Distributed mesh-based memory and computing architecture

• US 9,104,639 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2012
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SEAKR Engineering, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SEAKR Engineering, Inc.
• Inventors: Koritnik, Brett, Sprague, Kirk
• Primary Examiner(s): STIGLIC, RYAN M
• Application Number:
  US13/461,618
• Publication Number:
  US 20130297847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,197 Days
• Field of Search: 710/316
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2017 where memory access, memory control or I/O control functionality is redundant redundant communication control functionality G06F11/2005; redundant storage control functionality G06F11/2089
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/202 where processing functionality is redundant redundant communication control functionality G06F11/2005, redundant storage control functionality G06F11/2089
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2028 eliminating a faulty processor or activating a spare
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3048 where the topology of the computing system or computing system component explicitly influences the monitoring activity, e.g. serial, hierarchical systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/14 Handling requests for interconnection or transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4022 using switching circuits, e.g. switching matrix, connection or expansion network G06F13/4009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/17381 Two dimensional, e.g. mesh, torus
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/10 characterised by the switching fabric construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/15 Interconnection of switching modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/1523 Parallel switch fabric planes

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for distributed computing are provided. Clusters of nodes are provided, each node have a communication link to a primary I/O switch as well as to two other nodes, thereby providing redundant alternative communication paths between different components of the system. Primary and redundant I/O switching modules may provide further redundancy for high availability and high reliability applications, such as applications that may be subjected to the environment as would be found in space, including radiation effects. Nodes in a cluster may provide data storage, processing, and/or input/output functions, as well as one or more alternate communications paths between system components. Multiple clusters of nodes may be coupled together to provide enhanced performance and/or reliability.

Claims

1. A distributed multi-mesh computing apparatus, comprising:

a primary mesh including a primary input/output (I/O) switch module and multiple primary nodes;

a redundant mesh including a redundant I/O switch module and multiple redundant nodes;

wherein the primary and redundant I/O switch modules each include;

an external I/O interface configured to communicate with one or more systems external to the distributed multi-mesh computing apparatus,

wherein each external I/O interface is configured to communicate with the one or more systems external to the distributed multi-mesh computing apparatus via external interconnects responsive to commands directing the corresponding I/O switch module to transmit data to or access data from the one or more external systems, and

multiple communications modules configured to transmit and receive data over multiple communication channels,

wherein the redundant I/O switch module is configured to be activated when the primary I/O switch module encounters a fault;

wherein each node of the multiple primary nodes includes;

primary communications modules; and

one or more of a memory module, a processing module, or an input/output (I/O) module,

wherein each of the primary communications modules is communicatively coupled to transmit and receive data to and from at least two other primary nodes and the primary I/O switch over the multiple communication channels via primary node interconnects, and

wherein one or more of the multiple primary nodes are redundant and configured to be activated when another primary node encounters a fault,

wherein each node of the multiple redundant nodes includes;

redundant communications modules; and

one or more of a memory module, a processing module, or an input/output (I/O) module,

wherein each of the redundant communications modules is communicatively coupled to transmit and receive data to and from at least two other redundant nodes and the redundant I/O switch module over the multiple channels via redundant node interconnects, and

wherein one or more of the multiple redundant nodes is redundant and configured to be activated when another redundant node encounters a fault, and

wherein each node of the multiple primary nodes is interconnected with a corresponding node of the multiple redundant nodes;

wherein the primary and redundant meshes collectively provide the distributed computing apparatus with high reliability and fault-tolerance in space environments.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more of the primary and redundant communications modules transmit and receive data in data packets, the data packets comprising a header with address information and a payload.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more of the primary and redundant communications modules includes a serializer/deserializer module.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the primary and redundant node interconnects operate at data rates different than data rates of the external interconnects.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the external interconnects support a higher data rate than the data rates of the primary and redundant node interconnects.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the primary I/O switch is communicatively coupled with a primary controller and the redundant I/O switch is communicatively coupled with a redundant controller.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the primary and redundant meshes are housed in a vehicle configured for use in a space environment.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more of the multiple primary and redundant nodes comprise memory modules.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the memory modules and the primary or redundant I/O switch module form a solid state recorder.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a first subset of the multiple primary and redundant nodes comprise non-volatile memory modules and a second subset of the multiple primary and redundant nodes comprise volatile memory modules.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the multiple primary nodes comprise eight nodes, each node comprising four communications modules, and wherein two of the communications modules are coupled with other primary nodes, and two of the communications modules are coupled with the primary I/O switch module.

