A programmable dynamic interconnection network router with hidden refresh

A VLSI implementation of a programmable pipelined router scheme for parallel machine interconnection networks is presented in this paper. The implementation is based on a dynamic content-addressable memory (DCAM) that supports unique bit masking per entry. The number of required DCAM entries is extremely small; it is of the same order as the node degree (output ports). This, in turn, makes it possible to implement a dynamic content-addressable memory in order to reduce the physical size of the system. A DCAM is implemented with only six and a half transistors (one transistor is shared by two cells). We have provided circuitry and arranged timing to achieve refreshing of the stored data in a hidden fashion. In addition to the DCAM, we have incorporated a fast priority scheme that allows only one entry to he selected. The router executes routing algorithms in 1.5 clock cycles, this being the fastest approach for flexible routers. The prototype router has 24 entries, and is able to sustain a throughput of one routing decision per cycle.