ARTERIS, INC.

A system and method implemented by tool is disclosed. The tool receives input of a network-on-chip (NoC) and the NoC's desired connectivity and efficiently guides the designer through interactive NoC topology editing sessions to ensure the obtained network is both complete and correct during topology creation or modification.

System and methods are disclosed to qualify networks properties and that can be used for topology synthesis of networks, such as a network-on-chip (NoC). In accordance with various embodiments and different aspects of the invention, quality metric are generated, analyzed, and used to determine a quantitative quality set of values for a given generated solution for a network. The method disclosed allows the network designer or an automated network generation process to understand if the results produced are a good, an average or a bad solution. The advantage of the invention includes simplification of design process and the work of the designer by using quality metrics. Various quality metrics are generated using network definitions. These quality metrics provide quality evaluation and the quality assessment of the optimization process for a generated (optimized) network. The quality metrics include analyzing latency through a network and analyzing total wore length used by the network.

A tool for executing performance-aware topology synthesis of a network, such as a network-on-chip (NoC). The tool is provided with network information. The tool uses the network information to automatically stabilizes data width and clock speed for each element in the network that meet the network's constraints and performance requirements. The tool is able to provide the performance-aware topology synthesis rapidly, while honoring the objectives and the network's constraints.

A buffered switch system for end-to-end data congestion and traffic drop prevention. More specifically, and without limitation, the various aspects and embodiments of the invention relates to the management of buffered switch to prevent the balancing act of buffer sizing, latency, and traffic drop.

A system and method for soft locking for a networking device in a network, such as a network-on-chip (NoC). Once a soft lock is established, the port and packet are given transmitting priority so long has the port has an available packet or packet parts that can make forward progress in the network. When the soft lock port's packet parts are not available, the networking device may choose another port and/or another packet. Any arbitration scheme may be used. Once the packet (or all the packet parts) has completed transmission, the soft lock is released.

An initial Network on Chip (NoC) topology based on a set of initial requirements is incrementally modified to satisfy a set of different requirements. Each incremental modification includes minimizing a number of changes to existing components in the initial topology. Minimizing the changes includes preserving names of the existing components in the initial NoC topology.

A system, and corresponding method, is described for finding the optimal or the best set of routes from a master to each of its connected slaves, for all the masters and slaves using a Network-on-Chip (NoC). More precisely, some embodiments of the invention apply to a class of NoCs that utilize a two-dimensional mesh topology, wherein a set of switches are arranged on a two-dimensional grid. Masters (initiators or sources) inject data packets or traffic into the NoC. Slaves (targets or destinations) service the data packets or traffic traveling through the NoC. The NoC includes switches and links. Additionally, the optimal routes defined by the system includes moving the traffic in a way that avoids deadlock scenarios.

A system and method for soft locking on an ingress port of a networking device in a network, such as a network-on-chip (NoC). Once a soft lock is established, the port is given transmitting priority so long has the port has an available packet or packet parts that can make forward progress in the network. When the soft lock port's packet parts, which can make forward progress in the network, are not available, the networking device may choose another port. The system transmits packet parts from the other port until the soft locked port has packet parts available that can make forward progress in the network. Any arbitration scheme may be used to select the port that is soft locked and to select the other ports to transmit from when the soft locked port does not have packet parts that can make forward progress in the network. Once the packet (or all the packet parts) on the soft locked port has completed transmission, the soft lock of the soft locked port is released.

System and methods are disclosed to qualify networks properties and that can be used for topology synthesis of networks, such as a network-on-chip (NoC). In accordance with various embodiments and different aspects of the invention, quality metric are generated, analyzed, and used to determine a quantitative quality set of values for a given generated solution for a network. The method disclosed allows the network designer or an automated network generation process to understand if the results produced are a good, an average or a bad solution. The advantage of the invention includes simplification of design process and the work of the designer by using quality metrics. Various quality metrics are generated using network definitions. These quality metrics provide quality evaluation and the quality assessment of the optimization process for a generated (optimized) network. The quality metrics include analyzing latency through a network and analyzing total wore length used by the network.

A system and method for soft locking on an ingress port of a networking device in a network, such as a network-on-chip (NoC). Once a soft lock is established, the port is given transmitting priority so long has the port has an available packet or packet parts that can make forward progress in the network. When the soft lock port's packet parts, which can make forward progress in the network, are not available, the networking device may choose another port. The system transmits packet parts from the other port until the soft locked port has packet parts available that can make forward progress in the network. Any arbitration scheme may be used to select the port that is soft locked and to select the other ports to transmit from when the soft locked port does not have packet parts that can make forward progress in the network. Once the packet (or all the packet parts) on the soft locked port has completed transmission, the soft lock of the soft locked port is released.