Multiprocessor system with a high performance integrated distributed switch (IDS) controller
Patent 6415424 Issued on July 2, 2002. Estimated Expiration Date: November 9, 2019. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
A data processing system having a modified processor chip and external components to the processor chip. The processor chip is interconnected to the external components via point-to-point bus connections controlled by an integrated distributed switch (IDS) controller. The IDS controller is placed, during chip design, in the upper layer metals of the processor chip. When the data processing system is a multi-chip multiprocessor data processing system, the IDS controller operates to provide a pseudo switching effect whereby the processor is directly connected to each external component. The IDS controller permits the processor to have greater communication bandwidth and reduced latencies with the external components. It also allows for a connection to distributed external components such as memory and I/O, etc. with overall reduced system components.
Other References
Savari ("Capability analysis of distributed switching systems in interprocessor communications", Proceedings of TRICOMM '91, IEEE Conference on Communications Software: Communications for Distributed Applications and Systems, Apr. 18, 1991, pp. 243-256