Multiprocessor Systems-on-Chips

7.2. On-Chip Communication Architectures

The on-chip communication architecture refers to a fabric that integrates SoC components and provides a mechanism for the exchange of data and control information between them. The first basis for classifying communication architectures is the network topology, which defines the physical structure of the communication architecture. In general, the topology could range in complexity from a single shared bus to an arbitrarily complex, regular or irregular interconnection of channels. The second basis for classification is the communication protocols employed by the communication architecture, which specify the exact conventions and logical mechanisms according to which system components communicate over ...