Abstract:
An allocation controller providing for equal priority sharing of multiple resources by a plurality of central processing units. Conflicts resulting from simultaneous requests from several CPUs for access to one of the common resources are resolved at a high rate of speed. In addition, an approximately statistically equal probability is maintained for access of the common resource by all the central processing units.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is related to co-pending U.S. Patent applications Ser. Nos. 163,044; 163,045; 163,046; 163,047; and 163,049, all assigned to the same assignee. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) Field of the Invention 
     The present invention pertains to multicentral processing unit controlled real time systems and more particularly to an allocation scheme for resolving conflicting requests from a plurality of central processing units for access to multiple commonly shared resources. 
     (2) Description of the Prior Art 
     Computer control has been applied to a vast number of real time process control systems. For example, central processing units (CPUs) control the real time switching operation in modern telephone central offices. Historically, large CPUs have been developed to provide the control function for large telephone central offices. 
     In more recent times, large central processing units have given way to distributed processing schemes. In such schemes, numbers of smaller central processing units cooperate to perform the control functions, thereby increasing the overall flexibility of such a system and providing for modular expansion. In the telephone central office example, many smaller central processor units working together can handle telephone traffic more efficiently and economically than a single large central processing unit. Microprocessor CPUs are specially suited to such an operation. 
     In distributed processing systems where there are a number of central processing units, CPUs may typically exchange information in order to perform one overall task. One solution to the information exchange problem is to have two CPUs talk directly to one another. In such a configuration, each CPU must stop any other tasks which it may be performing, establish a direct link via a defined protocol scheme and then transmit the required information. 
     In another solution, the CPUs may asynchronously place information in a predefined resource, so that the CPU which is to receive the information may remove it at its own particular available time. In sharing a common resource, a problem of allocation of the resource to a particular CPU arises. That is, a number of CPUs may request to deposit or retrieve information simultaneously. Therefore, conflicts in accessing the resource arise and these conflicts of access must be resolved. Previous access schemes involved scanning signals for request or allocating certain time slots in which each processor may access the resource. Such systems are time consuming and inefficient and further they allow monopolization of the resource by a particular CPU of the group. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an allocation controller for providing equal priority sharing of multiple common resources by a plurality of CPUs. 
     It is a further important objective of the present invention to provide such a controller which prohibits monopolization of any common resource by a particular CPU. 
     It is another important objective of the present invention to provide for the arbitration of simultaneous access by CPUs at a very rapid rate in order to allow an efficient information exchange. 
     It is another important objective of the present invention to provide for an approximately statistically equal probability of each CPU for obtaining access to the resource. 
     It is another important objective of the present invention to provide an allocation controller which may grow in the number of CPUs, which are subject to control, in an efficient and economical manner. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention comprises an allocation controller providing for equal priority sharing of multiple common resources by a large plurality of CPUs. These CPUs communicate with one another by transmitting information asynchronously to the common resource and retrieving information deposited therein by the other CPUs. One resource can operate with only one CPU at one time. Due to the large number of CPUs employed and physical limitations, the CPUs are arranged in three groups. Each CPU group has a memory unit primarily associated with it. Primarily, a CPU communicates with the memory unit in its group, but any CPU may transfer data to any memory unit. Thereby, conflicts arise between CPUs within a group and also between CPUs of differing groups. These conflicts are resolved at three different levels. Two levels of conflict are resolved within a group and one level resolves inter-group conflicts. 
     Each CPU is connected to a corresponding arbitration circuit (first level of conflict resolution) and the connections between each CPU and its corresponding arbitration circuit each comprise a tri-state bus arrangement. Each first level arbitration circuit is connected to a group resource via a common tri-state bus. A second level of conflict is resolved within the group in order to allocate control to one processor within the group. 
     The means of second level conflict resolution is connected to a second arbitration circuit (third level of conflict resolution) and the second arbitration circuit is connected to the resource of the group via tri-state bus. Each second arbitration circuit is further connected to the second arbitration circuit of each of the other groups thereby forming a ring connection of the second arbitration circuits for the transmission of data and control. 
