Initiator ID Compression for Scalable Memory Interconnect Arbitration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing memory sub-systems face inefficiencies and increased resource overhead due to the large number of initiators and targets, leading to excessive bus traffic, computational power consumption, and unfair arbitration, particularly when handling out-of-order transaction requests.
Innovation Solution
Implementing initiator identifier compression circuitry with a translation table and compression/decompression components to associate a subset of initiators with parallel target data streams, reducing the number of physical connections and computational power required, and enabling flexible arbitration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the number of initiators and targets is increased, then the system capacity and functionality are improved, but the quantity and size of physical connections, computational power requirements, and traffic increase, leading to reduced performance and unfair arbitration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the initiator identifier space into multiple groups, with each group associated with a specific parallel target data stream. This segmentation allows the system to handle more initiators without proportionally increasing the identifier width, as each data stream only needs to manage a subset of initiators. The segmentation is implemented through grouping logic that maps initiators to data streams based on their identifier groups, reducing the arbitration complexity and maintaining performance scalability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If more initiators are supported, then the system versatility is improved, but the arbitration fairness deteriorates due to increased complexity in managing parallel target data streams
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the initiator population into distinct groups, where each group is associated with a specific parallel target data stream. This segmentation ensures that arbitration decisions are made within smaller, manageable groups rather than across all initiators simultaneously, maintaining fairness while supporting more initiators. The grouping mechanism distributes initiator access opportunities evenly across data streams, preventing any single initiator from being disadvantaged by the increased system scale.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimension of organization by associating initiator groups with specific parallel target data streams. Instead of managing all initiators in a single flat arbitration space, the system creates a multi-dimensional structure where initiators are first grouped, then mapped to data streams, and finally arbitrated within that context. This dimensional transformation enables the system to scale to more initiators while maintaining arbitration fairness through structured, hierarchical management.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the identifier width is increased to accommodate more initiators, then the system capacity is improved, but the computational power and traffic requirements increase, reducing overall efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the identifier management function across multiple parallel target data streams, allowing each stream to use a compressed identifier representation. Instead of every initiator requiring a unique wide identifier across the entire system, initiators are assigned identifiers within their specific group context, enabling narrower identifier widths. This segmentation reduces the computational power needed for identifier processing and decreases traffic overhead while maintaining the ability to support a large total number of initiators through the combined capacity of multiple data streams.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for initiator identifier compression includes associating respective initiator identifiers (IID) of a sub-set of initiators coupled via an interconnection structure to a target with respective parallel target data streams and performing, via an individual target data stream of the target data streams, an operation associated with the target and an individual initiator included in the sub-set of initiators.