Interconnects using Self-timed Time-Division Multiplexed Bus

Abstract

A method of sending signals, including data and timing information, between transportation units on a communication bus of an integrated circuit, by generating clock triggers for every transportation unit on the bus, thereby initiating each preceding one of the transportation units to start sending the signals in a wave-front to an adjacent succeeding one of the transportation units, where the wave-front is initiated at each of the transportation units at a common point in time, and every transportation unit applying a timing adjustment to at least one of the data and timing information that it receives in the signals from the preceding transportation unit, to at least one of (1) capture the data from the preceding transportation unit, (2) relay the data without modification from the preceding transportation unit to the succeeding transportation unit on the communication bus, and (3) load new data to the communication bus, with updated timing information in a succeeding wave-front.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.