Reconfigurable, fault tolerant, multistage interconnect network and protocol
First Claim
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1. A communications system, comprising:
- (a) a plurality of switch nodes, each switch node comprising a first plurality of input ports, a second plurality of output ports, and means for selectively connecting the input ports to the output ports; and
(b) means for connecting the switch nodes together in a multistage interconnect network, the means for connecting using forward channel and back channel signal paths coupled to each of the input and output ports in the switch nodes;
(c) wherein each of the switch nodes stores reconfigurable mapping data that identifies available interconnections between its input and output ports, the reconfigurable mapping data comprises input and output enable vectors indicating which of the input and output ports are operational, and each of the switch nodes arbitrarily interconnects any one of its input ports with (1) any one of its output ports, (2) a predetermined number of its output ports, and (3) all of its output ports.
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Abstract
A multistage interconnect network (MIN) capable of supporting massive parallel processing, including point-to-point and multicast communications between processor modules (PMs) which are connected to the input and output ports of the network. The network is built using interconnected switch nodes arranged in 2 [logb N] stages, wherein b is the number of switch node input/output ports, N is the number of network input/output ports and [logb N] indicates a ceiling function providing the smallest integer not less than logb N. The additional stages provide additional paths between network input ports and network output ports, thereby enhancing fault tolerance and lessening contention.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A communications system, comprising:
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(a) a plurality of switch nodes, each switch node comprising a first plurality of input ports, a second plurality of output ports, and means for selectively connecting the input ports to the output ports; and (b) means for connecting the switch nodes together in a multistage interconnect network, the means for connecting using forward channel and back channel signal paths coupled to each of the input and output ports in the switch nodes; (c) wherein each of the switch nodes stores reconfigurable mapping data that identifies available interconnections between its input and output ports, the reconfigurable mapping data comprises input and output enable vectors indicating which of the input and output ports are operational, and each of the switch nodes arbitrarily interconnects any one of its input ports with (1) any one of its output ports, (2) a predetermined number of its output ports, and (3) all of its output ports. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for operating a communications system, comprising:
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(a) connecting a plurality of switch nodes in a multistage interconnect network, each switch node comprising a first plurality of input ports, a second plurality of output ports, and each switch node selectively connecting the input ports to the output ports; (b) wherein the switch nodes are connected together using forward channel and back channel signal paths coupled to each of the input and output ports in the switch nodes; and (c) wherein each of the switch nodes stores reconfigurable mapping data that identifies available interconnections between its input and output ports, the reconfigurable mapping data comprises input and output enable vectors indicating which of the input and output ports are operational, and each of the switch nodes arbitrarily interconnects any one of its input ports with (1) any one of its output ports, (2) a predetermined number of its output ports, and (3) all of its output ports. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification