CA1228675A - Computer vector multi-processing control - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract of the Disclosure A multiprocessing system and method for multiprocessing disclosed. A pair of processors are provided, and each are connected to a central memory through a plurality of memory reference ports. The processors are further each connected to the plurality of shared registers which may be directly addressed by either processor at rates commensurate with intra-processor operation. The shared registers include registers for holding scalar and address information and registers for holding information to be used in coordinating the transfer of information through the shared registers. A multiport memory is provided and includes a conflict resolution circuit which senses and prioritizes conflicting references to the central memory between the CPU. Each CPU is interfaced with the central memory through three ports, with each of the ports handling different ones of several different types of memory references which may be made. At least one I/O port is provided to be shared by the processors in transferring information between the central memory and peripheral storage devi-ces. A vector register design is also disclosed for use in vector processing computers, and provides for at least two independently addressable memories for vector data for delivery to or acceptance from a functional unit. The method of multiprocessing permits multi-tasking in the multiprocessor, in which the shared registers allow independent tasks of different jobs or related tasks of a single job to be run concurrently, and faciliates multithreading of the operating system by permitting multiple critical code regions to be independently synchronized.

Description

~22~3675 COMPUTER VECTOR
MULTIPROCESSING CONTROL

Background of the Invention The present invention pertains to the field of high speed digital data processors, and more particularly to come putting machines adapted for vector processing.
Many scientific data processing tasks involve extensive arithmetic manipulation of ordered arrays of data.
Commonly, this type of manipulation or "vector" processing involves performing the same operation repetitively on each successive element of a set of data. Most computers are organized with an arithmetic unit which can communicate with a memory and with input-output (I/O). To perform an arith-metric function, each of the operands must be successively brought to the arithmetic unit from memory, the functions must be performed, and the result must be returned to the memory. Machines utilizing this type of organization, i.e.
"sealer" machines, have been found too slow and hardware inefficient for practical use in large scale vector pro-cussing tasks.
In order to increase processing speed and hardware efficiency when dealing with ordered arrays of data, "vector" machines have been developed. Basically, a vector machine is one which deals with ordered arrays of data by virtue of its hardware organization, rather than by a soft-ware program and indexing, thus attaining higher speed of operation. One such vector machine is disclosed in U. S.
Patent No. 4,128,880, issued December 5, 1978. The vector processing machine of this patent employs one or more registers for receiving vector data sets from a central memory and supplying the same at clock speed to segmented functional units, wherein arithmetic operations are per-formed. More particularly, eight vector registers, each adapted for holding up to sixty-four vector elements, are ~22~3!575 provided. Each of these registers may be selectively con-netted to any one of a plurality of functional units and one or more operands may be supplied thereto on each clock period. Similarly, each of the vector resisters may be selectively connected for receiving results. In a typical operation, two vector registers are employed to provide operands to a functional unit and a third vector register is employed to receive the results from the functional unit.
A single port memory is connected to each of the vector registers through a data bus for data transfers bet-wren the vector registers and the memory. Thus, a block of vector data may be transferred into vector registers from memory and operations may be accomplished in the functional units using data directly from the vector registers. This vector processing provides a substantial reduction in memory usage, where repeated computation on the same data is required, thus eliminating inherent control memory start up delays for these computations.
Additionally, sealer operation is also possible and sealer registers and functional units are provided therefore The sealer registers, along with address registers and instruction buffers are employed to minimize memory transfer operations and speed up instruction execution. Transfer intensity is further reduced by two additional buffers, one each between the memory and the sealer registers and address registers. Thus, memory transfers are accomplished on a block transfer basis which minimizes computational delays associated therewith.
Further processing concurrency may also be accom-polished in the above noted system using a process called chaining In this process, a vector result register beck-me the operand register for a succeeding functional opera-lion. This type of chaining is restricted to a particular clock period or "chain slot" time in which all issue con-dictions are met. Chaining of this nature is to some extent dependent upon theorder in which instructions are issued and the functional unit timing.

22~75 Thus, the system of U. S. Patent No. 4,128,880 accomplishes a significant increase in processing speed over conventional sealer processing for the large class of problems which can be vectorized. The use of register to register vector instructions, the concept of chaining, and the use of the plurality of independent segmented functional units provides a large amount of concurrency of processing.
Further, since the start up time for vector operations are nominal, the benefits of vector processing are obtainable even for short vectors.
The present invention employs an improved version of the above described vector processing machine to provide a general purpose multiprocessor system for multitasking applications. In operation, independent tasks of different jobs or related tasks of a single job may be run on multiple processors. While multiprocessor organization has been accomplished in the prior art, inter-CPU communication in these prior art machines has been accomplished through the main memory, in a "loosely coupled" manner. Inter-CPU come monkeyshine of this nature is hampered by the need to repute-lively resort to relatively slow main or central memory references, and by access conflicts between the processors.
The multiprocessor of the present invention over-comes the substantial delays and software coordination problems associated with loosely coupled multiprocessing by providing a "tight-coupling" communication circuit between the CPU's which is independent of the shared or central memory. The tight coupling communication circuits provide a set of shared registers which may be accessed by either CPU
at rates commensurate with intra-CPU operation. Thus, the shared registers provide a fast inter-CPU communication path to minimize overhead for multitasking of small tasks with frequent data interchange. The present multiprocessor system may also couple tasks through the shared memory as provided by the prior art. However, the tight coupling come monkeyshine circuits provide a hardware synchronization -4- 122~ 5 device through which loosely coupled tasks as well as tightly coupled tasks may be coordinated efficiently.
Typically, prior art multiprocessors are kirk-terraced by a master-slave relationship between the processors. In this organization the master processor must initiate and control multitasking operations so that only one job may be run at a time. Because many jobs do not require multiprocessor efficiency this type of master-slave organization often results in underutilization of the multiprocessor.
In the present multiprocessor system all processors are identical and symmetric in their programming functions, so that no master-slave relationship is required. Thus, one or more processors may be selectively "clustered" and assigned to perform related tasks of a single job by the operating system. This organization also allows each pro-censor to operate independently whereby independent tasks of different jobs may be performed. Accordingly, the pro-sent multiprocessor system avoids the problems of underweight-ligation and provides higher system throughput.
The multiprocessor system of the present inventions also uniquely adapted to minimize central memory access time and access conflicts involving memory to CPU and memory to I/O operations. This is accomplished by organizing the central memory in interleaved memory banks, each indepen-deftly accessible and in parallel during each machine clock period. Each processor is provided with a plurality of parallel memory ports connected to the central memory through a hardware controlled access conflict resolution hardware capable of minimizing memory access delays and maintaining the integrity of conflicting memory references.
This interleaved and multiparty memory design, coupled with a short memory cycle time, provides a high performance and balanced memory organization with sufficient bandwidth to support simultaneous high-speed CPU and I/O operations.

12~8~75 -5_ Processing speed and efficiency is further improved in the present system through a new vector register design and organization which provides additional memory-vector register data transfer paths and substantially enhanced hardware automatic "flexible" chaining capability. This new vector register organization and the parallel memory port configuration allow simultaneous memory fetches, arithmetic, and memory store operations in a series of related vector operations which heretofore could not be accomplished.
Thus, the present multiprocessor design provides higher speed and more balanced vector processing capabilities for both long or short vectors, characterized by heavy register-to-register or heavy memory-to-memory vector operations.

