Packet Communication Architecture,
Abstract
Packet Communication Architecture is the structuring of data processing systems as collections of physical units that communicate only by sending information packets of fixed size, using an asynchronous protocol. Each unit is designed so it never has to wait for a response to a packet it has transmitted to another unit while other packets are waiting for its attention. Packets are routed between sections of a system by networks of units arranged to sort many packets concurrently according to their destination. In this way, it is possible to arrange that system units are heavily used provided concurrency in the task to be performed can be exploited. The packet communication principle is especially attractive for data flow processors since the execution of data flow programs readily separates into many independent computational events. In this paper it is shown how packet communication can be used in the architecture of memory systems capable of processing many independent memory transactions concurrently and having hierarchical structure. The behavior of these memory systems is prescribed by a formal memory model appropriate to a computer system for data flow programs.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1975
- Accession Number
- ADA014956
Entities
People
- Jack B. Dennis
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology