Configurable Data Lane Interchange for Memory Bus Skew Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-speed memory systems face limitations due to data skew, which results in increased latency and reduced system transfer capacity, as differential delays in signal transmission across various lines lead to asynchronous arrival of data bits, necessitating buffering and potential reordering at each node, thereby affecting overall bandwidth and performance.
Innovation Solution
An interconnection system with a configurable node architecture that includes a switch to interchange data lanes between lines, compensating for differential time delays by reassigning data bits to minimize cumulative delay differences across the bus, thereby reducing the need for buffering and enhancing data processing efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If data is transmitted on multiple signal lines without lane interchange, then the system structure is simple, but differential time delays cause data skew and increased latency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic lane interchange at configurable nodes where data lanes are reassigned based on cumulative delay compensation requirements. The system dynamically determines exchange patterns and interchanges lanes between lines at intermediate nodes, transforming a static transmission system into one that adaptively compensates for differential delays without requiring complete system redesign
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces configurable nodes as intermediary elements between source and destination that perform lane interchange operations. These intermediate nodes act as mediators that reorder data lanes based on delay compensation requirements, allowing the system to correct skew without requiring the source or destination to have complex compensation logic
2Productivity
If data lanes are interchanged at configurable nodes to compensate for delay differences, then data skew is reduced and bandwidth increases, but the node architecture becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the interconnection system into discrete configurable nodes that can independently perform lane interchange operations. Each node is segmented as an independent functional unit with input ports, output ports, and switching logic, allowing the complexity to be distributed and managed at modular levels rather than concentrated in a single complex controller
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of configurable nodes by dynamically determining exchange patterns and interchanging data lanes based on cumulative delay compensation requirements. The nodes can operate in different modes (with or without lane interchange) and adjust their behavior based on the specific delay characteristics of the signal lines, optimizing bandwidth while managing complexity through parameter adjustment rather than structural overhaul
3Reliability
If buffering is implemented at each node to handle asynchronous data arrival, then data integrity is maintained, but latency increases and processing efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary lane interchange at configurable nodes before data reaches the destination, reordering lanes based on predicted delay compensation requirements. By proactively exchanging lanes in advance based on known delay characteristics, the system ensures synchronous arrival at the destination without requiring buffering, maintaining data integrity while avoiding the latency penalty of waiting for asynchronous data
Data Source
AI summary
An interconnection system is described where data lanes may be exchanged between lines at intervals along a transmission path so that the differential time delay between bits on a plurality of the lines is reduced when determined at a receiving location. The data lanes may be bound to the lines through the operation of a configurable switch, or by a configurable switch in conjunction with predetermined manufactured connections, or a combination of the techniques. The wiring of a connectorized node module, which may include a memory device, may be configured so that the differential time delay between pairs of input lines of a node, as measured at the output of a node, is reduced.