     Due to the large number of CPUs in the configuration, each group of CPUs and corresponding first level arbitration circuit is divided into two subgroups. As a result there are three groups each having two subgroups for a total of six subgroups. The first level of conflict resolution is controlled within the subgroup by the first level arbitration circuits. In each subgroup, each arbitration circuit is connected to the next successive arbitration circuit, with the last arbitration circuit being connected to the first, thereby forming a ring connection for each of the two subgroups of arbitration circuits. An initialization signal is applied to the initial first level arbitration circuit of each subgroup nd a bus available signal is derived from it and is propagated along each ring connection of first level arbitration circuits in a circular of fashion. When a CPU requests an access to the common resource, a signal is transmitted via the tri-state bus between the CPU and the arbitration circuit. Since the bus available signal moves along each subgroup&#39;s completed ring connection at a high rate of speed, in a very short time the bus available signal will enter the logic of the arbitration circuit corresponding to the CPU which has made the common resource request. The signals are analyzed by the arbitration circuit and transmitted to a subgroup switching circuit. Since one CPU has requested resource access, the switching circuit will automatically enable the requesting CPU to access the common tri-state bus connected to the resource. The CPU then proceeds with the information exchange and other CPUs must wait. 
     When two or more CPUs of one subgroup simultaneously request access to a common resource, the next CPU which has an active common resource request and sequentially obtains the bus available signal will gain control of the common resource. The bus available signal travels at a high rate of speed slowed only by a single gate propagation time, if no requests for the common resource are active. The probability of any CPU gaining access to the common resource is statistically equal to that of any other CPU. Each CPU is alowed only one access cycle to the common resource and then must relinquish control of the resource. In this way, one CPU is prohibited from monopolizing the resource for a long period of time. 
     When two CPUs located in the different subgroups simultaneously request access to a common resource, the arbitration of this conflicts is resolved by the subgroup switching circuit of each group. The essence of this subgroup switching circuit is to operate when CPUs in two different subgroups simultaneously request access to the same resource, to choose one or the other. The subgroup switching circuit alternates its selection at a high rate of speed so the choice is nearly random. If only one CPU requests, the switching circuit need not choose and simply allocates the resource. When the circuit must choose, the periodic pulses of an input clock signal provide the selection of which subgroup has first access. Access is then alternately allocated. 
     After the completion of one access cycle to the common resource, the other CPUs of each subgroup will sequentially be granted the access to the resource. If other CPUs have active requests, they will be serviced in a sequential fashion similar to that as described above. 
     While one CPU of one subgroup is accessing the resource, and if no other CPUs of that subgroup have active resource request signals, the bus available signal will propagate along the ring connection of each group and back to the CPU which is currently accessing the resource. The propagation of the bus available signal will not be halted, because other resource request signals in each subgroup may have become active in the intervening propagation time. Therefore, the each arbitration circuit will re-propagate the bus available signal, so that the next active resource request signal of each subgroup can be established simultaneously with the processing of the current resource access. In addition, this scheme of re-propagating the bus available signal prevents a particular CPU from making two consecutive resource accesses. 
     In each subgroup if the bus available signal returns to the arbitration circuit making a resource access, a take grant signal is generated to automatically allow the next sequential arbitration circuit of each subgroup to access the resource if it has an active request. This take grant signal is important when no other CPUs have an active request because it prevents one arbitration circuit from multiple consecutive accesses and distributes determination of which is the next available resource request in the subgroup to be given access on a rotational basis. This scheme keeps resource access equal when CPU requests are few and sporadic. 
     Optionally, each arbitration circuit of each subgroup provides its associated CPU with the ability to hold the access of the resource for more than one cycle. 
     Conflicts within a group are resolved via the first level arbitration circuits and subgroup switching circuits located in each group. When a conflict arises between CPUs of different groups, a third level of conflict resolution is required. Second level arbitration circuits provide this required control. Each group has a second level arbitration circuit which is connected to the second level arbitration circuit of the next sequential group, with the last group&#39;s second level arbitration circuit connected to the first group&#39;s second level arbitration circuit. 
