Multi-Port FIFO Buffer for FPGA Data Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional FIFO communication buffers in FPGAs face challenges in providing low-latency, high-throughput data transfer to multiple sink modules while minimizing memory usage, especially when requiring simultaneous data reads from multiple sinks.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates FIFO connection logic with multiple addressable output ports and associated control logic, allowing a single source to supply data to multiple sinks without simultaneous reads, and uses additional FIFOs to enable data transfer to separate sinks, optimizing memory usage and latency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional FIFO memory is used with simultaneous reads from multiple sinks, then data transfer throughput is improved, but memory requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the FIFO memory into multiple independent memory ports, each capable of serving a specific sink module. This allows simultaneous data reads from multiple sinks without requiring a single large memory structure, thereby reducing overall memory requirements while maintaining high throughput performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a single-port FIFO memory to a multi-port memory architecture, adding the dimension of parallel memory access. This enables multiple sinks to read data simultaneously from different memory ports, improving throughput without proportionally increasing memory capacity requirements.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional FIFOs are used to supply separate sinks, then data transfer flexibility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal FIFO memory structure with multiple ports that can serve different sink modules. Each port can be independently configured to connect to different sinks, providing flexible data transfer paths without requiring completely separate FIFO instances for each sink, thus reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces dynamic control logic that can route data from the FIFO memory to different sink modules based on operational requirements. This dynamic routing capability provides flexibility in data transfer configurations while using a single memory structure, avoiding the need for multiple static FIFO implementations.
3Speed
If multiple addressable output ports are implemented, then data transfer speed is improved, but control logic complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by implementing independent control logic for each memory port, where each port's control is optimized for its specific sink module. This allows high-speed data transfer at each port while keeping individual control logic modules relatively simple and independent, rather than requiring a single complex centralized controller.
Data Source
AI summary
A First In First Out (FIFO) communication buffer for receiving data from a source and distributing the data to a first sink and a second sink is disclosed. The FIFO communication buffer includes a FIFO memory and a FIFO control circuit. The FIFO memory includes a first data port, a second data port, and a third data port. The FIFO control circuit provides the first address, the second address and the third address. The FIFO control circuit increments the first address toward the second address and the third address when valid data is received, and increments the second address and the third address when data is read out.