Chiplet Interface Redundant Lane Reconfiguration for Asymmetric Failures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Chiplet technology increases the risk of failure due to interconnection of multiple chiplets, particularly when workloads favor a specific communication direction, limiting the effectiveness of conventional redundant lanes that are fixedly configured.
Innovation Solution
Dynamically reconfigure redundant lanes in a communication interface circuit to adapt to the probability of failure in a particular communication direction, allowing more than half of the redundant lanes to support errors in the direction with higher failure probability, enhancing redundancy without altering the fixed number of lanes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If redundant lanes are fixedly configured to support equal redundancy in both directions, then the system structure is simple and manufacturing is easier, but the redundancy effectiveness decreases when workloads favor a specific communication direction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the redundant lanes reconfigurable rather than fixed. The communication interface circuit can dynamically switch redundant lanes between different communication directions based on detected failure probabilities. This allows the system to adapt to workload changes and failure patterns, providing effective redundancy where needed while maintaining simplicity in the physical lane structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of redundant lanes by allowing them to be reassigned to different directions. Instead of being permanently dedicated to one direction, the lanes can have their communication direction parameter changed based on real-time failure detection, optimizing redundancy allocation according to actual system conditions.
2Reliability
If the number of redundant lanes is increased to provide better redundancy, then reliability improves, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes redundant lanes universal by enabling them to serve multiple communication directions. Each redundant lane can be dynamically assigned to support either the first or second communication direction based on failure detection, allowing a smaller number of physical lanes to provide comprehensive redundancy coverage for both directions.
Solution Approach 2:
By dynamically allocating redundant lanes based on detected failures, the system maximizes the utility of each lane without needing to provision lanes for every possible failure scenario simultaneously. This dynamic approach provides high reliability while keeping the physical lane count manageable.
3Reliability
If redundant lanes are dynamically reconfigured based on failure probability, then redundancy effectiveness increases, but the control complexity and detection requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by having the communication interface circuit continuously monitor communication quality and detect failures in real-time. Based on this feedback, the system automatically adjusts redundant lane allocation to match actual failure conditions, ensuring optimal redundancy utilization without requiring complex manual configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-diagnosis and self-adjustment by automatically detecting communication failures and reallocating redundant lanes without external intervention. The communication interface circuit monitors its own performance and makes configuration changes based on detected conditions, reducing the need for complex external control systems.
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated circuit (IC) package including a first chiplet, a second chiplet, and a communication interface circuit coupling the first and second chiplets is disclosed. The communication interface circuit comprises main lanes wherein a first portion of which communicates information from the first chiplet to the second chiplet (i.e., first direction) and wherein a second portion of which communicates information from the second chiplet to the first chiplet (i.e., second direction). The communication interface circuit also comprises a plurality of redundant lanes wherein each of the redundant lanes are dynamically configurable to communicate in one of a first and a second direction.