     At a particular time each CPU group has only one CPU selected for an access to one of the common resources. When more than one group has an active resource request, this conflict is resolved by means of the interconnection of second level arbitration circuits. This interconnection forms a ring connection analogous to the ring connections of each subgroup of first level arbitration. An input signal is transmitted to the first group. This signal indicates which group has highest priority, which group has intermediate priority and which group has lowest priority. The priority assignment rotates upon every cycle of the system&#39;s clock. 
     The CPU group having highest priority has control of all the system&#39;s buses and can access the resource of its own group or that of any of the other groups. The access occurs and all other CPUs must wait. At the next cycle of the system clock, the group which had been intermediate priority becomes highest priority, the group which was lowest priority becomes intermediate priority and the group which was highest priority becomes lowest priority, etc. This rotation of priority occurs at each clock cycle at a high rate of speed, so that the control for accessing the resources is approximately equally shared among the CPU groups. 
     In the above manner, the conflicts among CPUs for access to the resources, are resolved first, within the subgroup via the first arbitration circuits, second between subgroups of a particular group via the subgroup switching circuit and third between groups via the second arbitration circuits. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an allocation controller providing for access of multiple common resources by a plurality of central processing units. FIG. is to be taken together with FIGS. 2A &amp; 2B. 
     FIGS. 2A and 2B comprise a block diagram of arbitration control for a particular group of CPUs as shown in FIG. 1 without depicting the second level arbitration circuits of FIG. 1. FIGS. 2A and 2B are to be placed side by side with FIG. 2A on the left and FIG. 2B on the right. 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram embodying of the principles of operation of a first level arbitration circuit as shown by FIGS. 1 and 2A and 2B. 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a subgroup switching circuit as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B. 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the second level arbitration circuits as shown in FIG. 1. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a block diagram of an allocation controller providing for access of multiple common resources by a plurality of central processing units (CPUs) is shown in duplex form. The present application teaches simplex allocation control only as shown by all the unprimed block symbols. Duplex allocation control is taught in co-pending sister application Ser. No. 163,047. Therefore, this application will deal only with the unprimed block symbols shown in FIGS. 1, 2A and 2B. 
     Three CPU groups each including a memory are shown (group A comprising CPUs 0-31 and memory A; group B comprising CPUs 32-63 and memory B; and group C comprising CPUs 64-95 and memory C). Each central processing unit is connected via a tri-state bus to a first level arbitration circuit, that is, CPU 0 is connected via tri-state bus in the first level arbitration circuit 0. All first level arbitration circuits of each group are further connected via a tri-state bus through a subgroup switching circuit (not shown) to a second level arbitration circuit. The second level arbitration circuit is connected to the corresponding memory of the group. 
     Second level arbitration circuit 0 is connected via tri-state bus arrangement to second level arbitration circuit 1 and second level arbitration circuit 1 is connected to second level arbitration circuit 2 which in turn is connected to second level arbitration 0. Thereby, any CPU is allowed access to any memory unit A, B, or C. 
     An example served to illustrate. CPU 0 makes a memory access request to memory unit A. First level arbitration circuits 0-31 determine that CPU 0 is to be given priority, since its the only active request in group A. A signal is transmitted between each subgroup of first level arbitration circuits within a group. This signal grants priority of access from each subgroup on a rotational basis among its respective CPUs. Next, CPU 0 request is gated through group A&#39;s subgroup switching circuit to the second level arbitration circuit 0. A signal is transmitted along the ring connection of second level arbitration circuits 0-2. At each cycle of the system clock the second level arbitration circuits have an ordered priority of access to the memories A-C. For example, at a particular clock cycle second level arbitration circuit 0 will have the highest priority, second level arbitration circuit 1 has next priority and second level arbitration circuit 2 has lowest priority. Control of the memories is always allocated to the group having highest priority. At each clock cycle the priority of each group is changed on a rotational basis. That is, the second level arbitration circuit which was next priority now becomes highest priority, the lowest priority becomes next priority and the previous highest priority becomes the lowest priority. 