Summary of the Invention The present invention relates to a general purpose multiprocessor system for multitasking applications involving vector processing. Two or more vector processing machines, each identical and symmetric in their programming functions, are provided. All processors share a central or shared memory organized in interleaved memory banks which may be accessed independently and in parallel during each machine clock period. Each processor has a plurality of parallel memory ports connected to the central memory for handling central memory references.
A plurality of shared data and synchronization register sets are provided for the inter-communication of selected processors. A cluster of one or more processors may be assigned to perform a single task, utilizing a unique set of shared registers. Each processor in a cluster may asynchronously perform either sealer or vector operations dictated by user programs.
Each processor includes vector registers organized in odd-even memory banks and is provided with a plurality of parallel data paths to the central memory ports. The Yea-ion registers may be controlled automatically through hard-ware to provide flexible chaining capability in which ~22~367S

simultaneous memory fetches, arithmetic, and memory store operations may be performed in a series of related vector operations.
According to another aspect of the invention, the 5 multiparty memory has a built in conflict resolution hardware network to minimize delay and maintain the integrity of all memory references to the same bank and the same time, from all processors' ports.

Another aspect of the invention is as follows:

A system for interfacing a main memory and vector registers for use in a vector processing come putter, said system comprising:
a main memory having a plurality of access paths and configured to permit concurrent read and 15 write references thereto;
a plurality of vector registers for holding a plurality of elements of an ordered set of data;
each of said vector registers being connected to said main memory access paths through a plurality of 20 ports, certain of said ports being dedicated to and controlled for reading data from said main memory and writing that data into a vector register, and the other of said ports being dedicated to and controlled for reading data from a vector register and writing that 25 data into said main memory so that operand data may be transferred to said vector registers from the main memory while result data is transferred back to the main memory to permit a continuous flow of data between said registers and said main memory.

Lo 75 -pa-Brief Description of the Drawings In the Drawing, Figure 1 is a block diagram of the overall system organization of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a block diagram overview of the tight coupling communications circuits of the present invention;
Figures 3 and 4 constitute a functional block diagram of the tight coupling communications circuits of the present invention;
Figure 5 is a functional block diagram of the 10 memory port to CPU interface of the present invention;
Figures pa and 6b constitute a functional block diagram of the conflict resolution network of the present invention;
Figures 7 and 8 constitute a functional block diagram of one section of the conflict resolution circuit of the present invention;
Figures 9 and lo constitute a functional block diagram of I/O memory reference generation and control air-cults of the present invention;
Figures 11 and 12 are functional block diagrams of the I/O reference prioritizing circuits of the present invention;
Figure 13 is a functional block diagram of the CPU
memory reference generation and control circuits of the pro-25 sent invention;
Figure 14 is a functional block diagram of the sac-far reference control circuits of the present invention;
Figure 15 is a functional block diagram of further I/O reference control circuits of the present invention;

~2~2~67~

Figure 16 is a functional block diagram of the fetch and exchange reference control circuits of the present invention;
Figure 17 is a functional block diagram of the S memory address selection circuit, of the present invention;
Figure 18 is a functional block diagram of the memory write data selection circuits of the present invention;
Figure 19 is a functional block diagram of the I/0 input data channels of the present invention;
Figure 20 is a functional block diagram of the memory read data routing circuits of the present invention;
Figure 21 is a functional block diagram of the I/O
output data channels of the present invention; and Figure 22 is a functional block diagram of the Yea-ion registers of the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention The overall system organization of the present invention is diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 1. In the preferred embodiment, two vector processors 10 and 11 are provided. Generally, these processors each resemble the vector processing machine set forth in U. S. Patent No.
4,128,880, particularly with regard to the buffer, register and functional unit organization. Hereinafter, references in this specification to CPU data paths, for example At, Six etc., shall be prey summed to be to corresponding data paths in the system disclosed in said patent application, subject to certain modifications of that system which are herein set forth.
Central memory 12 is provided for processors 10 and 11. Each processor has a respective data path 13 and 14 and respective control path 15 and 16 to the central memory 12.
Each processor is similarly connected to a CPU I/0 control 20 through respective control paths 21 and 22. Control 20 is further connected to the central memory 12 via data transmission path 23.

~2~:~3675 In operation, I/O may be directed through control to the SOD 30 or the input-output processor ION 31 through the-respective data paths 32 and 33 with the respect live control paths 34 and 35 providing control come monkeyshine. ION 31 is further interfaced through data pith to any one of a number of mass storage devices 40.
Processors 10 and 11 may communicate through the communication and control circuit 50. Data paths 51 and 52 and control paths 53 and 54 connect each of CPU's 10 and 11 to control circuit 50 respectively. Communication and control circuits 50 generally comprise a set of shared registers under the common control of processors 10 and 11 and which may be read or written from either CPU through the respective data paths 51 and 52. Generally, communication and control circuits 50 provide a fast and time efficient mechanism for passing sealer data between the processor such as loop counts, memory addresses, and sealer constants.
Circuits 50 further provide registers, hereinafter referred to as the semaphore registers, which may be tested, set or cleared by either processor and which provide a mechanism for coordinating data transfers through the registers of circuit 50 or the central memory 12. Circuits 50 further include a shared clock whereby system clock cycles are counted.
Data transfers between the central memory 12 and the processors 10 and 11 may be accomplished independently under processor control via the respective paths 13-16. I/O
transfers between the central memory 12 and the CPU I/O
control 20 and I/O devices 30, 31 and 40 may proceed under either the control of either processor 10 or 11 or under the control of ION 31. CPU I/O control 20 has an independent access to central memory 12 via data path 23, whereby con-lain I/O functions may be accomplished without resort to processors 10 or 11.
The SOD 30 provides a large solid state storage mechanism capable of very high block transfer rates between 12~136~75 9 it and the central memory 12 through the CPU I/O control 20.
The ION 31 includes at least two different types of I/O chant nets between the mass storage devices 40 and the central memory 12, and also provides for control of these channels whereby the processors 10 and 11 are relieved to perform a higher percentage of processing operations.
Processors 10 and 11 are identical and symmetric in their programming functions and may operate independently to perform independent tasks of different jobs or may be "clustered" to perform related tasks of a single job. In clustered operation, one or more processors may be assigned to a particular set or cluster of registers in communication and control circuit 50. Each set of registers or cluster in control circuit 50 provides memory registers for passing data and semaphore registers. In the present embodiment, two processors and three clusters of shared registers are provided. Thus, each processor may be assigned its own unit qua set of shared registers with one cluster reserved for the operating system. However, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to a two processor system, but may be employed for any number of processors P wherein Pal sets of shared registers are provided.
Multitasking in the present invention may be accomplished either through the shared or central memory 12 or through the shared registers of circuit 50 or a come bination of both. Tasks accomplished in the former manner may be said to be loosely coupled, while tasks accomplished in the latter manner may be said to be tightly coupled. For tightly coupled operation, shared registers reduce the overhead of task initiation to the range of one microsecond to one millisecond, depending on the granularity of the tasks and software implementation techniques. In the case of loosely coupled operation, communication through the central memory 12 may be synchronized or coordinated through the shared registers, and in particular the semaphore registers.

122~3~75 -lo-Thus, it will be seen that the organization of the present multiprocessor system provides a flexible architect lure for processor clustering. This architecture allows a cluster of K processors to be assigned to perform a single task by the operating system whereby the processors may share data and synchronization registers for tight coupling communication. Further, each processor in a cluster may run in either monitor or user mode as controlled by the operating system and can asynchronously perform either sac-far or vector operations dictated by programming requirements Still further, any processor running in monitor mode can interrupt any other processor and cause it to switch from user mode to monitor mode allowing the operating system to control switching between tasks. Furthermore, because the design supports separation of memory segments for each user's data and program, concurrent programming is facile-toted.

