| 摘要 |
Multiple data processing devices may be interconnected through a switching mechanism while simultaneously conveying flow control information over the interconnect. Mechanisms are provided to ensure that the flow of data to and from interconnected devices has completed prior to changing the configuration of the switch. The switch may be a circuit switch, such as a crossbar switch, or a packet switch or a memory. The switch may be a separate device or may be part of either an input section or an output section of a data processing device. The configuration of the switch may be defined by command data loaded from a central controller, host computer, or other device connected to the switch, such as a sending device or a receiving device with a full duplex connection to the switch. The loading of a new configuration in the switch may be controlled by command data from a sending device, receiving device, or host computer, or by a controller that is responsive to a boundary signal transmitted over the interconnect. In a packet switch, a packet is directed to an output port specified in an address field in the packet. The packet switch directs both requests for data and the data between processing devices. In a memory switch, data may be written into or read from different areas of a memory by different devices. Through a separate channel, devices communicate about the information stored into and read from the memory. Switching is performed by a device selecting a memory into which data is written or from which data is read.
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