Transport of PCI-ordered traffic over independent networks
AssigneeQUALCOMM Technologies, Inc.
InventorsPhilippe Boucard, Jean-Jacques Lecler, Philippe Martin, Laurent Moll
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Abstract
A system and method are disclosed for connecting PCI-ordered agents based on fully independent networks. The system and method are free of PCI topology constraints, so that the system and method can be implemented in an inexpensive and scalable way. The method disclosed is used to handle and transport PCI-ordered traffic on a fabric. Based on the actual ordering requirement of the set of PCI agents, the fabric includes two, three, or four independent networks.
Claims28
A system for simplification of interconnecting a fabric using a plurality of networks, the system comprising:
- at least one PCI-ordered agent, wherein the at least one PCI-ordered agent includes an interface to transmit and receive at least one transaction type selected from a transaction group, wherein the transaction group includes posted, non-posted, and completion;
- a first bridge, wherein the first bridge comprises:
- a primary interface in communication with the at least one PCI-ordered agent to transmit and receive the at least one transaction type selected from the transaction group;
- and
- a secondary interface to transmit and receive at least one secondary transaction type selected from a secondary transaction group that includes posted, non-posted, completion and posted completion,
- wherein the posted completion from the secondary transaction group is transmitted by the first bridge on the secondary interface in response to reception of the posted from the transaction group;
- and
- an interconnect fabric communicating with the secondary interface and enabled to transport transactions between the first bridge and a second bridge, wherein fabric ordering is independent of transaction ordering, and
- wherein the first bridge and the second bridge include hazard logic enabled to delay a transmission of a transaction selected from the transaction group based on a reception of posted completion from the secondary transaction group corresponding to previously transmitted posted from the transaction group.
A method of maintaining PCI ordering on an interconnect fabric, the method comprising steps of:
- transmitting a posted completion transaction on the interconnected fabric as a response to receiving a posted transaction;
- delaying the transmission of any one transaction selected from a transaction group based on the reception of the posted completion transaction;
- checking for a new posted transaction;
- checking for a prior posted transaction with dependency ordering;
- and
- delaying a transmission of the new posted transaction until the prior posted transaction is sent and completed as indicated by the posted completion transaction,
- wherein the transaction group includes a posted transaction, a non-posted transaction, and a completion transaction.
A computer system including a memory and a processor to execute a program that models PCI-ordered interconnect fabrics and provides a solution for creating PCI-ordered interconnect fabrics, the program comprising steps of:
- providing a set of PCI-ordered protocols that are supported by the program;
- providing for each PCI-ordered protocol a set of parameters that are supported by the program;
- requesting a selection of at least one agent from a plurality of agents, to connect to an interconnect fabric;
- requesting, for the at least one agent, a selection of a PCI-ordered protocol to connect to the agent, wherein the PCI-ordered protocol is selected from the set of PCI-ordered protocols that are supported by the program;
- requesting, for the at least one agent, an input of a parameter, wherein the parameter is used to connect to the at least one agent, and wherein the parameter is selected, from the set of parameters supported by the program, for the PCI-ordered protocol selected;
- and
- providing, for the agent, a bridge, wherein the bridge is enabled to connect to the agent using the PCI-ordered protocol selected for the at least one agent and the parameter inputted for the at least one agent, and wherein the bridge is enabled to convert the PCI-ordered protocol selected for the at least one agent with the parameters inputted for the at least one agent to a protocol suitable to be carried on independent networks in the interconnect fabric,
- wherein the bridge is enabled to send a posted completion transaction as a response to receiving a posted transaction from the interconnect fabric, and
- wherein the bridge is enabled to delay transactions received from the at least one agent based on the reception of a posted completion transaction from the interconnect fabric.
An apparatus for maintaining PCI ordering on an interconnect fabric, comprising:
- means for transmitting a posted completion transaction on the interconnected fabric as a response to receiving a posted transaction;
- means for delaying the transmission of any one transaction selected from a transaction group based on the reception of the posted completion transaction;
- means for checking for a new posted transaction;
- means for checking for a prior posted transaction with dependency ordering;
- and
- means for delaying a transmission of the new posted transaction until the prior posted transaction is sent and completed as indicated by the posted completion transaction,
- wherein the transaction group includes a posted transaction, a non-posted transaction, and a completion transaction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.