Patent ID: 8112612

Claim:
A system, comprising: a plurality of processors, each comprising at least one arithmetic logic unit, an instruction processing unit, and a plurality of processor ports; and a plurality of dynamically configurable communication elements, each comprising a plurality communication ports, a first memory, a routing engine, and a crossbar, wherein the plurality of communication ports comprise a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output registers, wherein the crossbar is configured to receive data from one or more of the plurality of input ports and to transmit data to a selected one or more of the plurality of output registers; wherein the plurality of processors and the plurality of dynamically configurable communication elements are coupled together in an interspersed arrangement, wherein the plurality of dynamically configurable communication elements are distinct from said plurality of processors; wherein, for each of the processors, the plurality of processor ports are configured for coupling to a first subset of the plurality of dynamically configurable communication elements; wherein, for each of the dynamically configurable communication elements, the plurality of communication ports comprise a first subset of communication ports configured for coupling to a subset of the plurality of the processors and a second subset of communication ports configured for coupling to a second subset of the plurality of dynamically configurable communication elements; wherein each of the plurality of dynamically configurable communication elements selectively operates in a synchronous data transfer mode or a transparent data transfer mode, wherein, when a first dynamically configurable communication element operates in the synchronous data transfer mode, the first dynamically configurable communication element operates synchronously to a master clock, and wherein, when the first dynamically configurable communication element operates in the transparent data transfer mode, at least a portion of the first dynamically configurable communication element operates without a clock.