Measuring the efficiency of cache memory on Java processors for embedded systems

Abstract

Java, with its advantages as being an overspread multiplatform object oriented language, has been gaining popularity in the embedded system market over the years. However, because of its extra layer of interpretation, it is also believed that it is a slow language while being executed. Nevertheless, when this execution is done directly in hardware, Java advantages caused by its stack nature start to appear. One of these advantages concerns memory utilization, impacting in less accesses and cache misses. In this work we analyze this impact in performance and energy consumption, comparing a Java processor with a RISC one based on a MIPS architecture with similar characteristics.