Tight Coupling Communication Circuits A general overview of the tight coupling come monkeyshine circuits 50 is diagrammatically presented in Figure 2. These circuits provide for direct communication between the CPU's, including passing or exchanging data through the common or shared registers 200 and the super-vision or control of data transfers accomplished through the shared registers 200 or the central memory as further fact-ligated by the semaphore registers 160.
To realize effective multiprocessing, shared data resources such as vector, sealer! and address information must be protected from simultaneous usage by both processors.
The semaphore registers 160 provide a fast hardware mocha-noisome for software communication between processors, which may directly access registers 160 to either test, set or clear one or more of a plurality of semaphore registers.
Common parameters, such as loop index values, memory addresses and sealer data may be passed through the 12~8~75~
shared registers 200. Thus, certain loops either nested or untested may be divided for concurrent execution in both processors under software control, the location in memory of shared data may be quickly exchanged, and sealer constants may be passed without resort to the relatively slow central memory. Freeing the central memory of these types of data transfers not only speeds execution, but allows vector data to be passed or exchanged through the central memory with fewer delays.
The shared registers of communication circuits 50 are utilized under software control via the CUP control registers 151 and 152. Instructions forwarded to these registers are monitored by control circuit 140 and permitted to issue through the respective issue control lines 141 and 142 if conditions allow. Control circuit 140 also provides for multiplexing data paths 143 and 144 to a selected one of registers 160, 195 or 200.
Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, which may be laid side by side to form a single functional block diagram, the communication circuits 50 will be described in more detail.
Shared registers 200 and semaphore registers 160 are accessible in three clusters. Each cluster is comprised of thirty-two 1 bit semaphore registers, eight 24 bit SUB
registers, and eight 64 bit STY registers. Access by a CPU
to any one of the semaphore register clusters 161-163 is accomplished via multiplexing as explained more fully below.
The shared SUB and STY register clusters 200 constitute a memory module, and access to any one of these clusters is accomplished via selective addressing, with a portion of the address indicative of the cluster to be accessed. Whether or not a cluster is accessible to a CPU, and if so which cluster is accessible is determined by the operating system and effected by assigning a cluster number to the job to be executed at startup. More particularly, the operating system loads the assigned cluster number into the jobs exchange package image in memory, which contains all the 12~75 -12-necessary information for switching program execution.
Registers 148 and 149 are provided for CPU 0 and 1 respect lively to hold the assigned cluster number, whereby access rights to the shared registers may be indicated to the shared register control circuits. Registers 148 and 149 may be read or written during an exchange from a CPU data path, or may be manipulated by the operating system by instruct lion, as will be herein later explained.
The cluster number assigned to the job may have any one of four different values. The value of zero prevents access to any shared registers. A value of one, two or three permits the CPU to access the corresponding cluster.
To accomplish tightly coupled communication between con-currently operating CPU's, both must be assigned to the same cluster. If it is desired to execute a different job in each CPU or if only one CPU is available to execute a job coded for multiprocessing, access to a cluster may be limited to only one CPU. Cluster number 1 is typically reserved for the operating system, which may run in either processor, to provide operating system synchronization bet-wren processors. This provides maximum flexibility in Utah-living the multiprocessor as will be more fully evidenced hereinbelow.
Software instructions are provided for utilization of the shared registers. These instructions enable come monkeyshine with the semaphore registers 161-163 and access to the shared SUB and STY registers 200. A test and set instruction is provided to test the condition of a semaphore register and set the same if it is clear. A clear instruct lion and a set instruction are provided for unconditionally clearing or setting a semaphore register respectively. The CUP registers 151 and 152 are provided to receive current instruction parcels, more generally described in U. S.
Patent 4,128,880, from CPU 0 and CPU 1 respectively. In operation, the instruction held in register 151 or 152 is evaluated and if conditions allow the instruction is per-milted to issue as provided by issue signals 141 and 142 respectively. Conditions examined include the availability of other CPU registers and data paths, and the status of the shared registers as described more fully below.
Access to each semaphore register cluster 161-163 is controlled by the respective gates 164-166 according to the CPU issuing the instruction and the cluster number assigned thereto. Gates 167 and 168 are similarly controlled to connect the appropriate cluster of semaphore registers 160 through to the respective test semaphore circuits 170 and 171, set or clear circuits 172 and 173 and the select read data circuits 174 and 175, for either CPU 0 or CPU 1 respect lively.
Test semaphore circuits 170 and 171 receive at one input five data bits from the respective one of CUP registers 151 and 152 indicative of the semaphore to be tested, and the 32 semaphore register bits (received in parallel) from the appropriate cluster. If the tested semaphore bit is clear, a test and set instruction will be permitted to issue through the corresponding one of issue control circuits 153 or 154. The corresponding one of set or clear semaphore circuits 172 or 173 is thereby permitted to set the appropriate semaphore bit, and load the bits back into the selected cluster via the respective one of select data gates 180 and 181. If the tested semaphore bit is set, the testing CPU will normally hold issue until the bit is cleared, which may be accomplished by the other CPU.
Gates 180 and 181 may also be switched to permit a parallel load of a semaphore register cluster from a respect live CPU 0 data path So 182 or CPU 1 So data path 183, and a software instruction to effect the same is provided.
Similarly, select read data control 174 and 175 may also be switched to permit the respective CPU 0 or 1 to read the entire contents of a semaphore register cluster through their corresponding So data paths, as provided for by data paths 184 and 185. Again, a software instruction is pro-voided to effect this operation. These instructions are par-~2~8675 -14-titularly useful for loading the registers at the beginning of a job or saving the register contents at the end of a job's execution interval, as may be accomplished by the operating system.
A set or clear instruction will be permitted to issue unconditionally. When issued, the appropriate one of set or clear semaphore controls 172 or 173 sets or clears the appropriate semaphore registers. Semaphore control air-cult 155 will not prevent simultaneous attempts to accomplish either the parallel write or read of a semaphore register cluster.
Access to any one of the three clusters of shared registers 200 is normally controlled solely by CPU software, utilizing the semaphore registers to coordinate the same between processors since no reservations on the registers are made in the instruction issue control. However, a hard-ware shared register access control 190 is provided to pro-vent simultaneous access by both CPU's on the same clock cycle, as required by limitations in the present register configuration. Shared register access control 190 receives at its inputs the appropriate bits of the read or write instructions residing in either CUP registers 151 or 152 and is connected at its outputs to the respective one of issue control circuits 153 and 154. Access conflict situations include simultaneous attempts to read the SUB or STY registers 200, in which case one CPU will be required to hold issue for one clock period. The CPU required to hold issue is selected according to a predetermined priority hierarchy which may take into account factors such as the order in which the instructions enter CUP. Access conflicts for write instructions may be handled the same way, but must take into account the three clock period delay inherent in write operations. Thus, if a read operation is in the CUP
three clock periods following the issuance of a write instruction, a simultaneous access conflict would result, requiring the issue of the read instruction to be held for ~22~75_15_ at least one clock period. For example, if a read instruct lion enters the CUP 151 for CPU 0 and a write instruction was issued from CPU 0 three clock periods before, CPU 0 will hold issue for one clock period. Similarly, if a write instruction has issued three clock periods before in CPU 1, CPU 0 will also hold issue for one clock period. Thus, shared register access control circuit 190 prevents simulate-nexus access to the shared B or T registers.
When a read or write instruction is permitted to issue, the appropriate CPU instruction parcel is routed through select address gate 191 to the appropriate cluster of shared registers 200 as determined by the cluster number associated with the instruction issuing CPU. In the case of a write data instruction, select write data gate 192 is switched to route the appropriate respective data or address information So or At to the shared registers 200 three clock cycles after issue, due to delays associated with accessing the appropriate CPU registers. The address of the appropriate register in the selected cluster is provided through the instruction parcel and affected by select address gate 191, delayed three clock cycles in delay 199 and a write to that register is accomplished three clock cycles after the instruction has issued. In the case of a read instruction the cluster and address are similarly selected and the appropriate one of select read data gate 174 or 175 is switched to route the output of the selected register to the So or At data path as the case may be.
An instruction is provided for use by the operating system to change the contents of the cluster number registers 148 or 149 so that it has access to all clusters.
The contents of the cluster number register can be changed by this instruction only if the CPU is operating in the monitor mode, as determined by the active exchange package.
The communication circuits 50 further include a shared real time clock (RTC) register 195 which may be selected for a write via select real time clock gate 196 12~675 -16-from the So data paths of either CPU or selected for a read via select read data gate 174 and 175 for CPU 0 and CPU 1 respectively. The clock register incrementing circuit 197 is provided to increment the count in the real time clock register 195 each clock cycle.
To accommodate the execution of a multiprocessing task by a single CPU and to eliminate the possibility of both CPU's holding issue concurrently on a test and set instruction, a deadlock interrupt mechanism is provided, comprising detection circuits 145 and 146 and comparator 147. Circuits 145 and 146 each receive a holding issue signal from both the respective issue control circuits 153 and 154, and a cluster number comparator signal from come portray 147, which is connected to cluster number registers 148 and 149. A deadlock interrupt may occur in a CPU in either one of two situations. In one situation, a CPU is holding issue on a test and set and the cluster numbers in the two CPU's are different, as indicated by comparator 147.
Accordingly, it is not possible for the other CPU to access and clear the selected semaphore bit and allow the holding CPU to continue. In this case a deadlock interrupt will be generated by the appropriate one of circuits 145 or 146, and an exchange of the job in the deadlocked CPU will be effected so that processing may continue. In the second situation both CPU's are in the same cluster and holding issue on a test and set instruction. In this deadlock con-diction, the deadlock interrupt will similarly exchange the currently executing jobs in both CPU's so that processing may continue.
Thus, the tight coupling communication circuits 50 provide a fast communication path between CPU's for address or sealer data and for control and protection of shared data resources. The clustered arrangement of the semaphore registers and SUB and STY registers provide the ability to run some multiprocessor jobs on only one CPU and permits one cluster to be reserved for use by the operating system. The 12~8~75 -17-tight coupling communication circuits thereby eliminate the need for slower and more complex software protection methods and significantly reduce the need to communicate through the substantially slower central memory path.

