Patent ID: 7913010
Filing Date: 2011-03-22
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A network on chip (‘NOC’) comprising: integrated processor (‘IP’) blocks, a single data communications bus, memory communications controllers, and bus interface controllers; each IP block adapted to the single data communications bus through a memory communications controller and a bus interface controller; each memory communications controller, in conjunction with one of the bus interface controllers, controlling memory addressed communications between an IP block and memory; each memory communications controller, in conjunction with one of the bus interface controllers, controlling memory addressed communications between one of the IP blocks and other IP blocks; each IP block adapted to the single data communications bus by a low latency, high bandwidth application messaging interconnect comprising an inbox and an outbox; wherein the single data communications bus forms a network coupling IP blocks for data communications among one another and the NOC further comprises no other network coupling IP blocks for data communications among one another; wherein all communications messaging among IP blocks are memory addressed including messaging from one IP block to another IP block; wherein each outbox comprises an array indexed by an outbox write pointer and an outbox read pointer, the outbox further comprising an outbox message controller enabled to set the outbox write pointer, set the outbox read pointer, and send to the memory communications controller message data written into the array by a thread of execution associated with the outbox; and wherein each inbox comprises an array indexed by an inbox write pointer and an inbox read pointer, the inbox further comprising an inbox message controller enabled to set the inbox write pointer, set the inbox read pointer, receive from the memory communications controller message data from another outbox of another IP block, and provide to a thread of execution associated with the inbox the message data.