|
Research Program
in Computer Architecture
Behrooz
Parhami: 2008/11/24
|| E-mail: parhami at ece.ucsb.edu || Other
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Professor Parhami has been involved in computing research for over three decades. During
this period, he has participated in many research endeavors and has published
more than 250 technical papers in journals and international conferences (see his
publication list). His research projects involve aspects of computer design
and architecture that are captured by the abbreviation “PQRS” [see the note
below].
| P |
|
Performance: |
includes
latency, speedup, throughput |
| Q |
|
Quality: |
includes
accuracy, cost-effectiveness, usability |
| R |
|
Reliability: |
includes
correctness, timeliness, safety |
| S |
|
Scalability: |
includes
modularity, packageability, expandability |
Within the rather broad field of
computer design and architecture, his active interests span three subareas:
-
Computer
Arithmetic,
where he studies unconventional number representation schemes and has
pioneered the discussion of generalized signed-digit number systems, along
with associated encoding schemes and arithmetic algorithms, as a unified framework for dealing
with redundant representations and finding optimal designs with a wide range
of technologies including binary, multi-valued, and optical logic
implementations.
He also works on arithmetic error codes and table-based implementations of
arithmetic functions.
-
Parallel
Processing,
where he deals with scalability issues, interconnection architectures, and
cost-effective designs for various application areas, including
special-purpose search processors. His contributions in this area include
the design of one of the first database processors, a widely referenced
classification and survey of associative processor architectures, and, more
recently, design of robust algorithms for meshes, proposal and evaluation of
periodically regular chordal ring networks, unifying theories for
interconnection networks, and a variety of hierarchical or
multilevel interconnection networks.
-
Dependable
Computing,
also known as fault-tolerant computing, where he has contributed to the
design of fault-tolerant associative processors, studied properties of
arithmetic error codes, and proposed a systematic data-driven methodology
for the design and evaluation of ultrareliable hardware/software systems
and associated voting schemes. He also works on the design of robust
parallel algorithms that exhibit graceful degradation even without redundant
hardware resources.
Besides
the aforementioned areas of current research interest, Professor Parhami was heavily
involved in research on technology transfer and language-dependent issues in
computer technology and applications until the late 1980s. He made numerous
contributions to adapting information technology to the needs of
Persian-language computing and user interfaces and is recognized as a pioneer in
this area.
[Note that Professor Parhami's use of PQRS as a descriptor for his research
program, beginning in the early 2000s, predates Steven Spielberg's use in
2007 as the working title for a block-building computer game (he also has
used LMNO elsewhere). Telephone dials, however, have used PQRS for several
decades now. Given that Professor Parhami began
with ABC at age five, he should be able to reach XYZ before retirement!]
“The
secret to
creativity is knowing how to hide your sources.”
Albert
Einstein
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