Patent ID: 8463977
Filing Date: 2013-06-11
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. Method comprising: using a host peripheral component interface express (PCIe) switch assembly operating in a transparent mode to receive a changing clock signal and PCIe auxiliary signals from a host CPU; using the host PCIe switch assembly to isolate and terminate the auxiliary signals and output a fixed clock signal derived from the changing clock signal; communicating the fixed clock signal to a first target PCIe switch assembly operating in a non-transparent (NT) mode; using the first target PCIe switch assembly to isolate and terminate PCIe auxiliary signals from a first target CPU in a network of target CPUs and to isolate a changing clock signal from the first target CPU; communicating data between the host CPU and first target CPU through the PCIe switch assemblies; allocating a respective memory region of the first target CPU for each other target CPU in the network; using a controller in the first target PCIe switch assembly to combine data packets received from the first target CPU into bursts; and transmitting the bursts to an intended recipient CPU designating register addresses associated with memory of the intended recipient CPU, wherein the host CPU is associated with a top tier in a network of CPUs, the host CPU keeping track of all active target CPUs that are directly connected to the host PCIe switch assembly such that when a target CPU is added or removed from the top tier, the host CPU updates its network topology map and notifies the other directly connected target CPUs which then allocate or de-allocate respective appropriate memory regions, the host CPU also notifying a second tier host CPU in the network of a new network topology map.