Central Memory The ports which interface CPU's 0 and 1 to the central memory are generally illustrated in Figure 5. For the sake of clarity and brevity, only a portion of the CPU 1 interface is shown. However, it will be understood that a mirror image is provided for CPU 1. The functional units and certain interconnections associated therewith have been omitted from the drawing for the sake of clarity and brew viny. However, it will be understood that the same are con-netted to the various registers herein illustrated in the same manner shown in U. S. Patent 4,128,880, with the except lion of certain few modifications illustrated herein. For one, only one set of CA and CAL registers are provided for both CPU's, and may be accessed by either CPU as herein-before set forth. Similarly, only one RTC register is pro-voided, as was more particularly described herein before.
Central memory 12 is provided with eight ports with four ports associated with each CPU. Generally, each of the ports provides control over memory reference opera-lions, including supervising memory reference requests, memory addressing, and data routing between the CPU
registers or I/0 devices and memory. Three ports, namely port A, port B and port C, provide for transfer of data bet-wren the memory and CPU registers. A fourth port, the I/0 port, is provided for transferring data between the memory and peripheral storage as provided for example by disk or SOD storage devices.
Port A is connected through data path 250 for the transfer of data from the memory to either the V (vector) registers 260, the B registers 261 or A registers 265. Port B provides a further transfer path from the memory through ~22~675 -18-data path 251 to V registers 260 and is in addition con-netted for transfers to the T registers 262 or the S
registers 26-3. Thus, port A and port B provide for reading data from memory and transferring it to any one of the respective V, B, T, S or A registers, 260, 261, 262, 263 and 265 respectively. -Port C is connected for transferring data from the registers 260, B registers 261 and T registers 262 for storage into the memory through data path 253. Port C additionally may transfer data from the A (address) and S
10 (sealer) registers 265 and 263 respectively. All I/O is directed through the I/O port.
Active exchange package registers 266 are connected to data path 250 and data path 253 for exchange read and write references respectively. Data paths 250 and 253 are each 64 bits wide. The upper 40 bits are selectively con-netted to registers 266 and convey data only during an exchange operation, and are otherwise set to zero. The operation of the exchange register 266 will be herein later explained in some detail.
The instruction buffers 264 are provided with a memory access bus 270 independent of the ports to accom-mediate the unique nature of an instruction fetch operation, to be more fully described herein later. The A, B and C
ports are controlled and utilized exclusively by their corresponding CPU. The two I/O ports are a shared system resource, each handling a different set of I/O channels, and either I/O port may be activated and utilized by either CPU.
Thus, the I/O current address (CA) and channel limit (CAL) registers are connected to both CPU's through their respect live At and A data paths. The shared I/O control and storage circuits 252 are responsive to the CA and CAL
registers, and accomplish I/O operations through the two I/O
ports in accordance with their hardware organization, as will be herein later described in more detail. Thus, although each I/O port interfaces with a different set of I/O channels, either CPU may utilize any channel without <~2~675 -19-regard to which port the channel is controlled by.
The central memory of the present multiprocessor is segmented into thirty-two independently controllable memory banks. These banks are organized into four sections, each containing eight banks. As shown in Figure 6, each section includes 8 of the memory's 32 banks in an interleaved arrangement. Section 0 includes banks o, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 and 28, Section 1 banks 1, 5, 9, 13, 17, 21, 25 and 29 and so on. Each of the four sections is provided with two independent access paths, each controlled by one of the CPU's, to the memory banks there within. Each access path comprises one memory address path, one write data path, one read data path, and one control path. An access path will allow one memory reference, either a read or write, in each clock cycle. Thus, up to two banks in each section may be referenced in each clock cycle, and up to eight memory references are possible in the same clock cycle.

Conflict Resolution . _ _ Referring to Figure 6, it will be seen that each port is connected to all four of the memory sections 0-3, 280-283 respectively, through a memory conflict resolution network 290 which is provided to guarantee that: a memory bank is referenced no more than once every four clock cycles; only one reference per CPU per clock cycle is allowed to a section of memory; and all references made by a port are kept in the sequence in which they were generated.
Memory conflict resolution network 290 comprises four ides-tifical conflict resolution circuits 291-294, one corresponding to each section of memory, and each is con-netted to all eight ports and provides two independent access paths to a section. As indicated hereinabove, the instruction buffers 264 are provided with an independent memory access bus 270, which as shown includes 8 data paths which bypass the confliction resolution network 290.
Generally, only one instruction may issue to a port 12~675 -20-at a time, as provided for by reservation flags in the instruction issue control, i.e. the CUP register, which indicates an instruction has been issued to the port. The reservation remains set, preventing further use of the port by instructions, until all references for the instruction issued to it have been made at which time the port control will release the reservation, as will be explained in more detail herein later.
Referring to Figures 7 and 8 r which may be laid side by side to form a single diagram, one section conflict resolution circuit is illustrated. In Figure 7, input gates 300-303 receive the five Lobs (least significant) bits of memory reference requests from ports A, B, C and I/O respect lively, the two Lobs enable the appropriate section conflict network. Memory reference requests comprise twenty-two bits of address data. The least significant two bits designate one of the four sections of memory and the next three bits designate one of the eight banks within the section. Input gates 304-307 receive corresponding reference requests from CPU 1. Input gates 302 and 306 may also receive sealer memory reference requests as will be more fully described herein later. When a reference request is received at any one of input gates 300-307 the three bits indicating the bank are decoded and compared against a bank busy signal corresponding to the respective one of the eight banks to which the reference is directed. A bank busy monk-toning circuit 310 is provided for monitoring the activity of each bank in the section. The output signals of circuit 310 are connected through a data path 311 to each one of bank conflict checking circuits 320-327. Bank conflict checking circuits 320-327 compare their corresponding bank busy signal against each of the references grated through input gates 300-307 respectively. The result of this come prison is conveyed to the corresponding one of reference conflict resolution circuits 330-337.

