Link Controller Bypass Path for Low-Latency Control Frames
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing interconnection protocols, such as UniPro, face challenges in reducing latency for DL control frames like AFC and NAC frames, leading to increased latency and potential data loss due to setup time violations and metastability issues when attempting to optimize throughput with pipelined architectures.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a bypass path in the link controller to directly transmit control frames to the physical layer circuit, bypassing at least one circuit stage, thereby reducing latency and enhancing performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a pipelined architecture is used to improve throughput, then resource utilization and overall throughput are enhanced, but latency for DL control frames increases and setup time violations occur
Solution Approach 1:
The transmission path is segmented into two separate channels: a pipelined path for data frames and a bypass path for control frames. This segmentation allows data transmission to utilize pipeline stages for improved throughput while control frames bypass these stages to minimize latency and avoid setup time violations.
Solution Approach 2:
A bypass path is introduced as an intermediary transmission channel that directly connects the transmitting end to the receiving end for control frames, circumventing the intermediate pipeline stages that cause latency for control frame transmission.
2Loss of time
If pipeline levels are reduced to decrease latency, then control frame transmission latency is reduced, but setup time violations occur with high clock frequency
Solution Approach 1:
The transmission system is divided into two independent paths: the main pipelined path maintains sufficient pipeline levels to ensure setup time compliance for data frames, while the bypass path provides a direct, low-latency route for control frames that does not suffer from pipeline timing constraints.
3Device complexity
If control frames are transmitted through the normal pipeline, then resource utilization is optimized, but bandwidth usage is reduced due to increased latency
Solution Approach 1:
The transmission path is segmented into two separate channels: a pipelined path for data frames and a bypass path for control frames. This segmentation allows data transmission to utilize pipeline stages for improved throughput while control frames bypass these stages to minimize latency and avoid setup time violations.
Data Source
AI summary
Electronic device and method to facilitate control frame transmission are provided. The electronic device comprises an interconnection controller including a physical layer circuit for signal transmission, a signaling interface, a link controller coupled to the physical layer circuit through the signaling interface, and a bypass path coupled to the link controller for control frame transmission. The link controller is configured to transmit data to the physical layer circuit through the signaling interface, and to transmit a control frame to the physical layer circuit through a signal path including the bypass path to bypass at least one circuit stage of the link controller.