Communication system and method with configurable posting points

• US 20030208553A1
• Filed: 05/03/2002
• Published: 11/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: META Platforms Technologies LLC (Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Sonics Incorporated (Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.))
• Inventors: OʼConnell, Thomas W., Weber, Wolf-Dietrich, Wingard, Drew E., Chou, Chien-Chun, Tomlinson, Jay S., Masri, Nabil N.
• Granted Patent: US 7,194,566 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/163 In-band adaptation of TCP data exchange; In-band control procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A communication system and method with configurable posting points have been described.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

setting a posting point in a communication system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the posting point may be set at any point in the communication system.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein setting a posting point further comprises configuring an element selected from the group consisting of an initiator, a master, an interconnect, a second communication system, the communication system, a target, and a slave.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein setting a posting point is setting a posting point when the communication system is fabricated.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein setting a posting point is statically setting a posting point.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein setting a posting point is dynamically setting a posting point.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the posting point depends upon a position of a request in a burst.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising a response from the posting point.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the response from the posting point is determined by an element selected from the group consisting of an initiator, a master, an interconnect, a communication system, the communication system, a target, and a slave.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the posting point is for a write operation.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising a mixed write burst.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the posting point is configurable in position and the writes in the burst may be individually configured as a posted or a non-posted write.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the posting point is a plurality of posting points and each individual posting point may be set on a basis selected from the group consisting of a per-initiator basis, a per-target basis, a per-logic section basis, a subsystem basis, and a global basis.

14. A processing system comprising a processor, which when executing a set of instructions performs the method of claim 1.

15. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon instructions, which when executed performs the method of claim 1.

16. An apparatus comprising:

an initiator having an input and an output; and

a communication system having an input, and an output, the input coupled to receive the initiator output, the output coupled to transmit to the initiator input.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the communication system further comprises one or more posting points.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the one or more posting points are coupled to the communication system.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the coupling to the communication system is to a link selected from the group consisting of the communication system input, the communication system output, a communication system second input, and a communication system second output.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the coupling to the communication system is to a link located anywhere within the communication system.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the coupling to the link is a coupling at any position on the link.

22. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon information representing the apparatus of claim 16.

23. An apparatus comprising:

a target having an input and an output; and

a communication system having an input, and an output, the input coupled to receive the target output, the output coupled to transmit to the target input.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the communication system further comprises one or more posting points.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the one or more posting points are coupled to the communication system.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the coupling to the communication system is to a link selected from the group consisting of the communication system input, the communication system output, a communication system second input, and a communication system second output.

27. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the coupling to the communication system is to a link located anywhere within the communication system.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the coupling to the link is a coupling at any position on the link.

29. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon information representing the apparatus of claim 23.

30. An apparatus comprising:

an initiator having an input and an output;

a communication system having a first input, a first output, a second input, and a second output, the first input coupled to receive the initiator output, the first output coupled to transmit to the initiator input;

a target having an input and an output, the input coupled to receive the communication system second output, and the output coupled to transmit to the communication system second input.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the communication system further comprises one or more posting points.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the one or more posting points are coupled to the communication system.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein the coupling to the communication system is to a link selected from the group consisting of the communication system first input, the communication system first output, the communication system second input, and the communication system second output.

34. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein the coupling to the communication system is to a link located anywhere within the communication system.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the coupling to the link is a coupling at any position on the link.

36. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon information representing the apparatus of claim 30.

37. An apparatus comprising:

means for setting a posting point in a communication system;

38. The apparatus of claim 37 further comprising means for setting the posting point at a time the communication system is created.

39. The apparatus of claim 37 further comprising means for setting the posting point statically.

40. The apparatus of claim 37 further comprising means for setting the posting point dynamically.

41. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon information representing the apparatus of claim 37.

42. A system comprising circuitry, which when operating, performs the following:

receives an input signal; and

transfers the input signal to a posting point.

43. The system of claim 42 further comprising generating an output signal in response to the posting point receiving the input signal.

44. The system of claim 42 further comprising a master having an output, the output coupled to transmit the input signal.

45. The system of claim 42 further comprising transferring the input signal to an output, and a slave having an input, the input coupled to receive the output.

46. The system of claim 42 further comprising transferring a payment and/or a credit.

47. A method for in-place configuration of a posting point, the method comprising:

inputting a signal for configuration;

transforming the signal for configuration into a posting point command;

transmitting the posting point command to the posting point;

receiving the posting point command at the posting point; and

executing the received posting point command.

48. The method of claim 47 wherein transforming the signal to the posting point commands comprises using a look up table.

49. The method of claim 47 wherein the signal for configuration is determined at initialization.

50. The system of claim 47 further comprising maintaining a record of any previous posting point commands.

51. A method comprising:

determining a location for a posting point in a communication system; and

configuring the communication system to have a posting point at the determined location.

52. The method of claim 51 wherein the posting point may be at any point in the communication system.

53. The method of claim 51 further comprising maintaining a record of any previous configuration.

54. The method of claim 51 wherein the configuring is performed when the communication system is produced.

55. A method comprising:

communicating a write response enable signal; and

communicating a write choice signal.

