Chip-to-Chip Microwave Link via Wireline-Controlled Relay
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current communication systems face challenges in supporting diverse communication technologies and protocols, particularly in enabling efficient chip-to-chip communications, especially when direct communication between chips is obstructed, requiring innovative methods to establish reliable data transfer.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for chip-to-chip communications utilizing a wireline communication bus to initialize a microwave link between chips, with beamforming adjustments and the use of relay chips with antennas to optimize communication, allowing data transfer even when direct communication is unsatisfactory, and enabling control data transfer between chips and relay chips.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If direct chip-to-chip communication is attempted, then communication simplicity is maintained, but communication reliability deteriorates when obstacles block the direct path
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces relay chips as intermediary devices to establish indirect communication paths between source and destination chips. When direct microwave communication is blocked or unavailable, the relay chips receive signals from the source chip via wireline bus, process them, and forward them to the destination chip, thereby ensuring communication reliability without requiring direct line-of-sight between communicating chips.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication system is segmented into multiple independent components: source chips, relay chips, and destination chips, each capable of independent operation. The communication path is divided into multiple hops rather than requiring a single direct link, allowing the system to route around obstacles and maintain reliability even when some paths are blocked.
2Productivity
If beamforming parameters are adjusted to optimize communication, then communication performance is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary beamforming initialization and parameter optimization during the link setup phase before actual data transmission begins. The wireline bus is used to exchange control information and pre-establish optimal beamforming parameters, so that during high-rate data transfer, the beamforming configuration is already optimized and no real-time adjustments are needed, thus achieving high productivity without complex real-time control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical or real-time electronic beamforming adjustment mechanisms with pre-computed beamforming parameters transmitted via wireline bus. Instead of continuously adjusting beamforming during data transfer, the system uses preliminary wireline communication to establish optimal parameters, substituting real-time control complexity with simpler pre-configured parameters.
3Adaptability or versatility
If relay chips are introduced to overcome communication obstacles, then communication coverage is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Relay chips are designed with multi-functionality, serving both as communication intermediaries for extended coverage and as regular data processing units when not acting as relays. The same chip architecture can function as a source, relay, or destination depending on the communication scenario, reducing overall system complexity by using standardized multi-purpose components rather than specialized devices for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The relay chips autonomously determine whether to act as relays or direct communication participants based on local conditions and received control information. The wireline bus enables self-configuration where relay chips automatically establish appropriate communication paths without requiring complex centralized control, allowing the system to adapt to various topologies while maintaining relatively simple architecture.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient data transfer at high rates, such as in the 60 GHz frequency band, by routing communication links through relay chips and optimizing beamforming parameters, thus overcoming obstacles to direct chip communication.
Implementation Method 1
communicating data between said first chip and said second chip via said microwave communication link; said first chip and said second chip receive and transmit in the 60 GHz frequency band
Implementation Method 2
said initializing comprises adjusting beamforming parameters of a first antenna array communicatively coupled to said first chip, and of a second antenna array communicatively coupled to said second chip; said adjusting said beamforming parameters to optimize a communication link performance metric
Data Source
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AI summary
Aspects of a method and system for chip-to-chip communications with wireline control may include initializing a microwave communication link between a first chip and a second chip via a wireline communication bus, wherein the initializing comprises adjusting beamforming parameters of a first antenna array communicatively coupled to the first chip, and of a second antenna array communicatively coupled to the second chip. The first chip and the second chip may communicate data via said microwave communication link. The microwave communication link may be routed via one or more relay chips, when the first chip and the second chip cannot directly communicate satisfactorily. Control data may be transferred between the first chip, the second chip, and/or the one or more relay chips, which may comprise one or more antennas. The relay chips may be dedicated relay ICs or multi-purpose transmitter/receivers.