Asynchronous interaction in massively parallel computing systems
Victor I. Varshavsky, Vyacheslav B. Marakhovsky, R. Lashevsky · 2002
The problems are discussed that arise when designing massively parallel computer systems. The transition from globally synchronized working of such systems to globally asynchronous behavior resolves most of them. This transition implies that all the local processes in the system should interact between each other on the base of asynchronous interfaces. The problems of asynchronous interaction of local processes with the system of their global coordination on the base of handshake are considered as well as the problems of self-timed data transmission between processes. If the system modules that realize local processes are not asynchronous and implemented in CMOS-technology, then, to detect the moments of the transient processes completion in them, the idea of current indication is used. A circuit of a current sensor is suggested with wide range of permissible changes of the measured current and with admissible characteristics. Two ways of organizing the interaction between circuits with current sensors are developed. The principles of self-timed data exchange between local processes of the system and data transmission by means of a dual-rail code and binary code with handshake for every bit are considered. The possibility of organizing single-wire bit handshake is demonstrated and its self-timed implementation is developed with the transmission rate no worse than that of double-wire bit handshake.>