Parallel processing computer system interconnections utilizing unidirectional communication links with separate request and response lines for direct communication or using a crossbar switching device
US5577204A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 15, 1993 |
| Grant date | Nov 19, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 15, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F13/4022
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
There is disclosed a shared multiprocessing system with several nodes, or processing units, interconnected together for communication purposes by a dual channeled crossbar switch. Several such multichannel crossbar switches can be linked together to form a large cohesive processing system where processing units from one node can access memory from another node on the same crossbar or from another node on a different crossbar. The interconnection between crossbars is accomplished by a circular ring. In operation, the system allows for long memory latencies while not increasing the length of short (local) memory latencies. This is accomplished by storing the bulk of long latency requests at the local processing unit and only sending the request when there is an actual availability of communication capacity to handle the long latency request.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.