Microprocessor point-to-point communication

• US 5,634,043 A
• Filed: 08/25/1994
• Issued: 05/27/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Sutton, James A. II, Urbanski, John A., Peterson, Craig B., Rankin, Linda J., Archer, David W., Borkar, Shekhar Y., Cox, George W., Self, Keith-Michael W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ray, Gopal C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PANCHOLI, JIGAR K
• Application Number:
  US08/295,556
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.15, 395/475, 395/476, 395/182.09, 395/182.1, 395/558
• US Class Current: 713/503
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/17381 Two dimensional, e.g. mesh, torus

Abstract

A computer system having at least a first microprocessor for processing information and a first memory coupled to the first microprocessor via a first point-to-point interface. The first point-to-point interface provides communication of signals between the first microprocessor and the first memory irrespective of the phase of the signals received by either the first microprocessor or the first memory. The first point-to-point interface includes a first point-to-point circuit in the microprocessor for receiving the signals from the first memory. The first point-to-point circuit and the microprocessor comprise a single integrated circuit in some implemented embodiments, providing ease of construction and design of systems having a variety of topologies. A second microprocessor may also be coupled to the first memory via a second point-to-point interface, the first microprocessor and the second microprocessor sharing the first memory for storage of information used by the first microprocessor and the second microprocessor. In this configuration, the first memory may include a duplicate cache store for the first microprocessor and the second microprocessor, in order to provide cache consistency for the two processors. The system may also include a first input-output device coupled via a second point-to-point interface to the first memory. A variety of topologies of processors, memories and input/output devices may be designed into "clusters" wherein each cluster communicated with one another for accesses, remote and local, for accessing input/output devices, and for maintaining cache consistency.

Claims

1. A phase-tolerant communication scheme, comprising:

a first computing resource generating a first clock signal;

a first clock line coupled to the first computing resource for communicating the first clock signal from the first computing resource;

a first plurality of data lines coupled to the first computing resource for communicating data from the first computing resource; and

a second computing resource coupled to the first plurality of data lines and to the first clock line, the second computing resource generating a second clock signal with an unknown phase relationship to the first clock signal, the second computing resource comprising;

a first buffer coupled to the first plurality of data lines,

a first control circuit coupled to the first clock line that generates a first delayed clock signal in response to the first clock signal,

a first write pointer circuit coupled to the first clock line that generates a first write pointer in response to the first clock signal, and

a first read pointer circuit coupled to the first control circuit that generates a first read pointer in response to the first delayed clock signal;

wherein data from the first computing resource is stored in the first buffer according to the first write pointer and data is read from the first buffer according to the first read pointer.

2. The phase-tolerant scheme of claim 1, wherein the first clock signal is in phase with the data communicated by the first plurality of data lines.

3. The phase-tolerant scheme of claim 1, wherein the first computing resource continually sends data over the first plurality of data lines.

4. The phase-tolerant communication scheme of claim 1, further comprising:

a second plurality of data lines coupled between the first computing resource and the second computing resource for communicating data from the second computing resource to the first computing resource;

a second clock line coupled between the first computing resource and the second computing resource for communicating the second clock signal to the first computing resource

wherein the first computing resource further comprises;

a second buffer coupled to the second plurality of data lines,

a second control circuit coupled to the second clock line that generates a second delayed clock signal in response to the second clock signal,

a second write pointer circuit coupled to the second clock line that generates a second write pointer in response to the second clock signal, and

a second read pointer circuit coupled to the second control circuit that generates a second read pointer in response to the second delayed clock signal;

wherein data from the second computing resource is stored in second buffer according to the second write pointer and data is read from the second buffer according to the second read buffer.

5. The phase-tolerant scheme of claim 4, wherein the second clock signal is in phase with the data communicated by the second plurality of data lines.

6. The phase-tolerant scheme of claim 4, wherein the second computing resource continuously sends data over the second plurality of data lines.

7. The phase tolerant communication scheme of claim 4, wherein the second buffer comprises a first-in/first-out (FIFO) buffer.

8. The phase-tolerant communication scheme of claim 4, wherein the second computing resource further comprises a second reset synchronizer coupled to the second write pointer circuit, the second read pointer circuit, the second clock line and to the second control circuit, the second reset synchronizer generating a second write reset signal and a second read reset signal.

9. The phase-tolerant communication scheme of claim 4, wherein the first computing resource comprises a processor and the second computing resource comprises memory circuitry.

10. The phase-tolerant communication scheme of claim 4, wherein the first computing resource comprises a first processor and the second computing resource comprises a second processor.

11. The phase-tolerant communication scheme of claim 1, wherein the first buffer comprises a first-in/first-out (FIFO) buffer.

12. The phase-tolerant communication scheme of claim 1, wherein the first computing resource further comprises a first reset synchronizer coupled to the first write pointer circuit, the first read pointer circuit, the first clock line and to the first control circuit, the first reset synchronizer generating a first write reset signal and a first read reset signal.

