Opportunistic Bandwidth Stealing in Multi-Chip Optical Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical networks for multi-chip modules face challenges in providing high bandwidth and low power consumption while maintaining low latency and arbitration-free access, as static WDM point-to-point networks constrain bandwidth and shared networks increase power consumption.
Innovation Solution
A multi-chip module with optical waveguides providing dedicated point-to-point links that allow opportunistic stealing of bandwidth by other integrated circuits without arbitration, using erasure coding to recover from collisions and matching power consumption with static WDM networks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If static WDM point-to-point optical network is used, then low power consumption and arbitration-free access are achieved, but bandwidth between sites is constrained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic bandwidth sharing where optical links can be opportunistically stolen by other sites when not in use by the primary site. This transforms the static point-to-point architecture into a dynamic system where bandwidth allocation changes based on actual traffic needs, allowing higher aggregate bandwidth while maintaining low power consumption through selective link activation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational state of optical links from exclusively dedicated to shared opportunistic mode. By detecting when a primary site is not using its optical link, the system allows other sites to steal and use that link's bandwidth, effectively changing the bandwidth parameter from fixed to variable based on real-time usage conditions.
2Productivity
If optical links are shared to increase site-to-site bandwidth, then higher bandwidth is achieved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The optical network implements self-service through opportunistic bandwidth stealing without centralized arbitration. Sites autonomously detect and utilize available bandwidth on optical links when their primary link is idle, eliminating the need for additional arbitration infrastructure and reducing overall system power consumption while increasing effective bandwidth utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows partial sharing of optical links through opportunistic stealing rather than full-time sharing. Sites can steal bandwidth only when the primary user is not actively transmitting, achieving higher aggregate bandwidth without the continuous power overhead of fully activated shared link infrastructure.
3Productivity
If opportunistic bandwidth stealing is implemented, then higher aggregate bandwidth is achieved, but message corruption from collisions increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary error detection and correction by appending checksums or error correction codes to messages before transmission. When collisions occur during opportunistic bandwidth stealing, the receiving site can detect and correct errors using these pre-prepared error correction mechanisms, maintaining message integrity despite the increased collision probability from shared link access.
Solution Approach 2:
The system converts the harmful effect of collisions into a manageable issue by using error detection and correction codes. Rather than preventing all collisions through complex arbitration (which would reduce bandwidth efficiency), the system allows collisions to occur but recovers from them using error correction, effectively turning the potential harm into an acceptable trade-off for achieving higher aggregate bandwidth.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach achieves higher site-to-site bandwidth with guaranteed access and low power consumption, balancing high bandwidth and low latency in interconnect applications.
Implementation Method 1
optical waveguides that convey optical signals
Implementation Method 2
Wavelength division multiplexing (WDM), which allows a single optical connection to carry multiple optical links or channels
Data Source
AI summary
In a multi-chip module (MCM), integrated circuits are coupled by optical waveguides that convey optical signals. The optical waveguides provide dedicated point-to-point optical links between all pairs of the integrated circuits. Moreover, for a given point-to-point optical link between a given pair of integrated circuits, other integrated circuits in the integrated circuits steal access on the given point-to-point optical link when communicating information to one of the given pair of integrated circuits so that the given point-to-point optical link is shared by more than the given pair of integrated circuits. Furthermore, the integrated circuits recover errors in messages in the optical signals corrupted by collisions on the given point-to-point optical link using erasure coding. In this way, the MCM may provide an optical network with increased bandwidth relative to a point-to-point optical network.