122~675 -21-Each reference request is also compared to any valid request pending at the outputs of the input gates corresponding to the other CPU. This comparison is accomplished by simultaneous bank reference checking circuit 312, which receives the output of each of input gates 300-307 and which provides an output to each of the port reference conflict resolution circuits 330-337, which also receive conflict signals for that port from the other 3 section conflict circuits. If a reference for a particular port has lo a conflict in one section network, all other section net-works are notified so that the next reference from that port, which may be to a different section, will not be allowed to proceed. This guarantees sequential operation for the references from each port. Based on the results of this comparison, the bank busy comparison, other conflicts, inter-CPU priority and intra-CPU priority, reference conflict resolution circuits 330-337 determines if a reference request may proceed. If not, a conflict signal to the corresponding port is generated, whereby the port is prevented from making any further reference requests until the conflict is resolved. Inter-CPU priority is determined on an alternating basis, so that each CPU has priority four out of every eight clock cycles.
If multiple ports within a CPU are requesting banks within the same section, the highest priority port with no bank busy conflict and no simultaneous reference conflict is allowed to make a reference and the other ports will receive a conflict signal. If two ports have no bank busy conflict or simultaneous reference conflict, a port with an odd address increment is allowed to proceed over a port with an even address increment. If both have the same increment, the earliest activated ports' reference requests will be allowed to proceed first. Thus, the number of references to a section is limited to one per CPU per clock cycle.
When a port is prevented from making any more memory reference requests, the request that receives the 12~8~75 -22-conflict is resubmitted via the upper inputs of the respect live ones of input gates 300-307 until no conflict exists.
This guarantees the sequential operation of each port. When a memory reference request has no convict a memory reference is made to the requested bank and the corresponding bank busy signal in bank busy circuit 310 is set for four clock cycles to insure that another request for that bank is not allowed until the bank reference cycle is complete. When a reference is made, control signals are contemporaneously generated to route the most significant seventeen bits of the memory reference address to the section and bank that are referenced, as will be herein later illustrated in more detail.
Proceeding references are routed through gates 340 and 341 to the respective gates 342 and 343. Gates 342, 343, 344 and fetch or exchange conflict resolution circuit 345 are provided to accommodate the special case of a fetch or exchange memory referencing operation. In the case of a fetch or exchange reference operation, conflicts are forced on all ports. A fetch or exchange operation will not start until all bank busies are clear. Referring back to Figure 5, it will be seen that this is necessary because fetch or exchange operations bypass memory conflict resolution net-work 290. In the case of an exchange reference, up to two references to the memory may be accomplished during each clock cycle, utilizing-ports A, B and C to read and write exchange package words sequentially from each section. Some reading and writing may be done concurrently, as read opera-lions may proceed through port A or B and write operations through port C. In the case where simultaneous fetch or exchange requests are made by both CPU's a conflict occurs, and conflict resolution circuit 345 holds the request made from CPU 1. When the fetch or exchange reference is completed by CPU 0, CPU 1 is allowed to proceed.
Although only one section conflict resolution air-cult is shown, it will be understood, as herein before 122~67S -23-explained, that each section in the memory has a core-sponging conflict resolution circuit. Thus, it is possible for all four ports of each CPU to make a reference on the same clock cycle provided that each is to a different sea-lion. Also, it is possible for each CPU to make a simulate-nexus reference to the same section provided that they are to different banks within the section. Further, it will be seen then that under certain conditions up to eight referent cues may be accomplished during each clock period.

