Bridging Circuit for Variable Width Data Channels
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Solution Overview
Problem
In complex integrated circuits, the inefficiencies in data transfer due to differing data channel widths and flit sizes across various functional blocks lead to suboptimal data performance, particularly in Systems-on-Chip (SoC) where bridging between different protocols and data formats is necessary.
Innovation Solution
A bridging circuit that combines and converts flits of one protocol into another, optimizing data transfer by merging metadata, data fields, and error correction codes, and utilizing a validity field to ensure accurate interpretation, thereby enabling efficient communication across devices with varying data widths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If flits of different sizes are used to match varying data channel widths across functional blocks, then compatibility with different data widths is improved, but data transfer efficiency deteriorates due to underutilization of available bandwidth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple smaller flits into a single larger flit when they share the same destination. The combining circuit receives multiple flits, merges their payload data and control information into a consolidated flit structure, and transmits them together over the interconnect network. This merging process fully utilizes the available data channel width, improving bandwidth efficiency while maintaining compatibility with devices that require smaller flit sizes.
2Productivity
If multiple flits are combined into a single larger flit, then bandwidth utilization is improved, but flit processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a bridging circuit as an intermediary component between the interconnect network and end devices. This bridging circuit handles the complex task of combining multiple flits into larger flits, absorbing the processing complexity away from the main interconnect network and endpoint devices. The bridging circuit maintains the simplicity of the core system while enabling efficient bandwidth utilization through flit combination.
3Speed
If flit combining is implemented, then data transfer speed is improved, but latency increases due to additional processing steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-processing and consolidating multiple flits into a single larger flit before transmission over the interconnect network. By combining flits in advance at the source, the system reduces the total number of transmission operations required, which compensates for the additional processing time. The preliminary combining action eliminates the need for multiple separate transmission cycles, ultimately improving overall data transfer speed despite the added processing step.
Data Source
AI summary
A bridging circuit and method of operation thereof, which couples first and second electronic circuits of a data processing system. The first electronic circuit generates signals corresponding to digits of a flow control unit (flit) of a first flow control protocol and where the second electronic circuit is responsive to signals corresponding to flits of a second flow control protocol. When first flits are destined for the same target buffer, they are combined to provide a second flit consistent with the second flow control protocol and transmitting the second flit to the second electronic circuit. The second flit includes data and metadata fields copied from the first flits, a common field common to each of the first flits, a merged field containing a merger of fields from the first flits and a validity field indicating which portions of the second flit contain valid data.