What does the --enable-epoch-controller option do in ST Edge AI?

[mincho00]

I’m currently testing the system with different configuration options, and I am trying to understand the impact of the --enable-epoch-controller option flag.
Could you explain what functional or performance differences occur when this option is enabled versus when it is disabled?

What I know so far is that when the option is enabled, the network_ecblob.h file is generated, and when it is disabled, the file is not generated.

[Julian E. · Accepted solution]

Hi @mincho00,

Please look at this documentation: https://stedgeai-dc.st.com/assets/embedded-docs/stneuralart_programming_model.html#programming-model

And more specifically this: https://stedgeai-dc.st.com/assets/embedded-docs/stneuralart_programming_model.html#ref_hw_epoch_controller 

The epoch controller combines hardware epochs if it can, to send everything to the NPU in one go. If you don't use it, for each hardware epoch, you will see back and forth between the MCU and NPU and no network_ecblob.h.

Have a good day,

Julian

[mincho00]

Thanks for your response! I’ll read the materials you provided.