The Nostrum backbone-a communication protocol stack for Networks on Chip

We propose a communication protocol stack to be used in Nostrum, our Network on Chip (NoC) architecture. In order to aid the designer in the selection process of what parts of protocols, and their respective facilities, to include, a layered approach to communication is taken. A nomenclature for describing the individual layers' interfaces and service definitions of the layers in the protocol stack is suggested and used. The concept includes support for best effort traffic packet delivery as well as support for guaranteed bandwidth traffic, using virtual circuits. Furthermore an application to NoC adapter is defined, as part of the Resource to Network Interface, and is used to communicate between the Nostrum protocol stack and the application. An industrial example has been implemented, simulated, and the results justifies the suggested layered approach.