Programmable crossbar structures in asynchronous systems
AssigneeAchronix Semiconductor Corporation
InventorsVirantha Ekanayake, Clinton W. Kelly, Rajit Manohar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods, systems, and circuits for forming and operating a crossbar structure in an asynchronous system are described. One or more input ports of a programmable crossbar structure may be connected to send data to one or more output ports. A group of output ports each receiving data from an input port may be connected to send, in response, control signals via a programmable element to the input port. The number of programmable elements used may be determined by the number of input ports being copied to more than one output port. Additional methods, systems, and circuits are disclosed.
Claims23
A circuit comprising:
- An asynchronous programmable crossbar structure comprising a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports, one or more of the plurality of input ports to be programmably connected to send data to at least one output port of the plurality of output ports;
- and
- a group of output ports, each capable of receiving data from an input port, to be programmably connected to send, responsive thereto, control signals via a programmable element to the input port, and a number of programmable elements used being determined based on a number of input ports being copied to more than one output port.
A method comprising:
- programmably connecting one or more of a plurality of input ports to at least one output port of a plurality of output ports to send data to the at least one output port at an asynchronous crossbar;
- and
- programmably connecting a group of the plurality of output ports, each receiving data from an input port, to send control signals via a programmable element to the input port in response to receiving the data, and a number of programmable elements used to be determined based on a number of input ports being copied to more than one output port.
An asynchronous crossbar circuit comprising:
- a plurality of first multiplexer elements each programmably connecting at least some of a plurality of input ports to at least some of a plurality of output ports;
- and
- a plurality of programmable completion detection elements each having a number of inputs and each receiving a control signal from at least some output ports of a group of output ports of the plurality of output ports, an output of at least some of the plurality of programmable completion detection elements connected to an input port, the control signal to acknowledge receipt of data from one of the plurality of input ports by the at least some output ports.
An asynchronous integrated circuit comprising:
- a plurality of logic blocks;
- a plurality of tracks to interconnect the logic blocks;
- and
- a programmable crossbar structure comprising a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports each coupled to a track of the plurality of tracks, one or more of the plurality of input ports programmably connectible to send data to at least one output port of the plurality of output ports and a group of output ports, each output of the group of output ports that receives data from an input port, to be connected to send, responsive thereto, control signals via a programmable element to the input port.
A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions, which when executed by a machine cause the machine to perform a method, the method comprising:
- programmably connecting one or more of a plurality of input ports to at least one output port of a plurality of output ports to send data to the at least one output port at an asynchronous crossbar;
- and
- programmably connecting a group of the plurality of output ports, each receiving data from an input port, to send control signals via a programmable element to the input port in response to receiving the data, a number of programmable elements used to be determined based on a number of input ports being copied to more than one output port.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.