     The second level arbitration circuit having highest priority will allocate control for one clock cycle to the requesting CPU which had been connected via the tri-state busing arrangement to the particular second level arbitration circuit. Next, the memory access occurs (memory is read from or written). On the next clock cycle the priority between second level arbitration circuit change and another CPU has control to access any memory unit A-C. 
     When 2 or more CPUs within a group request memory access the resolution of this conflict is accomplished as described below. When 2 or more CPUs in different groups request access to any of the memories, the group whose second level arbitration circuit has highest priority is allowed access first. The second level arbitration circuit which is presently of highest priority is able to access any memory unit A-C via the tri-state buses. In this way information can be exchanged between any 2 processing units such as CPU 0 and CPU 95. 
     Each second level arbitration circuit becomes highest priority in a sequential fashion. The operation of the elements within a CPU group will be discussed for one group and it should be understood that all three groups function similarly. 
     Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, each central processing unit (CPU) 0-15 and 16-31 is shown connected via a tri-state bus to a corresponding arbitration circuit 0-15 and 16-31. Due to physical constraints, CPUs 0-15 comprise one subgroup and CPUs 16-31 comprise another subgroup. Each arbitration circuit 0-15 and 16-31 is in turn connected via common tri-state bus and a second level arbitration circuit (not shown) to memory unit A via subgroup switching circuit A. Arbitration circuit 0 is connected to arbitration circuit 1 with arbitration circuit 1 being connected to the last arbitration circuit of the subgroup 15 and the last arbitration circuit 15 connected back again to arbitration circuit 0, thereby forming a completed ring connection. Similarly, arbitration circuit 16 is connected to arbitration circuit 17 with arbitration circuit 17 being connected to the last arbitration circuit of the subgroup 31 and the last arbitration circuit 31 is connected back again to arbitration circuit 16. The number of arbitration circuits is in direct relation to the number of CPUs in the configuration. 
     The configuration of each group may contain as many as 32 central processing units (each may comprise an INTEL 8086 or similar device) and therefore, 32 arbitration circuits. The number of CPUs is expandable from 2 to a total of 32 in this implementation. As a practical matter, at least two CPUs one from each subgroup are required for the function of telephone central office switching. 
     When an initialization signal is applied to arbitration circuits 0 and 16, two parallel bus available signals are derived and propagated along to each successive arbitration circuit of the subgroup ultimately returning to arbitration circuits 0 and 16 respectively where they are again propagated. When for example, CPU 0 requests access to memory A, arbitration circuit 0 receives a request signal via its bus. And as the bus available signal is propagating through the logic of arbitration circuit 0, arbitration circuit 0 will temporarily block the propagation of the bus available signal. Since only CPU 0 is active, CPU 0 will have its request transmitted through subgroup switching circuit A and second level arbitration circuit 0 (not shown) and will obtain control of the common bus between the arbitration circuits and memory A and can access memory A. CPU 0 then performs a memory access of a duration of one memory cycle while simultaneously re-propagating the bus available signal to the next sequential arbitration circuit 1. The operation is analogous for CPU 16 accessing memory A via arbitration circuit 16, subgroup switching circuit A and second arbitration circuit 0. 
     The bus available signal travels along each ring connection of arbitration circuits 0-15 and 16-31 at a relatively high rate of speed, so that the probability of each CPU gaining access to memory A is relatively equal among the CPUs of group A. Each arbitration circuit slows the propagation of the bus available signal only by the time required to propagate this signal through a high speed gating arrangement. 
     When two or more CPUs of one subgroup simultaneously request access to memory A, a conflict situation arises. This conflict is arbitrated by means of the ring connection of arbitration circuits. The bus available signal propagates to the next sequential arbitration circuit of the subgroup. If that arbitration circuit has an active request for access to memory A, the CPU associated with this arbitration circuit is then given control of the bus enabling the memory transfer to occur. 
     During this time, the bus available signal is re-propagated to the next succeeding arbitration circuit of the subgroup so that a second CPU may simultaneously establish itself as the next CPU to obtain access to the resource. This arbitration occurs sequentially as described above until all outstanding requests within CPU group A have been serviced. 
