Network on chip with a low latency, high bandwidth application messaging interconnect

• US 8,490,110 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2008
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hoover, Russell D., Kriegel, Jon K., Mejdrich, Eric O., Shearer, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Andy
• Assistant Examiner(s): SEYE, ABDOU K
• Application Number:
  US12/031,738
• Publication Number:
  US 20090210883A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,978 Days
• Field of Search: 719/312
• US Class Current: 719/312
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/7825 Globally asynchronous, locally synchronous, e.g. network on chip

Abstract

Data processing on a network on chip (‘NOC’) that includes integrated processor (‘IP’) blocks, routers, memory communications controllers, and network interface controllers, with each IP block adapted to a router through a memory communications controller and a network interface controller, where each memory communications controller controlling communications between an IP block and memory, each network interface controller controlling inter-IP block communications through routers, with each IP block also adapted to the network by a low latency, high bandwidth application messaging interconnect comprising an inbox and an outbox.

Claims

1. A network on chip (‘

NOC’

) comprising;

integrated processor (‘

IP’

) blocks, routers, memory communications controllers, and network interface controllers;

each IP block adapted to a router through a memory communications controller and a network interface controller;

each memory communications controller controlling communication between an IP block and memory;

each network interface controller controlling inter-IP block communications through routers; and

each IP block adapted to the network by a low latency, high bandwidth application messaging interconnect comprising an inbox and an outbox,

wherein the IP blocks, routers, memory communications controllers and network interface controllers comprise modules of automated computing machinery;

wherein the outbox comprises an array indexed by an outbox write pointer and an outbox read pointer, the outbox further comprising an outbox message controller enabled to set the outbox write pointer, set the outbox read pointer, and send, to the network, message data written into the array by a thread of execution associated with the outbox.

2. The NOC of claim 1 wherein the thread of execution is enabled to provide message control information, including destination identification and an indication that data in the array is ready to be sent.

3. The NOC of claim 1 wherein each inbox comprises an array indexed by an inbox write pointer and an inbox read pointer, the inbox further comprising an inbox message controller enabled to set the inbox write pointer, set the inbox read pointer, receive from the network message data written to the network from another outbox of another IP block, and provide to a thread of execution associated with the inbox the message data received from the network.

4. The NOC of claim 3 wherein the inbox message controller is enabled to notify the thread of execution associated with the inbox that message data has been received from the network.

5. The NOC of claim 1 wherein the memory communications controller comprises:

a plurality of memory communications execution engines, each memory communications execution engine enabled to execute a complete memory communications instruction separately and in parallel with other memory communications execution engines; and

bidirectional memory communications instruction flow between the network and the IP block.

6. The NOC of claim 1 wherein each IP block comprises a reusable unit of synchronous or asynchronous logic design used as a building block for data processing within the NOC.

7. The NOC of claim 1 wherein each router comprises two or more virtual communications channels, each virtual communications channel characterized by a communication type.

8. The NOC of claim 1 wherein each network interface controller is enabled to:

convert communications instructions from command format to network packet format; and

implement virtual channels on the network, characterizing network packets by type.

9. A method of data processing with a network on chip (‘

NOC’

), the NOC comprising;

integrated processor (‘

IP’

) blocks, routers, memory communications controllers, and network interface controllers,

each IP block adapted to a router through a memory communications controller and a network interface controller, and

each IP block adapted to the network by a low latency, high bandwidth application messaging interconnect comprising an inbox and an outbox,

the method comprising;

controlling by each memory communications controller communications between an IP block and memory; and

controlling by each network interface controller inter-IP block communications through routers;

wherein the outbox comprises an array indexed by an outbox write pointer and an outbox read pointer, the outbox further comprises an outbox message controller, and

the method further comprises;

setting by the outbox message controller the outbox write pointer;

setting by the outbox message controller the outbox read pointer; and

sending, by the outbox message controller to the network, message data written into the array by a thread of execution associated with the outbox.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising providing, to the outbox message controller by the thread of execution, message control information, including destination identification and an indication that data in the array is ready to be sent.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein each inbox comprises an array indexed by an inbox write pointer and an inbox read pointer, the inbox further comprising an inbox message controller, the method further comprising:

setting by the inbox message controller the inbox write pointer;

setting by the inbox message controller the inbox read pointer;

receiving, by the inbox message controller from the network, message data written to the network from another outbox of another IP block; and

providing, by the inbox message controller to a thread of execution associated with the inbox, the message data received from the network.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising notifying, by the inbox message controller the thread of execution associated with the inbox, that message data has been received from the network.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the memory communications controller comprises a plurality of memory communications execution engines and controlling communications between an IP block and memory further comprises:

executing by each memory communications execution engine a complete memory communications instruction separately and in parallel with other memory communications execution engines; and

executing a bidirectional flow of memory communications instructions between the network and the IP block.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein each IP block comprises a reusable unit of synchronous or asynchronous logic design used as a building block for data processing within the NOC.

15. The method of claim 9 further comprising transmitting messages by each router through two or more virtual communications channels, each virtual communications channel characterized by a communication type.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein controlling inter-IP block communications further comprises:

converting by each network interface controller communications instructions from command format to network packet format; and

implementing by each network interface controller virtual channels on the network, characterizing network packets by type.