IC Interconnection Network With Check-Code Redundancy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Integrated circuits face challenges in detecting faults in interconnection networks, particularly in applications requiring functional safety, where duplicating components for redundancy is costly and power-intensive.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a redundant network that transmits a check code with fewer bits than the primary payload, allowing error checking at the destination endpoint to verify payload integrity, while reducing circuit area and power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a redundant network transmits a full copy of the primary payload, then fault detection capability is improved, but circuit area and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential error detection information (check code) from the full payload and transmits it through the redundant network, rather than transmitting the entire payload. This reduces the redundant data to its minimum necessary form for error detection purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a simplified copy of the payload in the form of a check code (such as CRC) that can be used for error detection. This check code copy is transmitted through the redundant network instead of the full payload copy, achieving error detection with reduced circuit area.
2Reliability
If a redundant network transmits a full copy of the primary payload, then fault detection capability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential error detection information (check code) from the full payload and transmits it through the redundant network, rather than transmitting the entire payload. This reduces the redundant data to its minimum necessary form for error detection purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a simplified copy of the payload in the form of a check code (such as CRC) that can be used for error detection. This check code copy is transmitted through the redundant network instead of the full payload copy, achieving error detection with reduced power consumption.
3Reliability
If component duplication is implemented for redundancy, then fault detection robustness is improved, but implementation cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential error detection information (check code) from the full payload and transmits it through the redundant network, rather than transmitting the entire payload. This reduces the redundant data to its minimum necessary form for error detection purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a simplified copy of the payload in the form of a check code (such as CRC) that can be used for error detection. This check code copy is transmitted through the redundant network instead of the full payload copy, achieving error detection with reduced implementation cost.
Data Source
AI summary
An interconnection network for providing data transfer between a plurality of nodes of an integrated circuit comprises a number of endpoints for exchanging data with respective nodes of the integrated circuit, a primary network to route a primary payload from a source endpoint to a destination endpoint; and a redundant network to route, to the destination endpoint, a redundant payload comprising a first check code calculated based on at least a portion of the primary payload, the first check code having fewer bits than said at least a portion of the primary payload. The destination endpoint comprises error checking circuitry to perform an error checking operation to calculate a second check code based on the primary payload received via the primary network, and verify integrity of the primary payload based on a comparison of the second check code with the first check code received via the redundant network.