Optical Bus Arbitration via Distributed Arbiter Modules
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Solution Overview
Problem
In parallel processing systems with multiple microprocessors, the increased I/O bandwidth requirements and need to share information among processors lead to data collisions in shared optical channels, which existing technologies fail to effectively prevent.
Innovation Solution
An optical data interconnect system with arbitration channels and arbiter modules that monitor transmission requests to determine a start time for data transmission, preventing collisions by prioritizing nodes and minimizing bandwidth requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple processors share optical channels for I/O communication, then I/O bandwidth requirements are met, but data collisions occur in shared channels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the arbitration function by giving each node its own arbiter module that independently monitors arbitration channels and determines transmission start times. This distributed segmentation eliminates the need for a centralized arbiter while preventing data collisions through local coordination of transmission requests.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by having nodes monitor arbitration channels for a predetermined period before actual data transmission. The arbiter modules determine start times in advance based on monitored transmission requests, ensuring that only one node transmits at a time and preventing collisions before they occur.
2Reliability
If a centralized arbiter is used to prevent data collisions, then transmission coordination is improved, but device complexity and bandwidth requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the centralized arbiter function and distributes it to individual nodes. Each node has its own arbiter module that performs the coordination function locally, eliminating the need for a complex centralized arbiter while maintaining transmission coordination reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements self-service by enabling each node to autonomously monitor arbitration channels and determine its own transmission start time. The distributed arbiters independently manage transmission coordination without requiring external centralized control, reducing overall system complexity.
3Reliability
If arbitration channels monitor transmission requests for a predetermined period, then data collision prevention is improved, but serialization delays and latency increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by monitoring arbitration channels for only a predetermined period just long enough to detect transmission requests and determine start times. This limited-duration monitoring prevents collisions while minimizing the serialization delay and latency introduced by the arbitration process.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of arbitrating data transmissions to prevent data collisions in an optical data interconnect system including a transmitting node, a plurality of receiving nodes, and one or more remaining nodes connected through an optical data channel. The method involves transmitting a transmission request signal from the transmitting node over an arbitration channel corresponding to the transmitting node, monitoring, at the transmitting node, a plurality of arbitration channels corresponding to each of the plurality of receiving nodes and the one or more remaining nodes at the transmitting node for a predetermined period of time, determining a start time for a data transmission from the transmitting node based on the monitored signals to prevent a data collision, and initiating a data transmission of a data signal from the transmitting node over the optical data channel at the determined start time.