56. The method of claim 55 wherein when the write response enable signal is deasserted a master communicates a write command.

57. The method of claim 56 wherein a slave may treat the write command as having a parameter selected from the group consisting of posted, and non-posted.

58. The method of claim 57 wherein the slave by accepting the write command without delay treats a write as posted.

59. The method of claim 57 wherein the slave by completing a write operation before accepting the write command treats the write command as non-posted.

60. The method of claim 55 wherein when the write response enable signal is asserted and the write choice enable signal is deasserted a master communicates a write command.

61. The method of claim 60 wherein a slave may treat the write command as having a parameter selected from the group consisting of posted, and non-posted.

62. The method of claim 61 wherein the slave may treat the write command as posted or non-posted.

63. The method of claim 62 wherein the write command is treated as posted and further comprising the slave setting a post point.

64. The method of claim 55 wherein when the write response enable signal is asserted and the write choice enable signal is asserted a master communicates a write command selected from the group consisting of posted, and non-posted.

65. The method of claim 64 wherein a slave may treat the write command as having a parameter selected from the group consisting of posted, and non-posted.

66. The method of claim 65 wherein the slave may treat the write command as posted or non-posted.

67. The method of claim 66 wherein the write command is treated as posted and further comprising the slave setting a post point.

68. A processing system comprising a processor, which when executing a set of instructions performs the method of claim 55.

69. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon instructions, which when executed performs the method of claim 55.

70. The method of claim 55 wherein the communicating sets a configuration for an element selected from the group consisting of a master, and a slave.

71. The method of claim 70 wherein the communicating occurs at a point in time selected from the group consisting of at time of fabrication of the master, at time of fabrication of the slave, at a power up, at a reset, at an initialization prior to normal operation for the element, and dynamically during normal operation for the element.

72. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a write response enable signal; and

means for receiving a write choice signal.

73. The apparatus of claim 72 further comprising means for determining from the state of the response enable signal, and the state of the write choice signal a slave operation selected from the group consisting of a posted write, a non-posted write, a write after a response, a write before a response, a posting point operation, and creating a posting point.

74. An apparatus comprising:

a master having a plurality of inputs and an output, one of the plurality of inputs coupled to receive a write response enable signal, one of the plurality of inputs coupled to receive a write choice signal, one of the plurality of inputs coupled to receive a write command response, and the output coupled to transmit a write command; and

a slave having a plurality of inputs and an output, one of the plurality of inputs coupled to receive a write response enable signal, one of the plurality of inputs coupled to receive a write choice signal, one of the plurality of inputs coupled to receive the write command, and the output coupled to transmit the write command response.

75. The apparatus of claim 74 further comprising an apparatus for determining from the state of the response enable signal, and the state of the write choice signal a master operation selected from the group consisting of a posted write, a non-posted write, a write after a response, a write before a response, a posting point operation, and creating a posting point.

76. The apparatus of claim 74 further comprising an apparatus for determining from the state of the response enable signal, and the state of the write choice signal a slave operation selected from the group consisting of a posted write, a non-posted write, a write after a response, a write before a response, a posting point operation, and creating a posting point.

77. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon information representing the apparatus of claim 74.

78. A system comprising:

a plurality of masters each having a configurable mode of operation; and

a plurality of slaves each having a configurable mode of operation.

79. The system of claim 78 further comprising:

a plurality of groups of masters and slaves, each group having at least one interface for communicating within the group.

80. The system of claim 79 wherein the communication within a particular group is determined by the configured mode of operation for each master and each slave.

81. The system of claim 80 wherein the mode of operation is determined by a write response enable value, and a write choice value.

82. The system of claim 81 wherein the mode of operation for a specific master is selected from the group consisting of only one flavor of write communicated, and master can decide to send a posted or a non-posted write.

83. The system of claim 81 wherein the mode of operation for a specific slave is selected from the group consisting of slave can decide to treat a write as posted or as non-posted;

slave can decide to treat a write as posted or as not posted, and where to post a write; and

slave can decide how to treat a write, and where to post a write.

84. The system of claim 79 wherein the communication within a particular group between a particular master communicating with a particular slave is determined by the configured mode of operation for that particular master and that particular slave.

85. The system of claim 84 wherein the mode of operation is determined by a write response enable value, and a write choice value and when:

the write response enable value is deasserted and the write choice value is asserted or deasserted;

the master communicates a write command; and

the slave may treat the write command as posted by accepting the write command without delay, or as non-posted by completing a write operation before accepting the write command;

the write response enable value is asserted and the write choice enable value is deasserted;

the master communicates a write command; and

the slave may treat the write command as non-posted by not setting a post point, or as posted by setting a post point;

the write response enable value is asserted and the write choice enable value is asserted;

the master communicates a posted write command, or a non-posted write command; and

the slave may treat the posted or non-posted write command as non-posted by not setting a post point, or as posted by setting a post point.

86. The system of claim 85 wherein the mode of operation may be configured at a point in time selected from the group consisting of at time of fabrication of the system, at system power up, at a reset, and during operation of the system.

87. The system of claim 78 wherein the configurable mode of operation may be configured at a point in time selected from the group consisting of at time of fabrication of the system, at system power up, at a reset, and during operation of the system.