Memory Reference Generation and Control Circuits for collecting and controlling the generation of memory reference requests from the CPU's and the ION (input-output processor) are diagrammatically illustrated in Figures 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15. As herein before described, reference requests may be generated by any one of ports A, B, C or I/O, and in addition may be accomplished for the special cases of fetch or exchange references without resort to the ports. Figures 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 diagrammatically illustrate the I/O reference collecting and control circuits for the present multi pro-cussing system. These circuits are more generally repro-sensed in Figure 5 by I/O control circuit 55.
Figures 9 and 10 illustrate in functional block diagram form the circuits in which I/O memory reference requests are generated and controlled for eventual input to the conflict resolution network. There are three different types of I/O channels available for transferring data bet-wren the memory and peripheral storage devices. A first type of channel is the low speed channel (LOP), four pairs of which are provided. Each pair comprises an input channel and an output channel. To activate or initiate a transfer operation through a low speed channel, a current address CA
and a channel limit address CAL are loaded into the appear-private one of registers 401-408, which are more generally 122~675 -24-illustrated in Figure 5 in which it is seen that either pro-censor may access the registers through the At and A data paths. Registers 401, 403, 405 and 407 comprise low speed input channel address registers. Each of these are paired with the respective registers 402, 404, 406 and 408, which are provided for accomplishing low speed output referencing operations. CA and CAL addresses may be loaded into any one of registers 401-408 by either CPU through multiplexer 410, which receives at its input a branch of the A data path for both CPU's.
Two high speed channel (HOP) pairs are also pro-voided. Memory references are made through these channels utilizing registers 420, 422 and 421, 423 which retain the respective input or output current address CA and block length BY loaded from the input-output processor (ION 31), which indicate to the central memory where to start the reference and how many words will be transferred. These high speed channels cannot be controlled through the CPU's.
Two more pairs of I/O channels are provided. These channels may interface the memory with a high speed solid state storage device (SOD), and utilize registers 424 and 426 for receiving the CA and BY data from the CPU, in the same manner the low speed channels 401-408 receive CA and CAL
data, to initiate and control input or output transfers. In this case BY designates how many blocks of data to transfer from the SOD, with each block comprising a plurality of data words. Preferably, the SOD employed is that described in the cop ending application entitled "Solid State Storage Device", filed of even date herewith, and having serial number XXX. These SOD channels are under control of the CPU's and may be activated by either CPU via multiplexer 410.
Each of registers 401-425 are provided with an enter address signal 409 generated on issue of the appropriate instruction for selectively loading any one of the registers 401-408, 420-425 with the reference addressing 122~75 -25_ data provided at its input. Upon loading of any of the registers 401-425 the corresponding I/O channel is activated to begin an I/O memory reference operation. The references to memory begin at the current address CA initially loaded into the register. For the low and high speed chinless 401-408 and 420-423 the addresses are incremented by one via increment circuits 428 and 429 as the reference proceeds until the channel limit address or block length is reached as the case may be. SOD channel references always proceed conjunctival through both CPU's, allowing two memory references to be accomplished in each clock cycle. There-fore, addresses in registers 424-425 are incremented by two for each reference cycle. Initially 425 is advanced by 1 with no reference made. An SOD channel control 427 is pro-voided to the SOD interface cable for supplying an SSDstarting address and a BY parameter to the SOD and for pro-voiding transfer protocol between the multiprocessor and the SOD.
The present system provides for flexible handling of I/O interrupts, which occur upon completion of an I/O
transfer. To cause an I/O interrupt to be serviced by a CPU, a flag indicative of such must be set in the CPU's active exchange register 266, which cause that CPU to enter the monitor mode to service the interrupting I/O channel.
The selection of which CPU will service the interrupt is accomplished in I/O control 252, which provides a CPU I/O
interrupt signal to the selected CPU's exchange register, setting the appropriate flag. A CPU I/O interrupt will not be generated by I/O control 252 if either CPU is proceeding with an exchange operation or if one of the CPU's is in monitor mode. Thus, I/O control 252 provides a means for delaying or preventing needless I/O interrupts. For example, in the case where a CPU is in the process of an exchange, that exchange may be to the operating system (i.e.
monitor mode), which will by definition service the I/O, in which case neither the exchanging CPU or the other need be 12~8~5 -26-interrupted. If neither CPU is in monitor mode or in the process of an exchange, the I/O interrupt will be permitted to proceed according the following scheme. If a CPU's active exchange register 266 has an external interrupt mode select bit or flag set (provided for manipulation by the operating system),- the I/O interrupt will be caused in that CPU. If neither CPU has its external interrupt bit set, the interrupt will be directed towards a CPU holding issue on a test and set instruction. If neither or both of these con-dictions are present for both CPU's, the I/O interrupt Willie directed to the last CPU which serviced an interrupt to the presently interrupting channel. Thus, only one CPU is interrupted to service an I/O interrupt, with the most desirable CPU being selected as may be determined by the operating system via the external interrupt mode select flag, or by the operating conditions of the CPU's.
Multiplexer and control circuits 440-442 and 443-445 are provided to switch the output of any one of the corresponding register outputs to a corresponding one of a CPU's I/O memory reference control and memory address select lion circuits which will be herein later described. Circuits 442 and 445 also control the procession of I/O reference requests according to channel priorities and memory conflicts, as more specifically illustrated in Figures 11 and 12. Registers 440 and 443 also provide the CA of the selected register to the At data paths of CPU 0 and CPU 1, to allow the progress of reference operations to be monk-toned.
Control of which memory reference request currently residing in registers 401-408 and 420-425 will proceed during each reference cycle is determined by the I/O
reference control scheme illustrated in 11 correspond to those references proceeding through CPU 0, while the reference control of Figure 12 corresponds to requests pro-ceding through CPU 1. Reference requests through low speed channels 0-7 are always subordinated to request from either ) 12~8675 -27-the high speed channels or the SOD channels to form four priority groups or pairs for each of the CPU's reference control circuits. Thus, outstanding reference request pairs 501 and 502, 503 and 504, 505 and 506, 507 and 508, 509 and 510, 511 and 512, 513 and 514, 515 and 516, are monitored by the respective pair priority determining circuits 520-527, and prioritized accordingly. Priority reference requests from circuits 520-523 and 524-527 are then further priori-tired by the respective time slot circuits 530 and 531 on a revolving basis so that each priority group is allowed one reference every four clock periods. If a high speed channel (HOP) reference or SOD reference is allowed to proceed, the time slot will stop to allow 16 references to be made before continuing. Thus, an I/O channel priority is determined, and circuits 442 and 445 gate I/O reference requests accord dingy.
Memory references originating in a CPU are generated and controlled by the port reference control air-cults depicted in Figure 13 of which one copy is provided for each CPU. Memory reference address registers 551-553 receive a relative memory reference address for ports A, B
and C respectively through the A data path. This relative address is addled in the respective adding circuits 554-556 with a data base address acquired from the exchange package corresponding to the currently executing CPU job. This add is accomplished in the first two clock cycles of a memory port operation. In the first clock cycle, registers 551-553 are loaded with the relative memory address and the respect live corresponding registers 557-559 are loaded via the respective gates 540-542 with the data base address from the exchange package. On the next clock cycle, the add is accomplished in the respective add circuits 554-556 and loaded back into respective registers 551-553. Thereafter, registers 557-559 serve as incrementation registers, the selected increment being conveyed on the A data path through the appropriate one of gates 540-542. Memory ~122~75 -28-references residing in registers 551-553 are allowed to proceed under the control of the port A, port B and port C
reference control circuits 561-563 respectively. Each of these circuits receives a corresponding port conflict signal from each of the four section conflict resolution circuits and a "go port" signal for the respective port. The go port signal indicates that a memory operation instruction has left CUP and that memory references should be generated by the port receiving the "go port" signal. Each control 561-563 in turn produces a release port reservation signal, to clear the reservation flag, herein before described, in the instruction issue control or CUP. This flag is set when the go port signal is generated. The control signal output generally represents the hardware provisions for accomplishing control functions of the control circuit.
Although illustrated only for port A control 561, each control 561-563 includes a reference length control circuit 545 for receiving a block length parameter from the AL
register for a vector transfer or an At from the At data path for a B or T register transfer and for counting references and signaling completion of the transfer, at which point the release port reservation signal is generated. As each reference request is granted, the memory reference address is incremented in the respective add air-cults. Port C control 563 additionally provides a go memory data signal to the vector registers when a request to write vector data to memory is allowed to proceed.
Reference control circuits for sealer, I/O and fetch and exchange requests are illustrated in Figures K, L
and M respectively. Because of the unique nature of a sac-far reference operation, it is provided with its own control. Sealer reference instructions require that ports A, B and C reservations are clear before a sealer reference instruction issues because sealer reference requests are oared in with the port C reference requests and because port-~2~75 -29-A and B read data paths are used to maximize circuit utile-ration. However, it will be understood that a completely separate path could be provided for sealer references if desired. Sealer requests are to only one memory location and thus no incrementation circuitry is necessary. The add of the data base address, Ah and jam data are accomplished in add circuit 570 and conveyed to sealer memory reference address register 571. Sealer memory references are retained in register 571 under the control of sealer reference control 572, which receives a port C conflict signal from the conflict resolution network and an issue sealer reference signal to indicate the issuance of sealer memory reference instructions. Unlike other reference requests, up to two sealer references may issue and be contemporaneously outstanding, an exception recognizing that such requests require only one reference request.
Each CPU is provided with the I/O reference control circuits of Figure 15, which receive the five Lobs of a I/O
reference request address in register 575 from the respect live one of the I/O memory address circuits of Figures 9 Andy. I/O reference control circuit 576 receives an I/O
conflict signal from the conflict resolution network and an I/O memory request signal to indicate a valid I/O reference request. Reference control 576 is provided to control the address and paths for the requested reference.
Figure 16 shows the circuits for controlling fetch or exchange reference requests to memory. An instruction base address and program counter (P) data are received by add circuit 580 and added for input to the fetch or exchange address register 581. A range check for the fetch operation, which is always thirty-two words long, is accomplished in the fetch range check circuit 582, which receives the output of add circuit 580 and an instruction limit address to produce an abort fetch signal to the fetch and exchange control air-cult 583 when the limit address is exceeded. Fetch and exchange control 583 also receives a fetch or exchange request signal and a go fetch or exchange signal from the fetch or exchange conflict resolution network 345. Exchange address register 584 receives the A data path and port B
memory read data for loading from a new exchange package.
The output of register 584 is to the port C memory write data for storing an old exchange package and to the fetch or exchange address 581. Fetch and exchange control 583 controls the address and data paths for fetch or exchange operations, for example signaling to the instruction buff lens that data is available or for entering or sending exchange parameters to or from exchange parameter registers.
When a memory reference request to a section is allowed to proceed by the conflict resolution network, the most significant seventeen bits of the reference address, which designate the location within the section to be referenced is grated to the appropriate section addressing network of the memory. The memory address selection circuit of Figure 17 is provided for this purpose. An address generated by a port A, port B, port C, sealer, I/0 or fetch or exchange reference request may be grated by this circuit to the appropriate section when the reference is permitted to proceed. A gate 600 is provided to select between port C
reference and a sealer reference requests addresses. Gates 601-604 are provided to select between port A, port B, port C
or sealer reference addresses as the case may be. Gates 605-608 are provided to select between the outputs of gates clue, an I/O reference address or a fetch or exchange reference address. Thus, any one of the port A, port B, port C, sealer, I/O or fetch or exchange reference addresses may be grated through any one of the four memory section addressing networks.
Range checking circuits 620-623 are provided to guarantee that reference addresses are within specified limits, and to generate an abort reference signal to the respective memory section when appropriate. A range limit -31- 12~8675 register 610 receives a data base address and data limit address from the exchange package for port A, B, C and sealer references. As herein before described, fetch reference range checks are accomplished in circuit 582 of Figure 16 and the abort signal generated thereby is inputted to each one of range checking circuits 620-623. No range checking copyboy-lily is provided for I/O addressing or exchanges.
The data for each write reference to the memory must be routed from the appropriate register or I/O channel to the appropriate section of memory. As herein before men-toned, write references to memory may be accomplished through port C or the I/O port. Memory write data selection is accomplished in the circuit represented in Figure 18. Gate 650 may select data from the port C At, B data path, Six T
data path, or the Vj data path for input to the check byte generating circuit 651. Due to a three clock cycle delay in the propagation of vector data to the conflict network 290 and a one clock period delay for a memory section conflict signal back to the registers of the CPU, three data stacking registers 655-657 are provided to hold three words of vector data when a conflict occurs, one word per register, with circuit 650 holding the first word, if need be. Gate 658 provides for selection between the three data paths inputted to port C. When a port C write operation is allowed to proceed, circuit 650 sequentially gates the output of a register 655-657 through to check byte generator 651 on each succeeding reference cycle the particular data stack 655-657 depending on the number of words stacked. Check byte genera-ion 651 generates eight bits of parity information and come brines this with the sixty-four bit word received from gate 650 to provide a seventy-two bit word for memory write.
Gates 660-663 are provided to select between the output of check byte generator 651 and I/O write data. Thus, a total of two different write operations per CPU are possible per clock period.
The I/O write data supplied to gate 660-663 arrives -32- ~2~675 from the I/O channels after processing in the circuits of Figure 19. In the case of low speed input channels 0, 2, 4, and 6, data is received from the I/O device in sixteen bit words that must be assembled into sixty-four bit words in the respective assembly registers 670-673.
For the case of the high speed channels 0 and 2 and the SOD input channels, buffers 674-681 are provided to buffer the incoming data. Multiplexors 690 and 691 are pro-voided to receive the respective input channels for CPU 0 and CPU 1 respectively and to select the appropriate write data for output to the respective error correct and check byte generating circuits 692 and 693. The outputs of circuit 692 and 693 are delivered to the appropriate one of the I/O write data paths of the corresponding CPU memory write data select lion circuits.
Data routing for memory read reference operations out of the memory sections into the appropriate CPU registers and to the I/O output circuit (Figure 21) is accomplished in the circuits of Figure 20. The memory section data read paths are connected to one input each of selection gates 701-703, which are provided to route the data through to the respect live one of the A, B, S, T or V registers of a CPU or to the I/O output circuit. Memory read operations directed to the V
registers are routed through an additional gate 704 which may switch the data path to any one of the eight V registers.
Gate 704 is further capable of routing the results of any one of the six functional units or the So data path to a V
register. For storage to I/O, an 8 bit check byte is pro-voided from each of the four sections, and combined in gate 703 for conveyance to the I/O output circuit.
The output of gate 703 is received by the corresponding one of the I/O output circuits, which include multiplexing, buffering and disassembling circuits, as shown in Figure 21. Fan out circuits 750 and 751 receive a seventy-two bit memory word from the memory data selection circuit and multiplex the same to disassembly registers { 1228675 -33_ 752-755 or buffers 756-763 according to the channel making the currently executing reference selected. Multiplexors 765-768 are provided to multiplex the corresponding outputs of buffers 756-763 to the corresponding ones of high speed output channel cables and SOD output channel cables. The low speed channel cables are 20 bits wide, the high speed channel cables 72 bits wide, and the SOD channel 144 bits wide, to support its two word per clock cycle operating capability.

