UNIFIED SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INTERCHIP AND INTRACHIP NODE COMMUNICATION
First Claim
1. A method for populating a status table for network nodes within a computing device, the method comprising:
- activating a first integrated circuit (IC) coupled to a bus;
registering first nodes associated with the first IC with a first gateway;
populating a first status table at the first gateway with information about the first nodes associated with the first IC; and
permitting intrachip communication between the first nodes associated with the first IC based on availability as indicated in the first status table.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Unified systems and methods for interchip and intrachip node communication are disclosed. In one aspect, a single unified low-speed bus is provided that connects each of the chips within a computing device. The chips couple to the bus through a physical layer interface and associated gateway. The gateway includes memory that stores a status table summarizing statuses for every node in the interface fabric. As nodes experience state changes, the nodes provide updates to associated local gateways. The local gateways then message, using a scout message, remote gateways with information relating to the state changes. When a first node is preparing a signal to a second node, the first node checks the status table at the associated local gateway to determine a current status for the second node. Based on the status of the second node, the first node may send the message or take other appropriate action.
9 Citations
58 Claims
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1. A method for populating a status table for network nodes within a computing device, the method comprising:
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activating a first integrated circuit (IC) coupled to a bus; registering first nodes associated with the first IC with a first gateway; populating a first status table at the first gateway with information about the first nodes associated with the first IC; and permitting intrachip communication between the first nodes associated with the first IC based on availability as indicated in the first status table. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for populating a status table for network nodes within a computing device, the method comprising:
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coupling a first integrated circuit (IC) with first nodes to a bus within a computing device; coupling a second IC with second nodes to the bus within the computing device; receiving, from a first gateway associated with the first IC, status and configuration information relating to the first nodes; and populating, with the status and configuration information relating to the first nodes, a status table at a second gateway associated with the second IC. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for updating a status table for network nodes within a computing device, the method comprising:
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at a first gateway in a first integrated circuit (IC), receiving a state change indication from a first node in the first IC; responsive to the state change indication, updating a first status table at the first gateway to reflect a state change of the first node; and generating a scout message to a second gateway in a second IC, wherein the scout message indicates the state change of the first node.
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16. A method for updating a status table for network nodes within a computing device, the method comprising:
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at a first gateway in a first integrated circuit (IC), receiving a scout message from a second gateway in a second IC, wherein the scout message indicates a state change of a node in the second IC; responsive to the scout message, updating a first status table at the first gateway to reflect the state change of the node.
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17. An integrated circuit (IC), comprising:
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a node comprising a transmitter and a receiver; and a gateway comprising; an external interface configured to be coupled to a bus and communicate thereover through a first protocol; and an internal interface communicatively coupled to the node and configured to communicate therebetween through the first protocol. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. An integrated circuit (IC) comprising:
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a first node; a second node; a gateway comprising an external interface configured to couple to a bus and operative to control information from the first node and the second node; and common circuitry that communicatively couples the first node and the second node to the gateway.
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30. A computing system comprising:
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a first integrated circuit (IC) comprising; a first node comprising a first transmitter and a first receiver; a first gateway comprising; a first external interface; and a first internal interface communicatively coupled to the first node and configured to communicate therebetween through a first protocol; a second IC comprising; a second node comprising a second transmitter and a second receiver; a second gateway comprising; a second external interface; and a second internal interface communicatively coupled to the second node and configured to communicate therebetween through the first protocol; and a bus coupled to the first gateway of the first IC and the second gateway of the second IC and configured to carry signals therebetween using the first protocol. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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32. An integrated circuit (IC) comprising:
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a node; a gateway communicatively coupled to the node, the gateway comprising; an interface configured to be coupled to a bus; and a look-up table configured to store data relating to availability of nodes associated with the bus; and a control system operatively coupled to the node and the gateway, the control system configured to; receive a status update relating to a state of the node; and send information relating to the state of the node to other gateways associated with the bus to promote reliability between node-to-node communication. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A method for facilitating node-to-node communication, comprising:
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receiving a status update from a local node at a gateway; and broadcasting the status update to remote gateways. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A method of forcing a system reset, comprising:
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during an arbitration phase, asserting from a gateway a most urgent priority value to win arbitration; after winning the arbitration, sending no data from the gateway to force a bus timeout; and responsive to the bus timeout, initiating a system reset. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. An integrated circuit (IC) comprising:
a gateway comprising; a bus interface configured to couple to a bus; and a control system configured to; during an arbitration phase, assert a most urgent priority value on the bus to win arbitration; after winning the arbitration, send no data on the bus to force a bus timeout; and responsive to the bus timeout, initiate a system reset.
Specification