Abstract

This paper introduces TRACER, the Tasklet Reconfigurable Agile Spectrum Processor, which promotes RF waveform timescale switching (<100ns) as a first-class design principle along with processing throughput, in order to address dynamic processing of very wideband (0-40GHz) spectrum sensing applications. The architecture is a novel hybrid multi-core, Coarse Grained Reconfigurable Array (CGRA), which enables a balance of fast reconfiguration and flexibility with high performance processing of common RF application kernels. TRACER provides 3 ultra-fast, reactive Lightning switching mechanisms that can switch tasklets in 5-42 ns, and slower, deliberative Thunder switches that operate at up to 12,500ns. A 5x4 array instantiation can achieve 7.86 TFLOP/s on half precision floating point in 42.3 mm2 TSMC12, utilizing 6W. TRACER’s switching capabilities provide high value where the RF signal …

Date

2025

Authors

Matthew French, John Paul Walters, Kenneth Zick, Andrew Rittenbach, Connor Imes, Dong-In Kang, Andrew Schmidt, Ali Rasteh, Sundeep Rangan, Brandon Reagan, Mark McHenry, Ihsan Akbar

Conference

MILCOM 2025-2025 IEEE Military Communications Conference (MILCOM)

Pages

396-403

Publisher

IEEE