Patent ID: 7467358
Filing Date: 2008-12-16
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. An asynchronous switch for network on chip applications to transfer a plurality of data packets, wherein the data packet is constructed with one header flit and at least one payload flit, the asynchronous switch comprising: a data input unit for receiving and storing a plurality of data flits, and confirming whether a data flit is the one header flit or the at least one payload flit according to a transmission request signal; an output port arbitration unit for outputting an output port selection signal showing an output priority on receiving a header flit request signal, a final payload flit process request signal, routing information of the header flit, and an arbitration request signal from the data input unit; a data transmission path setting unit for sequentially storing the data flit according to the output priority determined by the output port arbitration unit; and a data output unit which receives a header storage request signal and a payload storage request signal from the data input unit, temporarily stores the data flit inputted from the data transmission path setting unit, transfers header and payload storage completion signals indicating that the data flit is stored to the data input unit, and outputting the temporarily stored data flit to a designated port according to a pre-set order; a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports, which are constructed with a plurality of lower ports and a plurality of upper ports respectively, and wherein the output port arbitration unit comprises a plurality of lower arbitration modules for processing a data flit outputted to a lower output port or an upper output port, and a plurality of upper arbitration modules for processing a data flit outputted to an upper output port, wherein the upper and lower arbitration modules comprise: an arbitration unit for selecting one of a plurality of data to be outputted to the same output port and outputting a response signal in response to the arbitration request signal; a worm hole routing process unit which maintains a pertinent output path until one data packet is outputted to the data output unit, and outputs a control signal for outputting an output port selection signal if a final payload flit process request signal is inputted from the data input unit; and a path setting control unit for outputting the output port selection signal according to a control signal outputted of the worm hole routing process unit and an arbitration request response signal of the arbitration unit.