Vector Registers As herein before mentioned, the CPU's of the present multiprocessor system are preferably an advanced version of the vector processing machine of U. S. Patent 4,128,880.
In that machine, as in the present advanced version, the vector registers 260 (Figure 5) are the major computational registers of the CPU, with vector operations accomplished by processing a sequence of vector elements, always beginning with the first vector element in the register and continuing until all elements of the vector register involved are pro-cussed. Here, as before, one or more vector registers maybe designated for providing operands, and another vector register may be designated to receive the results during a vector processing operation, and mathematical and logical operations are performed in functional units, which are all fully segmented and which may be independently operated.
Thus, through utilizing a plurality of vector registers and functional units, significant increases in vector processing speed may be accomplished by concurrent operation.
Because a vector result register often becomes the operand register for a succeeding vector processing opera-lion, it is highly advantageous if the elements of a result register may be "chained" as operand elements, and this type of operation is possible in the vector machine of U. S.
Patent 4,128,880. However, as set forth more particularly in the patent, chaining is limited in that system to a par-122~6~5 _34_ titular one clock period in the vector data stream through the vector registers and the functional unit involved. The present vector register advancement overcomes this limit-lion, by permitting chaining at any point in the result Yea-ion data stream and without regard to timing conflicts within the vector register caused by the rates at which the results are received and the operands are needed. To accomplish this "flexible chaining" capability, the memory circuits of the vector registers, which require one clock cycle to perform a read or write operation, are arranged in two independently addressable banks. One bank holds all even elements of the vector and the other bank holds all odd elements of the vector. Thus, both banks may be referenced independently each clock cycle.
Each register has two reservation flags in the instruction issue control which are set as appropriate instructions are issued. One reserves a register as an operand and one reserves a register as a result. A register reserved as a result and not as an operand can be used at any time as an operand register. A register reserved as an operand and not as a result cannot be used as a result register until the operand reservation clears. If both reservations are clear a register can be used as both operand and result in the same operation. These riser-rations are cleared by the appropriate controls 830 or inn the register.
Referring to Figure 22, the even and odd vector eye-mint banks are designated with respective reference numerals 810 and 820. Vector write data is supplied to banks 810 and 820 via data gates 811 and 821 respectively. Addressing for references to banks 810 and 820 are provided for by read and write address registers 812 and 822. Addresses originating in registers 812 and 822 are routed toward the even and odd banks 810 and 820 through the respective gates 813 and 823 depending on which reference operation is sought to be accomplished. In operation, these registers are loaded with a zero address and registers 835 or 836, depending on whether a read or write operation, are loaded with a copy of the vector length parameter from the vector length register data path. The address is then incremented each reference cycle until the AL register is decrement Ed to zero, at which point the operation is complete and a signal is generated to release the respective register reservation in the issue control circuitry. The least significant bit determines which bank, odd or even, the address and corresponding data will be routed to. Thus, a sequence of read or write references will be toggled between banks via gates 813 and 823 depending on the state of the least significant bit of an address.
Address selection gates 814 and 824 receive addresses from gates 813 and 823 respectively and in add-lion each receive an input from the CPU's A data path for sealer references to the V register. Gates 813 and 823 are controlled by the lower bit of read address (RAY), as held in register 812. Thus, RAY is grated to the bank that is to be read and WA is grated not to be read. Selection gate 814 is controllable to gate either inputted address through to memory bank 810 and the upper input of address selection gate 824. Address selection gate 824 may be controlled to route any one of its three inputted addresses through to odd memory bank 820. As will be explained more fully below, gates 814 and 824 provide a mechanism for handling the case where a memory reference conflict occurs.
The availability of vector operands determines the rate at which a vector operation may proceed. Thus, vector read control 830 is the central control circuit for the reading of data out of vector register banks 810 and 820.
Vector read control 830 receives an input from comparator 832, control signal selection gate 833 and a vector operand issue control signal. Gate 833 receives a vector data ready control signal from each of the other seven vector registers, a go memory data signal from port C of the central memory 6~5 -36-referencing network and a vector data ready signal from the output of vector read control 830. Any one of these nine signals may be selectively switched through gate 833 to Yea-ion read control 830 to aid synchronization of delivery of vector data to functional units or to central memory.
Vector read control 830 also monitors the vector write control circuits 831 in determining when to generate a vector data ready signal to other vector registers and the functional unit timing. In the case where two vector registers are used as operands in a vector operation, each register's read control will monitor the other register's data ready signal to determine when elements are available to be processed by the functional unit. When both registers have a data ready signal, each register sends an element to the functional unit. In the case where a vector register is to be stored to memory, the data ready signal will indicate to the appropriate memory port C that an element is available to write, and then read control 830 monitors the memory port's conflict signal to determine when more data can be sent.
The vector data ready signal is generated when the read control 830 is activated by issue of an appropriate vector instruction and one of the following conditions exists: (1) write control 831 is not active. In other words, all elements are valid and the register will not be used as a result register; (2) RAY does not equal WA from comparator 832 or in other words, the element required for the operation has been written into the register; (3) RAY
equals WA and a go write signal is present at the input to control 831 so that the element required is arriving and the write data should be directed to the read data selection 840; (4) A vector data ready signal has been generated but another ready signal has not been received from the control signal selection network 833. In most cases, condition (2) means that RAY is less than WA, except in the special case where a register is both operand and result in the same operation. Then condition (2) means that RAY is greater than WA. In this special case the first data ready signal is generated because of condition (1) since the write active signal is delayed one clock period pursuant to this con-diction and both the read and write operations were started pursuant the same clock period. After the first read RAY is incremented so that RAY no longer equals WA whereby condition

(2) then allows reading to continue.
Direct control of vector write operations is pro-voided by vector write control 831, which receives a go write signal from a functional unit timing circuit and a vector result issue signal. The go write signal originates in a vector read control when an operand is sent to a functional unit. The go write signal is delivered to the appropriate functional unit timing, which delays the signal for a number of clock periods corresponding to its functional unit time and then conveys it to the vector write control. Unlike the system of US. Patent No. 4,128,880 in which only one go write signal is provided for each block of vector operands, the present system provides a go write signal for each valid result output from a functional unit. Results not accom-panted by a go write signal will be disregarded by a result register. Thus, vector read control 830 indirectly controls the write timing, subject to limitations caused by the availability of data to be read.
One function of comparator 832 is to detect the occurrence of a read request and write request to the same vector memory bank during the same clock cycle. In this situation a conflict occurs and the write request is inn-bitted and the read request is allowed to proceed so that data flow to the functional units is uninterrupted. The write request will be delayed one clock cycle by vector write control 831, and the write data will be delayed in data delay register 834 for one clock cycle. On the next clock cycle, the write is allowed to proceed by the vector write control 831 through the appropriate one of gates 811 ~12~8675 -38-or 821. The sequential nature of a vector operation forces each succeeding read and write to occur to the opposite bank and therefore another conflict cannot exist between the delayed write and the next read and write request, whereby data flow through the vector register is unaffected by this conflict.
If the delayed write is in the even bank the write address is used for the delayed write. Although the least significant bit of the write address will have been inane-minted, the most significant five bits will be unchanged soothe address remains valid. If the delayed write is in the odd bank, the incrementation of the delayed write address will cause a change in the most significant five bits.
Thus, a valid address must be selected from the even bank address register as provided for at the upper input of odd address selection gate 824.
Another function of comparator 832 is to detect when a simultaneous read request and write request occurs to the same element of the same bank. When this condition is detected the vector write data may be routed directly through select read data gate 840 via data path 841. Otherwise, gate 840 is controlled to switch the appropriate one of memory bank 810 or 820 through to the appropriate functional unit.
It is important to note that a read request will never occur to a memory location greater than the write location except where the register is used as both a result and operand in the same operation. Instruction issue control prevents a register from being used as a result if it is already involved in an operation as an operand.
Any reference to a vector register will cause a vector not used bit in the active exchange package 266 to be cleared. This allows the operating system to defect when user code has not referenced vector registers, in which case the vector registers convect need not be stored in central memory when switching or exchanging between tasks. Thus, in certain cases exchange time may be saved and memory usage ~22S675 _39_ reduced, contributing to the data processing efficiency of the present system.
The vector registers of the present system are interfaced with the functional units in the exact same manner as those of the system described in U. S. Patent No.
4,128,880, except -for the above noted difference in control of the progression and chaining of functional operations as provided for by the vector read control 830 and vector data ready signal to the functional unit timing. However, the odd-even vector memory organization provides for separate read and write paths to the vector memory which were not possible with the vector register memory organization in the above noted patent. Thus, as will be hereinafter described in more detail, the vector register to main memory interface of the present system includes separate read and write data paths to and from memory respectively, and to this extent differs from the interface depicted in U. S. Patent No.
4,128,880.
Thus, it will be seen that a vector register arch-lecture of the present invention reduces the amount of soft-ware effort necessary to take advantage of the speed of the computer by providing flexible chaining. Accordingly, enhanced vector processing concurrency is obtained and sign-ficantly higher processing rates are made possible.

Operation As seen from the foregoing, the present multi pro-censor system provides a general purpose multiprocessor system for multitasking applications. On a system level, the shared registers and clustering capability allow index pendant tasks of different jobs or related tasks of a single job to be run concurrently. Preferably, the operating system may analyze job requirements on a periodic basis and control the assignment of jobs or tasks between processors to maximize processing efficiency and speed. For example, a single job may be run on multiple processors communicating ~122~7S -40-through the shared registers, central memory, or both, with each processor handling certain ones of related tasks con-currently with the other, or the processors may be utilized independently of one another to run independent tasks of different jobs in each. This operating capability is highly desirable in the case where multitasking is not required.
The clustering design further allows a multiprocessing job to run even if one processor is disabled, if need be. In this situation, the operating system will assign only a single processor to a particular cluster of shared registers and assign all tasks to be run successively by that pro-censor.
Control of multitasking by the operating system is facilitated by the shared registers and in particular by providing synchronization of shared data, critical code regions and shared hardware resources such as the I/O chant nets. In addition, the shared registers facilitate multi threading of the operating system by permitting multiple critical code regions to be independently swanker-sized, with critical code regions such as disk allocation tables, job and task cues and message cues. The operating system may include a job scheduler which may multiplex and interleave the processors against a jobs tasks. In this mode of operation a job starts out as a detest and is sake-duped by the job scheduler for activation. The job may thence loaded into the central memory at which point the job scheduler may schedule one or more processors for the job to accomplish multitasking.
The multitasking capability of the present multiprocessor system is further enhanced by the multiparty memory design, the conflict resolution network, and the interleaved memory bank organization. on a system level, the conflict resolution network and interleaved memory bank design combine to minimize reference delays associated with conflicts and to maintain the integrity of all memory 12~75 -41-references to the same bank at the same time. More par titularly, in many situations a plurality of memory referent cues may be accomplished simultaneously through various different ports. Furthermore, the conflict resolution net-work provides for prioritizing reference requests whereby potential conflicts may be avoided and lower priority requests may be subordinated. According to still another aspect of the multiparty design, I/O references may proceed through the I/O port for any processor independent of the processor making the request, and for the case of high speed I/O transfers to and from the SOD the I/O ports for both processors may be employed to accomplish extremely high data transfer rates.
On the processor level the multiparty memory organic ration makes possible memory-to-memory data streaming opera-lions, with port A or B handling vector fetch references from the memory and port C handling vector store operations concurrently. For example, two vector registers may be loaded from the central memory through ports A and B at the same time, while port C is simultaneously utilized to store results from a vector register back into the central memory.
This operation greatly enhances the data streaming and pro-cussing concurrence capabilities of the processor.
The data streaming capability of the present multiprocessor system is also aided by the hardware automat tic flexible chaining capability of the vector registers.
Utilizing the odd-even memory bank organization in each Yea-ion register, a result vector register may be employed as an operand register substantially irrespective of the clock period on which the first result is received and of the rate at which they are received. The organization of the vector register memory further provides for the utilization of an operand register as a result register, as each register is provided with two independent addressing controls. Thus, vector registers may be utilized in a more efficient manner and in conjunction with a greater number of functional units ~1~228675 -42- .
in a concurrent manner, so that overall processing con-currency is greatly enhanced. Since this flexible chaining capability is hardware automatic, processing speed is made more software independent and similarly, programming complexity and overhead may be reduced.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:
A system for interfacing a main memory and vector registers for use in a vector processing come putter, said system comprising:
a main memory having a plurality of access paths and configured to permit concurrent read and write references thereto;
a plurality of vector registers for holding a plurality of elements of an ordered set of data;
each of said vector registers being connected to said main memory access paths through a plurality of ports, certain of said ports being dedicated to and controlled for reading data from said main memory and writing that data into a vector register, and the other of said ports being dedicated to and controlled for reading data from a vector register and writing that data into said main memory so that operand data may be transferred to said vector registers from the main memory while result data is transferred back to the main memory to permit a continuous flow of data between said registers and said main memory.