Parameterizable Buffer Manager Architecture for Scalable Chip Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
The design of Buffer Managers in chip systems is often customized for specific applications, leading to significant changes and longer product cycles due to conflicting requirements between high performance, low power consumption, and cost, resulting in maintenance challenges and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A scalable, parameterizable Buffer Manager architecture that uses scripting tools and base template files to automatically generate different versions based on configuration parameters, allowing for easy adaptation to various performance and power requirements, reducing design and maintenance efforts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If Buffer Manager design is customized for each application to meet specific performance requirements, then system performance is improved, but product development cycle time increases and maintenance complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal Buffer Manager design that can serve multiple applications and performance requirements through parameterization. The same base design can be configured with different parameters (buffer size, number of banks, associativity) to meet diverse system requirements without requiring separate custom designs for each application.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses parameter changes to adapt the Buffer Manager design to different performance requirements. By modifying parameters such as buffer capacity, number of memory banks, and associativity level, the same design can be optimized for different performance targets without redesigning the entire architecture.
2Use of energy by moving object
If Buffer Manager design is customized for each application to meet specific power consumption requirements, then power consumption is optimized, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal Buffer Manager architecture that can be configured for different power consumption targets through parameter selection rather than design changes. The same design framework supports both low-power and high-performance configurations by adjusting parameters like buffer size and access patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes to optimize power consumption without increasing design complexity. By adjusting parameters such as buffer capacity and operational modes, the design can be tuned for power efficiency while maintaining the same structural framework.
3Quantity of substance
If Buffer Manager design is customized for each application to meet specific cost requirements, then system cost is reduced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal design that can accommodate different memory capacity requirements through parameterization. The same design can be instantiated with different SRAM sizes and configurations to meet various cost targets without requiring separate design processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses parameter changes to adjust memory capacity and cost characteristics. By modifying parameters such as buffer size and bank configuration, the design can be adapted to different cost targets while maintaining standardized manufacturing processes.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple custom Buffer Manager designs are maintained for different applications, then adaptability to specific applications is improved, but maintenance effort increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal Buffer Manager design that eliminates the need to maintain multiple separate designs. The same parameterizable architecture serves all applications, reducing maintenance effort while maintaining adaptability through configuration rather than structural changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple application-specific designs into a single universal design framework. By combining the functionality of what would have been separate custom designs into one parameterizable architecture, maintenance effort is reduced while adaptability is preserved through parameter configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
A buffer manager is generated by executing a script with respect to a buffer architecture template and a configuration file specifying parameters for the buffer such as, for example, number of memory banks, width of memory banks, depth of memory banks, and client bridge FIFO depth. The script converts the buffer architecture template into a hardware description language (HDL) description of a buffer manager having the parameters. Client bridges accumulate requests for memory banks in FIFO that is provided to a buffer manager upon the client bridge being granted arbitration. Accesses of memory banks may be performed one at a time in consecutive clock cycles in a pipelined manner. Client bridges and the buffer manager may operate in different clock domains. The clock frequency of the buffer manager may be increased or decreased according to requests from client devices.