     When a particular CPU has been granted access to memory A, the bus available signal will be re-propagated by its corresponding arbitration circuit. Other active CPUs will have the opportunity to establish a priority for service before a memory request will be granted to the same CPU. If the bus available signal returns to the arbitration circuit presently in control of the memory, a grant signal will automatically pass control of the grant of access to the next sequential arbitration circuit. Thereby, a particular CPU does not utilize its arbitration circuit to monopolize access to memory A. 
     When two CPUs located in different subgroups of group A, of example CPU 0 and CPU 16, simultaneously request access to the memory A, arbitration of this conflict is resolved by subgroup switching circuit A. Switching circuit A operates to select CPU 0 or 16 randomly and then alternates access to memory A from one subgroup to the other subgroup, for example first CPU 0, next CPU 16, next CPU 1, next CPU 17, etc. If only one CPU is requesting, switching circuit A simply allocates memory A to that CPU. When switching circuit A must choose between CPUs of different subgroups, the initial choice is established by a periodic pulse input signal selecting one group. Access is then alternately allocated between groups. 
     However, optionally a CPU may lockout all other CPUs for more than one memory cycle. Such conditions are limited and closely monitored. 
     Referring now to FIG. 3, a schematic diagram of three first level arbitration circuits of one subgroup is shown of a particular group. These circuits correspond to a first, a second and a last arbitration circuits. A particular implementation may include up to 16 arbitration circuits per subgroup, one for each CPU equipped in the configuration. Thereby, a maximum configuration of 32 CPUs and 32 arbitration circuits is possible. 
     Each arbitration circuit includes a gating arrangment composed of an AND-OR gate 200, which may be implemented via an integrated circuit part number 74S51 or similar device. A circular ring connection of gates 200, 210, etc. propagates the bus-avail signal from one arbitration circuit to the next at a relatively high rate of speed so that the signal is not inhibited by any single arbitration circuit for a substantial period of time. 
     D-Type flip-flop 201, 211 and 351 are each connected between a respective CPU and its respective arbitration logic. Gates 201, etc. may be implemented via integrated circuit part number 74S74. JK flip-flop 204, 214, etc. are each connected between their corresponding D-type flip-flops 201, 211, etc. and their corresponding AND-OR gate 200, 210, etc. 
     As a portion of the system clear and initialization, CPU 0 or CPU 16 pulses the reset lead which is connected to JK flip-flops 204, 214, etc. As a result the bus-avail signal is generated through AND-OR gate 200 and propagates along the ring connection to AND-OR gate 210, 350 and back again to gate 200. A 12 MHZ clock signal, from a clock (not shown), is transmitted to all flip-flops (D-type and JK) via the CLK lead to operate each of these flip-flops. 
     An example will best serve to illustrate the granting of control of the common bus to a particular CPU. When, for example, CPU 0 signals via the reset lead, flip-flop 204 is preset enabling gate 200 to transmit the bus available signal via the bus-avail lead to each successive gate 210, etc. When CPU 0 requests access to the common memory, CPU 0 raises the SEL0 lead via the bus connected between CPU 0 and arbitration circuit 0. At the next clock cycle, the clock signal via the CLK lead is transmitted to flip-flop 201 which becomes set and the Q output of this flip-flop temporarily disables gate 200 from further passing the bus-avail signal. The Q output of flip-flop 201 is passed through gates 202 and 203 and sets flip-flop 204, which causes it to toggle and produce a signal on the grant 0 lead and simultaneously enables gate 205. The grant 0 lead is returned to CPUs 0 and this signal also enables tri-state elements (not shown), gating CPU 0 bus onto the common bus of memory A. While this memory access takes place, the bus available signal is re-propagated via the output of JK flip-flop 204 through the lower portion of gate 200, so that the successive arbitration circuits may establish their respective priority for the memory access. 
     If the bus available signal returns to arbitration circuit 0 via the bus-avail lead while the access is in progress, the grant signal is transmitted via the take-grant lead automatically to the next sequential arbitration circuit 1, so that if SEL1 is set, CPU 1 access requests will be given the grant on the next clock cycle. This scheme distributes determination of which is the next available memory request to be given access on a rotational basis; and this scheme further keeps memory access equal when CPU access requests are sporadic. In this way, a CPU may not make successive memory requests. 
