer, the first attempt at software for the DDP was a simulation language consisting of assembly language modules that would do the favor of direct equation implementation using a 'C' cross-compiler that runs on the master. In early 1987 Murphy programmed in a quaternion algorithm and the DDP proved operational in the NOSC Hybrid-Simulator. The DDP has since been upgraded to six processor slaves running MC68030 CPUs at 25 MHz. (RH)