Message passing system for distributed shared memory multiprocessor

Abstract

In a multiprocessor system, each processor module comprises a processor, a distributed shared memory, a distributed memory coupler for controlling copying between distributed shared memories and a distributed memory protector for protecting said distributed shared memory against illegal access. The distributed shared memories are assigned global addresses common to all the processor modules, and the distributed shared memory of each processor module has its addresses shared with the distributed shared memory of each processor module which is the destinatiion of data transfer. Message buffers and message control areas on the distributed shared memory are divided into areas specified by a combination of sending and receiving processor modules. A processing request area on the distributed shared memory is divided corresponding to each receiving processor module and arranged accordingly. The processing request area on the receiver's side distributed shared memory has a FIFO structure. The sender's side distributed memory coupler stores identifying information of the destination processor module between the processor module communication and, upon occurrence of a write into the distributed shared memory, sends a write address and write data to the destination processor module. The receiver's side distributed memory coupler copies the received write data into the distributed shared memory of the processor module to which the distributed shared memory coupler belongs, by receiving write address and write data from the sender's side distributed memory coupler.