Token-Controlled Streaming Ordered Writes for NoC Deadlock Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
In multi-source and multi-destination data communication systems, particularly in system-on-chip (SoC) architectures, ordered write operations can lead to deadlocks and bottlenecks due to concurrent communication, compromising data coherency and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
Implementing token-controlled virtual channels between request nodes (RN) and home nodes (HN) in the network-on-chip (NoC) to manage ordered write transactions, ensuring that home nodes have available resources for received data by using tokens to facilitate access to virtual channels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If token-controlled virtual channels are implemented to manage ordered write transactions, then communication deadlock is prevented and forward progress is guaranteed, but device complexity increases due to token management mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
A token is introduced as an intermediary control mechanism between request nodes and home nodes. The token acts as a mediator that grants permission for ordered write transactions, preventing communication deadlocks by ensuring proper resource allocation and transaction ordering without requiring complex coordination protocols between nodes
Solution Approach 2:
The home node performs preliminary actions by issuing tokens to request nodes before ordered write transactions begin. This preliminary token allocation ensures that resources are reserved and transaction ordering is established in advance, preventing deadlocks before they can occur during the actual data transfer
2Stability of the object's composition
If token-controlled virtual channels are used for ordered write operations, then data coherency is maintained, but communication overhead increases due to token exchange between nodes
Solution Approach 1:
The token exchange mechanism is merged with the existing ordered write transaction protocol. The token is transmitted along with the write data itself, combining two communication functions into a single message exchange. This reduces the number of separate communication events and minimizes the overall communication overhead while maintaining data coherency
3Productivity
If virtual channels are used for streaming ordered write transactions, then productivity is enhanced through concurrent communication, but device complexity increases due to virtual channel management
Solution Approach 1:
The communication infrastructure is segmented into multiple virtual channels, each dedicated to specific ordered write transactions. This segmentation allows concurrent transactions to proceed independently without interfering with each other, enhancing productivity. The token-controlled access to these segmented channels simplifies the management complexity by providing clear separation of transaction flows
Data Source
AI summary
Some aspects of the disclosure provide various techniques for ordered write (OW) transactions and operations in a data network, for example, a network-on-chip (NoC) in a system-on-chip. A streaming OW transaction can utilize a virtual channel in the data network to avoid deadlock in a multi-source and multi-destination system. Access to the virtual channel is facilitated by a token exchanged between a request node (RN) and a home node (HN) to ensure that the HN has available resources for received OW data from the RN.