摘要:
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that electronically aligns pads on different semiconductor chips to facilitate communication between the semiconductor chips through capacitive coupling. The system operates by measuring an alignment between a first chip and a second chip, wherein the first chip is situated face-to-face with the second chip so that transmitter pads on the first chip are capacitively coupled with receiver pads on the second chip. Next, the system uses the measured alignment to associate transmitter pads on the first chip with proximate receiver pads on the second chip. The system then selectively routes data signals to transmitter pads on the first chip so that the data signals are communicated through capacitive coupling to intended receiver pads in the second chip that are proximate to the transmitter pads.
摘要:
In certain systems where a series of stages are employed, it is desirable to control the action of a stage without possibility of interference form adjacent stages. A circuit of linked mutual exclusion elements is described which renders inactive the stages adjacent to an active stage, or inhibits action in a stage if any of its neighbors is active. This ensures that the stages adjacent to an active stage remain inactive, thereby avoiding problems associated with input events changing while an adjacent stage is active.
摘要:
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates asynchronously routing data within a circuit. This system includes a data destination horn, for routing data from a trunk line to a plurality of destinations. This data destination horn includes a plurality of one-to-many switching elements organized into a tree of at least one level that fans out from the trunk line to the plurality of destinations. It also includes a plurality of memory elements for storing data in transit between the plurality of one-to-many switching elements. An asynchronous control structure is coupled to the data destination horn, and is configured to control the propagation of data through the data destination horn, so that when a given data item appears at an input of a memory element, the given data item is asynchronously latched into the memory element as soon space becomes available in the memory element without having to wait for a clock signal. One embodiment of the present invention additionally includes a data source funnel, for routing data from a plurality of sources into the trunk line. This data source funnel includes a plurality of many-to-one switching elements organized into a tree of at least one level that fans in from the plurality of sources to into the trunk line. It also includes a plurality of funnel memory elements for storing data in transit between the plurality of many-to-one switching elements. Moreover, the asynchronous control structure is additionally configured to control propagation of data through the data source funnel.
摘要:
A computer system is described in which control of the flow of data items in one pipeline is achieved using the values of control elements in another pipeline. Typically, each pipeline includes elements known as “places” and “paths,” and the pipelines have special connections between them by which the data present in a place in a first pipeline can be used to control the disposition of data in the second pipeline. For example, the first pipeline can control the second pipeline to enable the addition, deletion, or steering of data items in the second pipeline.
摘要:
A layered counterflow pipeline structure is described in which sub-tasks performed at each stage in a counterflow pipeline processor are separated into different layers. As words flow through the counterflow pipeline processor, they are divided into partial words which are supplied to the different layers, GET, CHECK and PROCESS, for appropriate handling by that portion of each stage. In the GET layer, partial words passing through each stage are analyzed to determine whether they constitute an encounter pair. In the CHECK layer a determination is made as to whether the word selected by the GET layer requires further modification. Finally, in the PROCESS layer operations are performed on the words themselves based upon control messages from the other layers. The layers of the processor communicate with each other using suitable communication paths such as First In First Out registers.
摘要:
A logic gate includes a plurality of pass gates forming a double rail pass gate XOR or reversing switch providing the same functionality as a conventional XOR gate. Consequently, the pass gate XOR can substitute for XOR gates in circuits such as a selector circuit and decision wait circuit, but with faster responses and fewer transistors than the conventional XOR gate. Each pass gate includes a P-type and an N-type transistor coupled in parallel. A control input and its complement are coupled to the gates of the transistors to selectively pass signals at the input of the pass gate to its output.
摘要:
One embodiment of the present invention provides a domino logic circuit that operates asynchronously. This domino logic circuit includes a number of stages, including a present stage that receives one or more inputs from a prior stage and generates one or more outputs for a next stage. It also includes a control circuit that ensures that the present stage enters a precharging state before entering a subsequent evaluation state in which one or more inputs of the present stage are used to generate one or more outputs. This control circuit receives a prior control signal from the prior stage and sends a present control signal to the next stage
摘要:
An arbiter is disclosed for determining a sequence of signals indicative of events occurring variously on at least two input connections. The arbiter includes a first input connection and a second input connection for carrying the signals indicative of events. A first input queue for storing representations of events that are waiting to be processed is connected to the first input connection, and a second input queue also for storing representations of events that are waiting to be processed is connected to the second input connection. An arbitration circuit coupled to the first input queue and to the second input queue receives the representations of events from each of the queues and determines the temporal order of occurrence of the event representations in the queues when the events arrive at time intervals greater than a specified amount, and arbitrarily assigns a sequence to one or the other of the events from the queues when the events arrive at time intervals equal to or less than the specified amount. In response the arbitration circuit reports the temporal order or arbitrary sequence as a sequence of output signals and removes each event representation from the appropriate queue when reporting its temporal order or sequence.
摘要:
A four transistor XOR or XNOR gate includes an inverting stage and a non-inverting stage. The transistors in each stage are coupled so as to enable changing inputs and existing inputs to drive the output in the same direction. The XOR gate and XNOR gate take advantage of a known order or inputs to reduce the delay of the gate.
摘要:
A queue form of asynchronous register is disclosed with signal paths commonly carrying elements of both data and control. Binaries are intercoupled in two sequences and are individually cross coupled to register "one" bits in one sequence and "zero" bits in the other. Bits are manifest by signal level changes. Individual binaries are driven by logic to accomplish an operational rule based on the states of neighboring binaries in both sequences. Each binary in each sequence is controlled by the states of the predecessor and successor in its sequence and the predecessor and successor of its associated binary in the other sequence. Specifically, if predecessor and successor binaries in a sequence are in different states, and predecessor and successor binaries of an associated binary in the other sequence are in the same state, the state of the predecessor is to be taken.