Partitionable networked computer
AssigneeGraphcore Limited
InventorSimon Knowles
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A computer, including a plurality of processing nodes arranged in two-dimensional arrays in respective front and rear layers. Each processing node has a set of activatable links. When activated, transmission of data items between the nodes connected via the activated link is enabled. When not activated, transmission of data items between the nodes is prevented. The set of activatable links including a respective link which connects the processing node to each adjacent node in the array, and to a facing processing node in the other layer. An allocation engine is configured to receive an allocation instruction and connected to the processing nodes to selectively activate the links in a configuration.
Claims20
A computer comprising a plurality of processing nodes arranged in respective front and rear layers, each layer comprising a two-dimensional array of processing nodes, each processing node having a set of activatable links which, when activated, enable a transmission of data items between the processing node and an adjacent processing node connected via an activated link and, when not activated, prevent the transmission of data items between the processing node and the adjacent processing node connected via an inactive link,
- the set of activatable links comprising for each processing node in a first layer and a second layer a respective link which connects the processing node to each adjacent node in the two-dimensional array, and to a facing processing node in the second layer or the first layer respectively;
- and
- an allocation engine configured to receive an allocation instruction and connected to the processing nodes to selectively activate the links to connect at least a group of the processing nodes in a configuration in which:
- (i) links between adjacent nodes within each of the first layer and the second layer respectively are activated;
- (ii) links between facing nodes are only activated for edge processing nodes of the group;
- and
- (iii) links between processing nodes outside the group and adjacent processing nodes in the group are deactivated.
A method of configuring a computer comprising a plurality of processing nodes arranged in respective front and rear layers, each layer comprising a two-dimensional array of processing node, each processing node having a set of activatable links which, when activated, enable a transmission of data items between the processing node and an adjacent processing node connected via an activated link and, when not activated, prevent the transmission of data items between the processing node and the adjacent processing node connected via an inactive link, the set of activatable links comprising for each processing node in a first layer and a second layer a respective link which connects the processing node to each adjacent node in the array, and to a facing processing node in the second layer or the first layer respectively, the method comprising:
- selectively activating the links of each processing node in at least a group of the processing nodes to generate a networked configuration of processing nodes in which:
- (i) links between adjacent nodes within each of the first layer and the second layer respectively activated;
- (ii) links between facing nodes are only activated for edge processing nodes of the group;
- and
- (iii) links between processing nodes outside the group and adjacent the processing nodes are deactivated.
A computer comprising a plurality of processing nodes arranged in respective front and rear layers, each layer comprising a two-dimensional array of processing nodes, each processing node having a set of activated links which enable a transmission of data items between the processing node and an adjacent processing node connected via an activated link, wherein the processing nodes are connected in a configuration in which:
- (i) adjacent nodes within each of a first layer and a second layer are connected by activated links;
- (ii) edge-processing nodes in each of the first layer and the second layer are connected by activated links to their facing node in a corresponding layer;
- and
- (iii) any links between additional processing nodes outside the configuration and the processing nodes connected in the configuration are deactivated such that the transmission of data items is prevented between the processing nodes connected in the configuration and the additional processing nodes outside the configuration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.