Patent ID: 11119873

Abstract:
A processor comprises a plurality of processing units, wherein there is a fixed transmission time for transmitting a message from a sending processing unit to a receiving processing unit, based on the physical positions of the sending and receiving processing units in the processor. The processing units are arranged in a column, and the fixed transmission time depends on the position of a processing circuit in the column. An exchange fabric is provided for exchanging messages between sending and receiving processing units, the columns being arranged with respect to the exchange fabric such that the fixed transmission time depends on the distances of the processing circuits with respect to the exchange fabric. The processor comprises at least one delay stage for each processing circuit and switching circuitry for selectively switching the delay stage into or out of a communication path involved in message exchange. For processing circuits up to a defective processing circuit in the column, the delay stage is switched into the communication path, and for processing circuits above the defective processing circuit in the column, including a repairing processing circuit which repairs the defective processing circuit the delay stage is switched out of the communication path whereby the fixed transmission time of processing circuits is preserved in the event of a repair of the column.