Asynchronous Communication System Parallel Control Paths
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current communication systems face bottlenecks due to significant delays in data transfer between semiconductor chips, limiting data rate and throughput, especially in high-latency channels, as they rely on request-acknowledge cycles that underutilize communication channels.
Innovation Solution
A high-throughput asynchronous communication system utilizing parallel control paths and a round-robin scheduling mechanism, along with shared data paths and FIFO buffers, allows for simultaneous transmission of multiple data items without waiting for each request-acknowledge cycle, enhancing data rate and throughput.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single control path is used to asynchronously control data transmission between sender and receiver, then the system is simple to implement, but the data rate is limited by the request-acknowledge cycle time
Solution Approach 1:
The communication system is segmented into multiple parallel control paths (first control path, second control path, etc.), each independently controlling data transmission. This segmentation allows simultaneous data transmission through multiple paths, increasing the overall data rate beyond the limitation of a single request-acknowledge cycle.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple control paths are merged to operate in parallel, combining their individual data transmission capabilities. The shared data path merges the data streams from multiple control paths, achieving a combined throughput that exceeds what a single control path could provide.
2Productivity
If consecutive data items are sent through a shared data path, then resource utilization is improved, but the system must wait for each request-acknowledge cycle before sending the next item
Solution Approach 1:
While one control path is waiting for an acknowledge signal, another control path continues to transmit data items through the shared data path. This ensures continuous useful action without idle waiting periods, as the parallel control paths overlap their request-acknowledge cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple control paths are prepared in advance with their respective data items ready for transmission. The round-robin scheduling mechanism pre-activates control paths in sequence, so that when one path completes its transmission, another is already ready to immediately utilize the shared data path.
3Productivity
If multiple parallel control paths are used to increase data rate, then throughput is significantly improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each control path is designed as a universal module that can handle any data item transmission. The control paths use identical structures and protocols, allowing them to be replicated without increasing design complexity. This multi-functionality enables easy scaling from 2 to 4 or more control paths while maintaining the same basic architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically activates control paths in a round-robin sequence, enabling flexible utilization of available paths based on current data transmission needs. This dynamic activation allows the system to adapt its effective complexity to the actual throughput requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that asynchronously controls sending data items from a sender to a receiver. This system includes a set of sending FIFOs, a set of receiving FIFOs, as well as a shared data path between the sender and the receiver. The system also includes a set of control paths that operate in parallel between the sender and the receiver, wherein a given control path controls the transmission of data items between a corresponding sending FIFO and a corresponding receiving FIFO through the shared data path. The system further includes a round-robin scheduling mechanism which activates one control path at a time in a predetermined sequence. An activated control path asynchronously controls the sending of a data item from a corresponding sending FIFO to a corresponding receiving FIFO. By operating the control paths in parallel in the predetermined sequence, the system does not have to wait a request-acknowledge cycle time between the sender and the receiver before sending consecutive data items through the shared data path, but can instead send multiple data items through the shared data path within a single request-acknowledge cycle time.