Data processing system with fully interconnected system architecture (FISA)

• US 6,553,447 B1
• Filed: 11/09/1999
• Issued: 04/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Clark, Leo James, Arimilli, Ravi Kumar, Lewis, Jerry Don, McCredie, Bradley
• Primary Examiner(s): Auve, Glenn A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GLASS, DAVID S
• Application Number:
  US09/437,194
• Time in Patent Office: 1,260 Days
• Field of Search: 710/316, 370/396, 370/423, 712/28
• US Class Current: 710/316
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4273 using a clocked protocol

Abstract

A Fully Interconnected System Architecture (FISA) for an improved data processing system. The data processing system topology has a processor chip and external components to the processor chip, such as memory and input/output (I/O) and other processor chips. The processor chip is interconnected to the external components via a point-to-point bus topology controlled by an intra-chip integrated, distributed switch (IDS) controller. The IDS controller provides the chip with the functionality to provide a single bus to each external component and provides an overall total bandwidth greater than traditional topologies while reducing latencies between the processor and the external components. The design of the processor chip with the intra-chip IDS controller provides a pseudo “distributed switch” which may separately access distributed external components, such as memory and I/Os, etc.

Claims

1. A system for distributed placement of a switch of a multiprocessor data processing system, said system comprising:

a plurality of processor chips having a processor and cache and each configured with a plurality of levels of metal layer;

switch means distributed among said plurality of processor chips and fully integrated within said plurality of processor chips for providing connectivity between said processor chip and external components to said processor chip, including memory, input/output (I/O) devices, and other processor chips; and

wherein said switch means is provided at a different level of metal layer than logic components of said processor and said cache within the individual processor chips.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said switch means includes a Integrated Distributed Switch (IDS) controller.

3. A multiprocessor data processing system comprising:

a plurality of processor chips each fabricated with a plurality of levels of metal layer with processor logic located at a first metal layer; and

switch means for coupling said processor chips to components external to said processor chips, wherein said switch means is distributed among and fully integrated within a different metal layer of each of said processor chips and provides direct point-to-point interconnects between said processor chips and said external components.

4. The multiprocessor data processing system of claim 3, wherein said switch means further couples a first one of said processor chips directly to a second one of said processor chips.

5. The multiprocessor data processing system of claim 3, wherein said external components include a system memory and Input/Output (I/O) device, and wherein said switch means couples said first and said second processor chip directly to said system memory and said I/O device.

6. The multiprocessor data processing system of claim 3, wherein said switch means includes a Integrated Distributed Switch (IDS) controller.

7. A microprocessor chip comprising:

a processor unit;

switching means for coupling said processor unit to data processing system components external to said chip, wherein said switching means is placed on and integrated with said microprocessor chip; and

wherein further said chip is a multi-layered chip and said switching means is integrated within an upper level metal layer of said chip.

8. The microprocessor chip of claim 7, wherein said microprocessor chip operates within a multi-chip multiprocessor configuration, wherein said switching means is distributed among all processor chips of said multi-chip processor and provides decreased overall latencies and higher overall bandwidth.

9. The microprocessor chip of said claim 8, wherein said switching means is distributed equally among said processor chips.

10. The microprocessor chip of said claim 8, wherein each of said processor chips comprises of multiple metal layers and said switching means is integrated within an upper metal layer of each of said processor chips.

11. The multiprocessor data processing system of claim 8, wherein said switch means include an Integrated Distributed Switch (IDS) controller.

12. A fully interconnected switching architecture for a data processing system comprising:

a processor chip;

a component external to said processor chip;

connection means for providing point-to-point interconnection between said processor chip and said external component, wherein said connection means is controlled by an on-chip, integrated, distributed, switch controller; and

wherein further said on-chip, integrated, distributed, switch controller is designed within an upper level metal layer of said processor chip.