     CPU 0 may now completes its data transfer to memory A. If another arbitration circuit has established its priority, that arbitration circuit will receive control of the common bus next. In this way, while one CPU is accessing memory, the next CPU is establishing its priority for service. 
     All buses are bidirectional and each directional link includes tri-state bus drivers which may be implemented via integrated circuit part number 74LS245. All above mentioned integrated circuits are manufactured by Texas Instruments Incorporated and various other manufacturers. 
     The CPU having the memory access grant may signal via the lock lead (normally high) to halt the re-propagation of the bus available signal and thereby hold memory access for longer than one cycle. This optional use is a rare circumstance and is closely monitored by the CPUs. 
     Referring to FIG. 4, a schematic diagram of subgroup switching circuit A of FIG. 2A is shown. J-K flip-flop 370 is connected via the CLK lead to clock (not shown) of a PROM memory module providing an 12 MHZ cycle clock signal, flip-flop 370 is further connected to each of AND-OR gates 380 and 381 and D-type flip-flops 382 and 383. If, for example, a CPU of subgroup A is the only one requesting, the upper AND gate of gate 380 is enabled and the CPU of subgroup A has its tri-state bus (not shown) enabled to access memory A. 
     When two CPUs, one from each subgroup, simultaneously request access to the memory, the upper portion of gate 380 and lower portion of gate 381 are disabled. On the next clock cycle via the CLK lead, flip-flop 370 will toggle to enable the lower portion of gate 380 or the upper portion of gate 381, thereby selecting subgroup A or B respectively. Flip-flops 382 and 383 provide an indication to flip-flop 370 of which subgroup was selected last. Only one subgroup is enabled to access memory and on the next clock cycle the remaining subgroup is enabled. 
     Referring now to FIG. 5, second level arbitration circuits 0-2 are shown. The three second level arbitration circuits are shown. The second level arbitration circuit 0 of FIG. 1 includes selector A and flip-flop A as shown in FIG. 5. Second level arbitration circuit 1 includes selector B and flip-flop B and second level arbitration circuit 2 includes selector C and flip-flop C. Each second level arbitration circut is connected to each subgroup switching circuit via the group request and group enable leads. 
     When only 1 subgroup of a group has a request, is it assigned control of the bus and corresponding memory as described above. However, when subgroups of more than 1 group have competing requests for memory, at each cycle of the system clock a pulse is transmitted on the CLK lead to each of the flip-flops A, B and C. When the system is initializated CPU 0 pulses the INPUT lead of flip-flop A. Thereby, the Q output of flip-flop A takes on the value logic &#34;1&#34;. If the input and Q output of flip-flop A are considered together the resulting bit pattern will be seen to be a &#34;01&#34;, this is the highest priority bit pattern. The second level arbitration circuit having the bit pattern &#34;01&#34; will be allowed access to any of the systems memory units A-C. That is, in response to a request from group 0, selector A will recognize that it is the highest priority and thereby, grant the group 0 enable signal to the subgroup switching circuit. The subgroup switching circuit will then give a subgroup enable to either subgroup 0 or subgroup 1 as described above. 
     At the next clock cycle the CLK lead is pulsed and flip-flop B now has a pulse supplied to its input and as a result its Q output becomes logic &#34;1&#34;. Therefore looking at its input and output leads respectively the bit pattern &#34;01&#34; is seen by selector B and therefore second level arbitration circuit 1 is now the highest priority. At the same time flip-flop A has now taken on the value logic &#34;00&#34; and flip-flop C has taken on the value of logic &#34;10&#34;. One of the subgroups associated with group 1 will now be allowed priority to access one of the memory units group 2 has the next priority and group 0 now has the lowest priority. At each clock cycle the priority will shift rotationally as described above. That is, on the next clock cycle group 2 will become highest priority, group 0 will become the next priority and group 1 will become the lowest priority. 
     Selectors A, B and C may comprise integrated circuits part number 74S153 manufactured by the Texas Instruments Corporation. 
     Although the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated, and that form described in detail, it will be readily appparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.