Distributed FPGA solution for high-performance computing in the cloud

A data processing system comprising:

• a plurality of data cards, each data card in the plurality of data cards comprising a printed circuit board and at least one connector;
• a cross-point switch fabric, wherein for each data card in the plurality of data cards, a connector of the at least one connector of that data card is connected to the cross-point switch fabric, such that each data card in the plurality of data cards is connected to every other card in the plurality of data cards via the cross-point switch fabric;
• at least one external data communication port for i) receiving incoming data and providing the incoming data to the plurality of electrical connections, and ii) receiving outgoing data from the plurality of electrical connections and transmitting the outgoing data to at least one external device, external to the data card housing;
• wherein, in operation,
• incoming data is provided to the at least one external data communication port and from thence to the plurality of data cards;
• the plurality of data cards are operated to derive derivative data signals from the incoming data;
• the derivative data signals are routed through the plurality of data cards via the cross-point switch fabric;
• and,
• the plurality of data processing functions are performed within the plurality of data cards based on the derivative data signals to provide the outgoing data to the at least one external data communication port, and from thence to the at least one external device.

A data card housing comprising:

• a plurality of data card receptacles for receiving a plurality of data cards, each data card in the plurality of data cards comprising a printed circuit board and at least one connector;
• a cross-point switch fabric comprising a plurality of electrical connections between the plurality of data card receptacles for connecting to, for each data card receptacle in the plurality of data card receptacles, a connector of the at least one connector of a data card received in that data card receptacle to connect that data card to the cross-point switch fabric, and, via the cross-point switch fabric, to each other data card receptacle in the plurality of data card receptacles and to the connector of the at least one connector of a data card received in that data card receptacle;
• and,
• at least one external data communication port for i) receiving incoming data and providing the incoming data to the plurality of electrical connections, and ii) receiving outgoing data from the plurality of electrical connections and transmitting the outgoing data to at least one external device, external to the data card housing;
• wherein during operation, when the plurality of data cards are provided in the plurality of data card receptacles and connected to the plurality of electrical connections,
• incoming data is provided to the at least one external data communication port and from thence to the plurality of data cards;
• the plurality of data cards are operated to derive derivative data signals from the incoming data;
• the derivative data signals are routed through the plurality of data cards via the cross-point switch fabric;
• and,
• the plurality of data processing functions are performed within the plurality of data cards based on the derivative data signals to provide the outgoing data to the at least one external data communication port, and from thence to the at least one external device.