Single instruction multiple data (SIMD) cellular array processing apparatus employing multiple state logic for coupling to data buses
First Claim
1. In a cellular array of the type adapted to be connected to similar arrays via external buses and employing a plurality of processor cells arranged in an array of columns and rows, with said cells communicating with one another via a common bus having a plurality of parallel data lines, the combination therewith of an interface for receiving a multi-level logic signal from a single terminal of an external bus and for providing a plurality of data bits to parallel data lines of said common bus, said interface comprising:
- logic level converting means, coupled between said terminal and said common bus, for receiving said multi-level logic signal from said terminal and in response thereto for providing first and second binary data bits to data lines of said common bus in accordance with the level of the multi-level logic signal from said single terminal, whereby a multi-level logic signal applied to said single terminal is converted to first and second binary data bits provided on data lines of said common bus.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A cellular array having a plurality of processor cells disposed on a chip and interconnected by an internal bus includes data bus couplers for bidirectionally coupling to one or more external buses. The data bus couplers selectively couple buses having multiple logic levels. The number of logic levels on the coupled buses may differ. The internal bus may comprise a plurality of parallel data lines each having two-level logic such as binary data, whereas the external buses may have four-level logic represented by four voltage levels. Each data bus coupler has two-bit A/D and D/A converters parallelly connected to selectively convert two bits of two-level logic data to multiple level data and vice versa. The data bus coupler also has a logic level selector circuit using bidirectional gates for selective operation between buses having similar or dissimilar logic levels. The data bus couplers may be associated with pins organized in a regular architecture and used in connection with bedirectional transceivers to multiplex data corresponding to a multiplicity of external buses onto the internal bus and vice versa. Using this pin architecture the data bus couplers may be dynamically configured to support a collection of two-level and four-level external buses to suit the interfacing needs of the chip.
42 Citations
15 Claims
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1. In a cellular array of the type adapted to be connected to similar arrays via external buses and employing a plurality of processor cells arranged in an array of columns and rows, with said cells communicating with one another via a common bus having a plurality of parallel data lines, the combination therewith of an interface for receiving a multi-level logic signal from a single terminal of an external bus and for providing a plurality of data bits to parallel data lines of said common bus, said interface comprising:
logic level converting means, coupled between said terminal and said common bus, for receiving said multi-level logic signal from said terminal and in response thereto for providing first and second binary data bits to data lines of said common bus in accordance with the level of the multi-level logic signal from said single terminal, whereby a multi-level logic signal applied to said single terminal is converted to first and second binary data bits provided on data lines of said common bus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. In a cellular array of the type adapted to be connected in similar arrays via external buses and including a plurality of processing cells arranged an an array of columns and rows, with said cells communicating with one another via a common bus having parallel data lines, the combination therewith of an interface for providing a multi-level logic signal to a single terminal from parallel data lines of said common bus and for converting a multi-level logic signal from said single terminal to binary data bits for said common bus, comprising:
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an analog-to-digital converter having an input coupled to said single terminal for providing at first and second outputs, binary bits according to the level of said multi-level logic signal on said terminal; a digital-to-analog converter having an output coupled to said single terminal and having a first input coupled to said first output of said analog-to-digital converter and a second input coupled to the second output of said analog-to-digital converter to provide at the output of said digital-to-analog converter a different signal level for each binary combination of bits applied to said input terminals; and means coupled to said converters to selectively enable one or the other according to whether data is being transmitted to or received from said terminal. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. In a cellular array chip of the type employing a plurality of processor cells arranged in an array and capable of communicating with one another via a common bus having parallel binary data lines, said cellular array chip being adapted to be connected to a plurality of external buses having parallel data lines, the combination therewith of a data bus coupler for allowing the use of multiple level logic on said external buses, said data bus coupler comprising:
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means for connecting to two of the data lines of the common bus; means for connecting to one data line of an external bus; first means connected to said external bus connecting means for receiving multiple level logic data from said external bus and for providing two binary data outputs; second means, connected to said two binary data outputs of the first means, for receiving two binary data bits and in response thereto providing a data output, said data ouput being connected to the external bus connecting means; and bidirectional logic level selector means having a first pair of terminals connected to the two binary data outputs of the first means and a second pair of terminals connected to said common bus connecting means for connection to two data lines of the common bus, said logic level selector means being operative to bidirectionally pass data between the two binary data outputs and the two data lines of the common bus in a first mode of operation and to pass data between one of said two data lines of the common bus and both of said binary data outputs in a second mode of operation. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification