A FUNCTIONAL DATA-FLOW ARCHITECTURE DEDICATED TO REAL-TIME IMAGE-PROCESSING

This paper presents a data-flow computer developed at ETCA and dedicated to real-time image processing. Two types of data-driven processing elements, dedicated respectively to low and mid-level processings are integrated in a regular 3D array. Its design relies on a close integration of the data-flow architecture principles and the functional programming concept. Image processing data-flow graphs, first expressed using a functional syntax are directly mapped onto the processor array. The programming environment includes a complete FP-specification to network configuration compilation stream along with a global operator database. An experimental system, including 1024 low-level custom data-flow processors (6 x 25 MBytes/s, 50 million operations per second) and 12 T800 transputers , was built and several image processing algorithms were run in real time at digital video speed.