Data Bus Bridge for Width Conversion and Burst Breaking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data bus protocols, such as AXI, face challenges in efficiently transferring transactions between domains with different bus widths, often requiring separate components for down-sizing and burst breaking, which increases hardware and software requirements, physical space, and power consumption.
Innovation Solution
A bridge component that performs both down-sizing and burst breaking, splitting transactions from a wider bus width to a narrower one, ensuring the resultant transaction burst length does not exceed the target domain's limit, thereby allowing two-dimensional re-sizing and connecting different protocol domains with reduced hardware and software needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate components are used for down-sizing and burst breaking, then transaction adaptation between different bus widths is achieved, but hardware requirements and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines down-sizing and burst breaking functions into a single bridge component. The bridge simultaneously performs width conversion from a first bus width to a second bus width while breaking down transactions into smaller bursts, eliminating the need for separate components and reducing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The bridge is designed as a multi-functional component that handles both down-sizing (width conversion) and burst breaking operations. This universal component can adapt transactions to different target domains with varying bus widths and burst length requirements, providing versatile transaction adaptation in a single device
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate components are used for down-sizing and burst breaking, then transaction adaptation is achieved, but physical space increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bridge merges down-sizing logic and burst breaking logic into a single integrated component, reducing the physical footprint by eliminating the need for separate components that would otherwise be required to perform these functions
3Adaptability or versatility
If separate components are used for down-sizing and burst breaking, then transaction adaptation is achieved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bridge combines multiple transaction processing functions into a single component, reducing the total number of active components in the system. This consolidation reduces overall power consumption by eliminating redundant logic and reducing the total switching activity across multiple separate components
4Productivity
If transactions are not broken down, then transaction throughput is maintained, but target domain burst length limits are exceeded
Solution Approach 1:
The bridge segments incoming transactions into smaller bursts that comply with the target domain's maximum burst length requirements. By dividing a large transaction into multiple smaller transactions, the bridge ensures protocol compliance while maintaining efficient data transfer through proper sequencing
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device comprises a bridge configured to transfer data bus transactions from a transaction source domain having a first bus width to a transaction target domain having a second bus width less than the first bus width. The bridge comprises a first interface configured to receive a transaction from the transaction source domain, where the transaction has a first transaction burst length. A converter logic is configured such that when a transaction is received via the first interface, the converter logic splits the transaction into a plurality of second transactions each having a respective second transaction burst length, wherein the plurality of second transactions have the second bus width. A second interface is configured to send the plurality of second transactions to the transaction target domain.