处理器笔记1|CPU、GPU、TPU、NPU、TPU是什么&是干什么的&主要制造商（供应商）
（认知有限，如有不妥，还望告知，欢迎讨论）
先写总结
（从ML&DL角度）
CPU： 主要用来做串行计算的，可以处理相对复杂的运算
GPU：主要用来做并行计算和处理图像，相对于CPU，可以同时处理大量相对简单的运算，受控于CPU
TPU: 与TF软件相关的神经网络学习的算法加速器
NPU：算法加速器的统称（个人目前认为TPU也是一种NPU）
DPU：主要用来处理“datacenter Tax”，承载网络传输数据这一部分（不涉及算法训练）的算力
CPU
capabilities
Central processing unit, a general-purpose processor, performs basic arithmetic, logic, controlling, and input/output (I/O) operations specified by the instructions in the program.
Specialized scenarios
Serial commputing
typical image
popular manufacturers
Intel, AMD, Qualcomm, NVIDIA, IBM, Samsung, Hewlett-Packard, VIA
GPU
capabilities
Graphic processing unit, using for manipulating computer graphics and image processing, their highly parallel structure makes them more efficient than CPUs for algorithms that process large blocks of data in parallel. it's popular for machine learning, deep learning, GPUs allow certain calculations to be performed 10x to 100x faster than the same calculation running on a traditional CPU.
Specialized scenarios
Parallel commputing
typical image
popular manufacturers
NVIDIA, AMD, Broadcom Limited
TPU
capabilities
Tensor processing unit, an application-specific integrated circuit, to accelerate the AI calculations and algorithm. Google develops it specifically for neural network machine learning for the TensorFlow software. Google owns TensorFlow software.
Specialized scenarios
neural network machine learning for the TensorFlow software
typical image
popular manufacturers
NPU
capabilities
Neural network processing unit, a class of specialized hardware accelerator or computer system designed to accelerate artificial intelligence and machine learning applications, including artificial neural networks and machine vision. Typical applications include algorithms for robotics, internet of things, and other data-intensive or sensor-driven tasks.
sample image
(Because it's a class of things, here is just a sample. The specific architecture depends on the specific task )
popular manufacturers
IBM, Intel, AMD, google, NVIDIA
DPU
capabilities
Data processing unit(dataflow processing unit), specialists in moving data in data centers, DPUs, or data processing units, are a new class of programmable processor and will join CPUs and GPUs as one of the three pillars of computing.
Specialized scenarios
Dealling with "Datacenter Tax"(a set of shared low-level software components that comprise almost 30% of all processor cycles in production datacenters. The constituents of this "tax" -- the necessary components to do distributed computation (data serialization, compression, etc.)
typical image
popular manufacturers
NVIDIA, Intel, Broadoom, MS, Huawei
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=references=
[1]https://serverguy.com/comparison/cpu-vs-gpu-vs-tpu/
[2]https://network.51cto.com/article/638974.html
[3]https://baike.baidu.com/item/DPU/11007035?fr=aladdin#2
[4]https://www.cambricon.com
[5]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AI_accelerator
[6]https://pdf.dfcfw.com/pdf/H3_AP202107121503308793_1.pdf?1626099552000.pdf
[7]https://developer.nvidia.com/blog/embedded-machine-learning-cudnn-deep-neural-network-library-jetson-tk1/
