Importance

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Abstract

In a multicomputer, concurrent computing system having a plurality of computing nodes, this is a method and apparatus for routing message packets between the nodes. The method comprises providing a routing circuit at each node and interconnecting the routing circuits to define communications paths interconnecting the nodes along which message packets can be routed; at each routing circuit, forming routes to other nodes as a sequence of direction changing and relative address indicators for each node between the starting node and each destination node; receiving a message packet to be transmitted to another node and an associated destination node designator therefor; retrieving the route to the destination node from a memory map; adding the route to the destination node to the beginning of the message packet as part of a header; transmitting the message packet to the routing circuit of the next adjacent node on the route to the destination node; and at each intermediate node, receiving the message packet; reading the header; directing the message packet to one of two outputs thereof as a function of routing directions in the header, updating the header to reflect passage through the routing circuit; and at the destination node, stripping remaining portions of the header from the message packet; storing the message packet; and, informing the node that the message packet has arrived.

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First Claim