US 9,436,623 B2 · Run-time fabric reconfiguration

Abstract

Methods, apparatus and systems for implementing run-time fabric reconfiguration are described herein. In accordance with one aspect, techniques are disclosed for implementing run-time fabric reconfiguration on a System on a Chip (SoC) via use of multiple endpoint fabric interfaces having routing logic that is dynamically reconfigured at run-time by a fabric control unit in response to system-state changes. The endpoint fabric interfaces may be coupled to or integrated in IP blocks that are coupled to a switch fabric, or may be implemented in the switch fabric itself. The run-time fabric reconfiguration techniques may be implemented to for various purposes and/or to address various events, such as node failures, security events, IP or design bugs, feature prototyping, and virtualization.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A System on a Chip (SoC), comprising:

a semiconductor chip, having integrated thereon,
a switch fabric;
a plurality of endpoint fabric interfaces, each coupled to the switch fabric or integrated in the switch fabric;
a plurality of Intellection Property (IP) blocks, each coupled to a respective endpoint fabric interface or having an endpoint fabric interface integrated therein;
and
a fabric controller, operatively coupled to the switch fabric and communicatively coupled to the plurality of endpoint fabric interfaces,
wherein each endpoint fabric interface includes a routing unit configured to hold a routing table and routing rules, and wherein the fabric controller is configured to at least one of update the routing table or routing rules for one or more of the endpoint fabric interfaces in response to detection of a system-state change event.

4 more elements

A computing device, comprising:

a main board, enclosed within a chassis;
an input/output (TO) device, mounted to the main board;
a System on a Chip (SoC), operatively coupled to the main board, comprising,
a semiconductor chip, having integrated thereon,
a switch fabric;
a plurality of endpoint fabric interfaces, communicatively coupled to the switch fabric;
a plurality of Intellectual Property (IP) blocks, each comprising a block of logic circuitry embedded in the semiconductor chip that is coupled to a respective endpoint fabric interface or having an endpoint fabric interface integrated therein;
and
a fabric controller, operatively coupled to the switch fabric and communicatively coupled to the plurality of endpoint fabric interfaces,
wherein each endpoint fabric interface includes a routing unit having a routing table and routing rules, wherein the fabric controller is configured to update at least one of the routing table or routing rules for one or more of the endpoint fabric interfaces in response to detection of a system-state change event, and wherein one of the plurality of IP blocks comprises an IO interface configured to facilitate communication between the SoC and the IO device when the computing device is operating.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Run-time fabric reconfiguration

Life of this patent

Run-time fabric reconfiguration

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16