13. A computer system, comprising:

a processor generating a first clock signal;

a first clock line coupled to the processor for communicating the first clock signal;

a first plurality of data lines coupled to the processor for communicating data from the processor; and

a memory coupled to the first plurality of data lines and to the first clock line, the memory generating a second clock signal with an unknown phase relationship to the first clock signal, the memory comprising;

a first buffer coupled to the first plurality of data lines,

a first control circuit coupled to the first clock line that generates a first delayed clock signal in response to the first clock signal,

a first write pointer circuit coupled to the first clock line that generates a first write pointer in response to the first clock signal, and

a first read pointer circuit coupled to the first control circuit that generates a first read pointer in response to the first delayed clock signal;

wherein data from the processor is stored in the first buffer according to the first write pointer and data is read from the first buffer according to the first read pointer.

14. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the first clock signal is in phase with the data communicated by the first plurality of data lines.

15. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the processor continually sends data over the first plurality of data lines.

16. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the first buffer is a first-in/first-out (FIFO) buffer.

17. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the processor further comprises a first reset synchronizer coupled to the first write pointer circuit, the first read pointer circuit, the first clock line and to the first control circuit, the first reset synchronizer generating a first write reset signal and a first read reset signal.

18. The computer system of claim 13, further comprising:

a second plurality of data lines coupled between the processor and the memory for communicating data from the memory to the processor;

a second clock line coupled between the processor and the memory for communicating the second clock signal to the processor

wherein the processor further comprises;

a second buffer coupled to the second plurality of data lines,

a second control circuit coupled to the second clock line that generates a second delayed clock signal in response to the second clock signal,

a second write pointer circuit coupled to the second clock line that generates a second write pointer in response to the second clock signal, and

a second read pointer circuit coupled to the second control circuit that generates a second read pointer in response to the second delayed clock signal;

wherein data from the memory is stored in the second buffer according to the second write pointer and data is read from the second buffer according to the second read pointer.

19. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the second clock signal is in phase with the data communicated over the second plurality of data lines.

20. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the memory continually sends data over the second plurality of data lines.

21. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the second buffer comprises a first-in/first-out (FIFO) buffer.

22. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the memory further comprises a second reset synchronizer coupled to the second write pointer circuit, the second read pointer circuit, the second clock line and to the second control circuit, the second reset synchronizer generating a second write reset signal and a second read reset signal.

23. A multi-processor system, comprising:

a first processor generating a first clock signal;

a first clock line coupled to the first processor for communicating the first clock signal;

a first plurality of data lines coupled to the first processor for communicating data from the first processor; and

a second processor coupled to the first plurality of data lines and to the first clock line, the second processor generating a second clock signal with an unknown phase relationship to the first clock signal, the second processor comprising;

a first buffer coupled to the first plurality of data lines,

a first control circuit coupled to the first clock line that generates a first delayed clock signal in response to the first clock signal,

a first write pointer circuit coupled to the first clock line that generates a first write pointer in response to the first clock signal, and

a first read pointer circuit coupled to the first control circuit that generates a first read pointer in response to the first delayed clock signal;

wherein data from the first processor is stored in the first buffer according to the first write pointer and data is read from the first buffer according to the first read pointer.

24. The multi-processor system of claim 23, wherein the first clock signal is in phase with the data communicated over the first plurality of data lines.

25. The multi-processor system of claim 23, wherein the first processor continually sends data over the first plurality of data lines.

26. The multi-processor system of claim 23, wherein the first buffer is a first-in/first-out (FIFO) buffer.

27. The multi-processor system of claim 23, wherein the first processor further comprises a first reset synchronizer coupled to the first write pointer circuit, the first read pointer circuit, the first clock line and to the first control circuit, the first reset synchronizer generating a first write reset signal and a first read reset signal.

28. The multi-processor system of claim 23, further comprising:

a second plurality of data lines coupled between the first processor and the second processor for communicating data from the second processor to the first processor;

a second clock line coupled between the first processor and the second processor for communicating the second clock signal to the first processor

wherein the first processor further comprises;

a second buffer coupled to the second plurality of data lines,

a second control circuit coupled to the second clock line that generates a second delayed clock signal in response to the second clock signal,

a second write pointer circuit coupled to the second clock line that generates a second write pointer in response to the second clock signal, and

a second read pointer circuit coupled to the second control circuit that generates a second read pointer in response to the second delayed clock signal;

wherein data from the second processor is stored in the second buffer according to the second write pointer and data is read from the second buffer according to the second read pointer.

29. The multi-processor system of claim 28, wherein the second clock signal is in phase with the data communicated over the second plurality of data lines.

30. The multi-processor system of claim 28, wherein the second processor continually sends data over the second plurality of data lines.

31. The multi-processor system of claim 28, wherein the second buffer comprises a first-in/first-out (FIFO) buffer.

32. The multi-processor system of claim 28, wherein the second processor further comprises a second reset synchronizer coupled to the second write pointer circuit, the second read pointer circuit, the second clock line and to the second control circuit, the second reset synchronizer generating a second write reset signal and a second read reset signal.