1st Edition

Design of Cost-Efficient Interconnect Processing Units Spidergon STNoC

    288 Pages 86 B/W Illustrations
    by CRC Press

    Streamlined Design Solutions Specifically for NoC
    To solve critical network-on-chip (NoC) architecture and design problems related to structure, performance and modularity, engineers generally rely on guidance from the abundance of literature about better-understood system-level interconnection networks. However, on-chip networks present several distinct challenges that require novel and specialized solutions not found in the tried-and-true system-level techniques.

    A Balanced Analysis of NoC Architecture
    As the first detailed description of the commercial Spidergon STNoC architecture, Design of Cost-Efficient Interconnect Processing Units: Spidergon STNoC examines the highly regarded, cost-cutting technology that is set to replace well-known shared bus architectures, such as STBus, for demanding multiprocessor system-on-chip (SoC) applications. Employing a balanced, well-organized structure, simple teaching methods, numerous illustrations, and easy-to-understand examples, the authors explain:

    • how the SoC and NoC technology works
    • why developers designed it the way they did
    • the system-level design methodology and tools used to configure the Spidergon STNoC architecture
    • differences in cost structure between NoCs and system-level networks

    From professionals in computer sciences, electrical engineering, and other related fields, to semiconductor vendors and investors – all readers will appreciate the encyclopedic treatment of background NoC information ranging from CMPs to the basics of interconnection networks. The text introduces innovative system-level design methodology and tools for efficient design space exploration and topology selection. It also provides a wealth of key theoretical and practical MPSoC and NoC topics, such as technological deep sub-micron effects, homogeneous and heterogeneous processor architectures, multicore SoC, interconnect processing units, generic NoC components, and embeddings of common communication patterns.

    Towards Multicores: Technology and Software Complexity

    Multicore Architecture, Algorithms and Applications

    Complexity in Embedded Software

    Technological Issues in Multicore Architectures

    On-Chip Bus vs Network-on-Chip

    Transition from On-Chip Bus to Network-on-Chip

    Popular SoC Buses

    Existing NoC Architectures

    NoC Topology

    On-chip Network topology

    Multistage Interconnection Networks

    Mesh and Torus

    Chordal Rings

    Other Constant Degree Topologies

    The Spidergon STNoC Topology

    Comparisons based on Topology Metrics

    The Spidergon STNoC

    Spidergon STNoC Interconnect Processing Unit

    Switching Strategy

    Communication Layering and Packet Structure

    Routing Algorithms

    Livelock, Starvation, and Deadlock

    Protocol Deadlock Avoidance in Spidergon STNoC

    Spidergon STNoC Building Blocks

    Tile-based Architecture

    SoC and NoC Design Methodology and Tools

    SoC Design Methodology and Tools

    NoC Design Methodology and Tools

    The On-Chip Communication Network (OCCN)

    Conclusions and Future Work

    Enhanced IPU Programmability Portfolio

    IPU Physical Design

    IPU Design Tools

    IPU Design and Verification Methodology

    Biography

    Marcello Coppola (STMicroelectronics, Grenoble, France) (Author) ,  Miltos D. Grammatikakis (ISD SA, Heraklion, Greece) (Author) ,  Riccardo Locatelli (STMicroelectronics, Grenoble Cedex, France) (Author) ,  Giuseppe Maruccia (STMicroelectronics, Grenoble, France) (Author) ,  Lorenzo Pieralisi (STMicroelectronics, Grenoble, France) (Author)