DAMQ-Based Schemes for Efficiently Using the Buffer Spaces of a NoC Router

Abstract

In this paper we present high performance dynamically allocated multi-queue (DAMQ) buffer schemes for fault tolerance systems on chip applications that require an interconnection network. Two or four virtual channels shared the same buffer space. On the message switching layer, we make improvement to boost system performance when there are faults involved in the components communication. The proposed schemes are when a node or a physical channel is deemed as faulty, the previous hop node will terminate the buffer occupancy of messages destined to the failed link. The buffer usage decisions are made at switching layer without interactions with higher abstract layer, thus buffer space will be released to messages destined to other healthy nodes quickly. Therefore, the buffer space will be efficiently used in case fault occurs at some nodes.