Multithreaded data/context flow processing architecture

A context-flow data processing system, comprising a plurality of cores including:

• a) logic for controlling a flow of context identification tokens through the cores;
• b) a plurality of distributed multi-context storage units, each multi-context storage unit including:
• a context identification register for storing a context identification token identifying a current context of said each multi-context storage unit;
• and
• a multi-context register bank for storing a plurality of context parameters corresponding to a plurality of contexts,
• wherein the context identification register is connected to the multi-context register bank for setting the multi-context register bank to the current context;
• and
• c) logic for processing data tokens according to a context parameter corresponding to the current context.

A context-flow processing method comprising the steps of:

• a) propagating a current context identification token through a plurality of cores integrated on a chip, the current context identification token identifying a current context;
• b) retrieving a set of context parameters corresponding to the current context from each of a plurality of multi-context storage units distributed through the cores, as the current context identification token propagates through the multi-context storage units;
• and
• c) processing a set of data in the current context, according to the set of context parameters.

A context-flow data processing system comprising a first context-flow core and a second context-flow core integrated on a chip, the first core comprising:

• a) an input interface for receiving a context identification token from the second core, the context identification token identifying one of a plurality of contexts as a current context;
• b) a context identification register connected to the input interface, for storing the context identification token;
• c) a multi-context storage unit connected to the context identification register, for storing a plurality of context parameters corresponding to the plurality of contexts;
• d) control and processing logic connected to the context identification register and the context register bank, for processing data according to a set of context parameters for the current context.

A context-flow data processing system comprising a plurality of cores, each of the cores comprising:

• a) an input control bus for transferring input control signals;
• b) an input token bus for receiving input tokens in response to assertions of the input control signals, the input tokens including
• an input data token to be processed by the core, and
• an input context identification token specifying a current context, the input context identification token identifying a current context state selected from a plurality of context states stored in said each of the cores;
• c) an output control bus for transferring output control signals;
• and
• d) an output token bus for sending output tokens in response to assertions of the output control signals, the output tokens including
• an output data token derived from the input data token, and
• an output context identification token specifying the current context.

A multithreaded data processing system comprising a first core, a second core, and a third core integrated on a chip, the first core comprising:

• a multi-context storage unit storing a plurality of context states for a corresponding plurality of context;
• a first input interface connected to the second core, comprising
• a first input request connection for asserting a first input request signal to the second core,
• a first input ready connection for receiving a first input ready signal asserted by the second core, and
• a first input data connection for receiving from the second core a first input context token for establishing a current context state for the first core, the current context state being selected from the plurality of context states;
• processing logic connected to the first input interface, and to the multi-context storage unit, for processing a data token according to the current context state;
• a first output interface connected to the third core, comprising
• a first output request connection for receiving a first output request signal asserted by the third core,
• a first output ready connection for asserting a first output ready signal to the third core, and
• a first output data connection connected to the processing logic, for transmitting to the third core a first output context token derived from the first input context token, for establishing the context state for the third core;
• first input control logic connected to the first input interface, for controlling the first core to receive the first input context token if the first input request signal and the first input ready signal are asserted with a predetermined synchronous relationship;
• and
• first output control logic connected to the first output interface, for controlling the first core to transmit the first output context token to the third core if the first output request signal and the first output ready signal are asserted with a predetermined synchronous relationship.

A multithreaded data processing system comprising a first core and a second core, the first core comprising an input interface connected to the second core, the input interface including:

• a) an input request connection for asserting an input request signal to the second core;
• b) an input ready connection for receiving an input ready signal asserted by the second core;
• and
• c) an input data connection for receiving from the second core an input context identification token identifying a current context state selected from a plurality of context states in the first core.

A multithreaded data processing system comprising a first core, a second core, and a third core integrated on a chip, the first core comprising:

• a) an input interface connected to the second core, comprising
• a control bus for transmitting a set of first control signals between the first core and the second core, and
• an input data bus for receiving from the second core, upon the assertion of the set of first control signals according to a predetermined protocol an input data token, and
• an input context identification token for establishing a current context state in the first core, the current context state being selected from a plurality of context states stored in the first core;
• b) processing logic connected to the input interface, for generating an output data token from the input data token according to the current context state;
• and
• c) an output interface connected to the third core, comprising
• an output control bus for transmitting a set of second control signals between the first core and the third core, and
• an output data bus connected to the processing logic, for transmitting to the third core, upon the assertion of the set of first control signals according to the predetermined protocol the output data token, and
• an output context identification token derived from the first input context identification token.

A context-flow processing method comprising the steps of:

• a) establishing a core comprising a plurality of interconnected pipestages, the pipestages including
• logic for controlling a flow of data tokens and context identification tokens therethrough, and
• a plurality of distributed multi-context storage units each storing a plurality of context parameters and each responsive to the context identification tokens;
• and
• b) operating a first set of pipestages in a first context specified by a first context identification token present within the first set of pipestages, and concurrently, operating a second set of pipestages in a second context specified by a second context identification token present within the second set of pipestages.

A multi-context storage unit for storing a plurality of context parameters corresponding to a plurality of contexts, the multi-context storage unit comprising:

• a context register bank comprising
• a plurality of context parameter registers for storing the plurality of context parameters, each context parameter register storing a parameter for one of the contexts, the plurality of context parameter registers having a corresponding plurality of inputs connected to an input connection, and a corresponding plurality of outputs;
• and
• a multiplexer having a plurality of multiplexer inputs each connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of context parameter register outputs, for selecting a current context parameter set for transmission to a multiplexer output;
• and
• a context identification register connected to the context register bank, for storing a current context identification token identifying a current context for the context register bank, wherein
• the context identification register is connected to a select line of the multiplexer, for controlling the multiplexer to select the current context parameter set for transmission;
• and
• the context identification register is connected to a load enable line of each of the context parameter registers, for enabling an updating of a current context parameter set in a corresponding context parameter register.