Dual-Plane Network-on-Chip Routing Logic for Guaranteed Traffic
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing Network-on-Chip (NoC) systems face challenges in efficiently providing both Guaranteed Traffic and Best Effort services while avoiding deadlocks, particularly in high-performance computing applications where real-time streaming data is involved, and in other application areas like multimedia and digital signal processing.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a dual-plane NoC architecture where one plane operates as a master to set up and manage routing decisions for a Guaranteed Traffic connection, allowing for efficient resource allocation and switching between Guaranteed Traffic and Best Effort services by using shared routing logic and virtual circuits, enabling dynamic reconfiguration and operation before full configuration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If extensive additional logic is added to provide Guaranteed Traffic guarantees while maintaining Best Effort routing capabilities, then service quality improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network is divided into two separate planes: a Guaranteed Traffic plane with dedicated resources and a Best Effort plane for shared bandwidth. This segmentation allows each plane to be optimized independently, providing reliable service guarantees without requiring complex integration logic between different traffic types.
Solution Approach 2:
A setup packet mechanism acts as an intermediary to establish virtual circuits for Guaranteed Traffic. The setup packet carries routing information and resource reservation data through the network, enabling automated configuration without requiring extensive control logic at each node for manual resource allocation.
2Reliability
If separate logic is implemented at intermediate nodes for both Guaranteed Traffic and Best Effort planes, then service reliability improves, but resource wastage increases
Solution Approach 1:
Routing logic is merged and shared between the Guaranteed Traffic plane and Best Effort plane at intermediate nodes. The same physical routing infrastructure and control logic handle both traffic types, eliminating redundant components and reducing resource wastage while maintaining service reliability through plane-specific resource allocation.
Solution Approach 2:
The network infrastructure is designed with universal components that can serve multiple functions. Intermediate nodes and routing logic can dynamically switch between handling Guaranteed Traffic and Best Effort traffic, maximizing resource utilization and avoiding the need for dedicated separate logic for each traffic type.
3Speed
If a dedicated connection is provisioned for real-time streaming data, then speed improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Virtual circuits for Guaranteed Traffic are pre-established through setup packets that reserve resources and define routing paths before actual data transmission begins. This preliminary configuration enables high-speed data flow without requiring complex real-time routing decisions during transmission, as the path is predetermined and resources are already allocated.
4Device complexity
If shared bandwidth is used for packetized data transmission, then device complexity decreases, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network segments traffic into two planes: Best Effort traffic uses shared bandwidth with simpler routing logic, while Guaranteed Traffic receives dedicated resources. This segmentation allows the Best Effort plane to maintain low device complexity while the Guaranteed Traffic plane handles time-sensitive applications with predictable latency through pre-established virtual circuits.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided herein for providing an NoC including a configurable array of nodes, where a node of the configurable array of nodes operates in a default operating mode until a replacement operating mode is triggered. For example, when an NoC is unconfigured, a latch bank may be initialized to “clear,” such that no routing decisions are stored. This may enable a default operating mode where routing logic updates the latches' values as needed to implement required routing behavior in a dynamic fashion until configuration is performed.