Configurable mesh data bus in an island-based network flow processor

摘要

An island-based network flow processor (IB-NFP) integrated circuit includes rectangular islands disposed in rows. A configurable mesh data bus includes a command mesh, a pull-id mesh, and two data meshes. The configurable mesh data bus extends through all the islands. For each mesh, each island includes a centrally located crossbar switch and eight half links. Two half links extend to ports on the top edge of the island, a half link extends to a port on a right edge of the island, two half links extend to ports on the bottom edge of the island, and a half link extents to a port on the left edge of the island. Two additional links extend to functional circuitry of the island. The configurable mesh data bus is configurable to form a command/push/pull data bus over which multiple transactions can occur simultaneously on different parts of the integrated circuit.

主权项

1. An integrated circuit comprising:
a command mesh comprising:
a first crossbar switch CB1 that is located centrally within a first rectangular island I1, a second crossbar switch CB2 that is located centrally within a second rectangular island I2, a third crossbar switch CB3 that is located centrally within a third rectangular island I3, wherein the first and the second island are disposed in a first row along a horizontal dimension, and wherein the third island is disposed in a second row that extends from the first row along a vertical dimension; anda first link L1 that extends in a substantially straight line between CB1 and CB2, a second link L2 that extends in a substantially straight line between CB1 and CB3, a third link L3 that extends in a substantially straight line between CB2 and CB3, wherein L1, L2 and L3 form an isosceles triangle.