12. A satellite platform apparatus, comprising:

a distributed computing system including primary and redundant meshes, the primary mesh including a primary input/output (I/O) switch module and multiple primary nodes, the redundant mesh including a redundant I/O switch module and multiple redundant nodes,

wherein the primary and the redundant I/O switch modules each include;

an external I/O interface configured to communicate with one or more systems external to the distributed computing apparatus via node interconnects responsive to commands directing the corresponding I/O switch module to transmit data to or access data from the one or more external systems; and

multiple communications modules configured to transmit and receive data over multiple channels, and

wherein the redundant I/O switch module is configured to be activated when the primary I/O switch module is unavailable due to a fault;

wherein each node of the multiple primary nodes includes;

primary communications modules; and

one or more of a memory module, a processing module, or an I/O module,

wherein each of the primary communications modules is communicatively coupled to transmit and receive data to and from at least two other primary nodes and the primary I/O switch over the multiple communication channels via primary node interconnects,

wherein one or more of the multiple primary nodes are redundant and are configured to be activated when another primary node encounters a fault, and

wherein each node of the multiple redundant nodes includes;

redundant communications modules; and

one or more of a memory module, a processing module, or an I/O module,

wherein each of the redundant communications modules is communicatively coupled to transmit and receive data to and from at least two other redundant nodes and the redundant I/O switch module over the multiple communication channels via redundant node interconnects, and

wherein one or more of the multiple redundant nodes is redundant and configured to be activated when another redundant node encounters a fault, and

wherein each node of the multiple primary nodes is interconnected with a corresponding node of the multiple redundant nodes;

wherein the multiple primary and redundant nodes collectively provide the distributed computing apparatus with high reliability and fault-tolerance in space environments;

a primary controller communicatively coupled to a primary telemetry unit and configured to activate and deactivate the primary I/O switch module and one or more of the multiple primary nodes; and

a redundant controller communicatively coupled to a redundant telemetry unit and configured to activate and deactivate the redundant I/O switch module and one or more of the multiple redundant nodes.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein one or more of the primary and redundant communications modules are further configured to transmit and receive communications to and from the redundant I/O switch module when the primary I/O switch module is unavailable.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, one or more of the primary and redundant communications modules are configured to:

receive packets of data each comprising a header with address information and a payload;

forward one or more packets to another node based on the address information;

determine a failure of the another node as a result of radiation effects of a space environment; and

forward the one or more packets to yet another node responsive to the failure.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising the primary telemetry unit and the redundant telemetry unit.

16. A multi-mesh distributed computing system facilitating high reliability and fault-tolerance in space environments, the system comprising:

a primary mesh including a primary input/output (I/O) switch module and primary nodes;

a redundant mesh including a redundant I/O switch module and redundant nodes;

wherein the primary and redundant I/O switch modules each include;

an external I/O interface configured to communicate with one or more systems external to the distributed multi-mesh computing system, wherein each external I/O interface is configured to communicate with the one or more systems external to the distributed multi-mesh computing system via external interconnects responsive to commands directing the corresponding I/O switch module to transmit data to or access data from the one or more external systems, and

communications modules configured to transmit and receive data over communication channels,

wherein the redundant I/O switch module is configured to be activated when the primary I/O switch module encounters a fault;

wherein each node of the primary nodes includes;

primary communications modules communicatively coupled to transmit and receive data to and from at least two other primary nodes and the primary I/O switch-over the communication channels via primary node interconnects, and

wherein one or more of the primary nodes are redundant and configured to be activated when another primary node encounters a fault,

wherein each node of the redundant nodes includes;

redundant communications modules communicatively coupled to transmit and receive data to and from at least two other redundant nodes and the redundant I/O switch module over the communications channels via redundant node interconnects, and

wherein one or more of the redundant nodes is redundant and configured to be activated when another redundant node encounters a fault, and

wherein each node of the multiple primary nodes is interconnected with a corresponding node of the multiple redundant nodes.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the primary and redundant node interconnects operate at data rates different than data rates of the external interconnects.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the external interconnects support a higher data rate than the data rates of the primary and redundant node interconnects.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the primary and redundant meshes are housed, at least in part, in a vehicle configured for use in a space environment.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

a primary controller communicatively coupled to a primary telemetry unit and configured to activate and deactivate the primary I/O switch module and one or more of the multiple primary nodes; and

a redundant controller communicatively coupled to a redundant telemetry unit and configured to activate and deactivate the redundant I/O switch module and one or more of the multiple redundant nodes.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising the primary telemetry unit and the redundant telemetry unit.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the memory modules and the primary or redundant I/O switch module form a solid state recorder.

23. The system claim 22, wherein a first subset of the multiple primary and redundant nodes comprise non-volatile memory modules and a second subset of the multiple primary and redundant nodes comprise volatile memory modules.