Process and device for reducing bus switching activity and computer program product therefor

A device for transmitting data on a bus, minimizing switching activity on the bus itself, the device being configured for converting the data between a first format and a second format, said second format being used for transmission on said bus, the device comprising:

• at least one swap module to convert said data between said first format and said second format by swapping a position of respective bits within a given cluster having a given number of bits, said swap being implementable according to different variants, a maximum number of said variants being equal to a factorial value of said given number, each of said variants being identified by a respective swap pattern;
• at least one module to identify, among said patterns, an optimal pattern such as to minimize the switching activity at a moment of transmission of the data on said bus;
• and
• at least one transmission element to exchange said data on said bus using said second format generated using said optimal pattern.

An article of manufacture usable with a processor associated to a bus, the article of manufacture comprising:

• a machine-readable medium having instructions stored thereon to cause a processor to transmit data on the bus and minimize switching activity on the bus, by:
• converting data between a first format to a second format usable for transmission on the bus, by swapping of position of respective bits within a cluster having a given number of bits, the swapping being implementable according to a plurality of different variants, a maximum number of the variants being equal to a factorial value of the given number, each of the variants being identified by a respective swap pattern;
• selecting one of the patterns corresponding to a minimum of the switching activity at transmission of data on the bus;
• and
• transmitting data on the bus using the second format, which is generated based on the selected pattern.

A system for transmitting data on a bus and for minimizing switching activity on the bus, the system comprising

• a means for converting data between a first format to a second format usable for transmission on the bus, by swapping of position of respective bits within a cluster having a given number of bits, the swapping being implementable according to a plurality of different variants, a maximum number of the variants being equal to a factorial value of the given number, each of the variants being identified by a respective swap pattern;
• a means for selecting one of the patterns corresponding to a minimum of the switching activity at transmission of data on the bus;
• and
• a means for transmitting data on the bus using the second format, which is generated based on the selected pattern.