Enhanced permutable switching network with multicasting signals for interconnection fabric

1. An integrated circuit, comprising: a L-level permutable switching network (L-PSN);

wherein the L-PSN comprises:

(L+2) levels of conductors,

wherein each of the (L+2) levels of conductors comprises I i number of conductors for i=[0:L+1],

wherein the i-th level of conductors of I i number of conductors comprises D[i] sets of conductors and each of the D[i] sets of conductors comprises (I i /D[i]) number of conductors for i=[0:L+1], D[0]=1 and D[i]≧1,

wherein at least one of the D[i] is at least three for an i selected from [1:L+1],

wherein the I i−1 number of conductors of the (i−1)-th level of conductors selectively couple to the I i number of conductors of the i-th level of conductors through at least T1=((I i−1 −D[i]+1)×D[i]) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors for i=[1:L+1];

at least one j selected from [1:L+1],

wherein D[j] is at least two,

wherein each conductor of the I j−1 number of conductors of the (j−1)-th level of conductors selectively couples to at least (D[j]+1) number of conductors of the I j number of conductors of the j-th level of conductors through a corresponding at least (D[j]+1) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors,

wherein the (D[j]+1) number of conductors comprise at least one conductor in each of the D[j] sets of conductors of the I j number of conductors, and

wherein the I j−1 number of conductors selectively couple to the I j number of conductors through at least (I j−1 ×D[j]+I j ) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors.

2. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , for D S [j]=((I j−1 /I j )×D[j]) where D S [j] is at least two and Q selected from [1:(I j−1 −D S [j]−1)],

wherein D S [j] number of conductors of the I j−1 number of conductors selectively couple to (Q+1) number of conductors of at least one set of conductors of the D[j] sets of conductors of the I j number of conductors through (D S [j]+Q) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors,

wherein the D S [j] number of conductors selectively couple to one conductor of the one set of conductors through D S [j] number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors, and

wherein each conductor of Q number of conductors of the D S [j] number of conductors selectively couples to a respective conductor of the one set of conductors through a respective switch without requiring traversal of another conductor.

3. The integrated circuit of claim 2 , wherein the D S [j] number of conductors selectively couple to at least (Q+1) number of conductors in each set of conductors of the D[j] sets of conductors through a respective (D S [j]+Q) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors.

4. The integrated circuit of claim 3 , wherein the I j−1 number of conductors comprise (I j−1 /D S [j]) groups of D S [j] number of conductors and for (I j−1 /D S [j])≧T>1,

wherein A groups of the (I j−1 /D S [j]) groups of D S [j] number of conductors selectively couple to at least (T×(Q+1)) number of conductors in each set of conductors of the D[j] sets of conductors through a respective (T×(D S [j]+Q)) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors.

5. The integrated circuit of claim 4 , wherein each conductor of the I j number of conductors selectively couples to (D S [j]+Q) number of conductors of the I j−1 number of conductors through (D S [j]+Q) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors.

6. The integrated circuit of claim 4 , wherein T1=(I i−1 ×D[i]) for i=[1:L+1] where i≠j.

7. The integrated circuit of claim 4 , wherein I j ≧I j−1 .

8. The integrated circuit of claim 5 , wherein, for I j =I j−1 , each conductor of the I j−1 number of conductors selectively couples to (D[j]+Q) number of conductors of the I j number of conductors through (D[j]+Q) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors.

9. The integrated circuit of claim 2 , wherein the D S [j] number of conductors is a D S [j]-tuple,

wherein the D S [j]-tuple selectively couple to (Q+1) number of conductors in each set of conductors of the D[j] sets of conductors through a respective (D S [j]+Q) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors,

wherein the D S [j]-tuple selectively couple to one conductor in the each set of conductors of the D[j] sets of conductors through a respective D S [j] number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors, and

wherein each conductor of Q number of conductors of the D S [j]-tuple selectively couples to a respective conductor of the each set of the D[j] sets of conductors through a respective switch without requiring traversal of another conductor.

10. The integrated circuit of claim 9 , wherein the I j−1 number of conductors comprise (I j−1 /D S [j]) number of D S [j]-tuples,

wherein each D S [j]-tuple of the (I j−1 /D S [j]) number of D S [j]-tuples selectively couple to (Q+1) number of conductors in each set of conductors of the D[j] sets of conductors through a respective (D S [j]+Q) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors,

wherein the D S [j]-tuple selectively couple to one conductor in the each set of conductors of the D[j] sets of conductors through a respective D S [j] number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors, and

wherein each conductor of Q number of conductors of the D S [j]-tuple selectively couples to a respective conductor of the each set of the D[j] sets of conductors through a respective switch without requiring traversal of another conductor.

11. The integrated circuit of claim 10 , wherein, for (I j−1 /D S [j])≧T>1, T groups of D S [j]-tuples selectively couple to (T×(Q+1)) number of conductors in the each set of conductors of the D[j] sets of conductors through a respective (T×(D S [j]+Q)) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors.

12. The integrated circuit of claim 11 , wherein each conductor of the I j number of conductors selectively couples to (D S [j]+Q) number of conductors of the I j−1 number of conductors through (D S [j]+Q) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors.

13. The integrated circuit of claim 11 , wherein T1=(I i−1 ×D[i]) for i=[1:L+1] where i≠j.

14. The integrated circuit of claim 11 , wherein I j−1 ≧I j−1 .

15. The integrated circuit of claim 12 , wherein, for I j =I j−1 , each conductor of the I j−1 number of conductors selectively couples to (D[j]+Q) number of conductors of the I j number of conductors through (D[j]+Q) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors.

16. A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit, comprising

fabricating a L-level permutable switching network (L-PSN),

wherein the L-PSN comprises:

(L+2) levels of conductors,

wherein each of the (L+2) levels of conductors comprises I i number of conductors for i=[0:L+1],

wherein the i-th level of conductors of I i number of conductors comprises D[i] sets of conductors and each of the D[i] sets of conductors comprises (I i /D[i]) number of conductors for i=[0:L+1], D[0]=1 and D[i]≧1,

wherein at least one of the D[i] is at least three for an i selected from [1:L+1];

selectively coupling the I i−1 number of conductors of the (i−1)-th level of conductors to the I i number of conductors of the i-th level of conductors through at least T1=((I i−1 −D[i]+1)×D[i]) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors for i=[1:L+1];

wherein the L-PSN further comprises at least one j selected from [1:L+1],

wherein D[j] is at least two;

selectively coupling each conductor of the I j−1 number of conductors of the (j−1)-th level of conductors to at least (D[j]+1) number of conductors of the I j number of conductors of the j-th level of conductors through a corresponding at least (D[j]+1) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors,

wherein the (D[j]+1) number of conductors comprise at least one conductor in each of the D[j] sets of conductors of the I j number of conductors; and

selectively coupling the I j−1 number of conductors to the I j number of conductors through at least (I j−1 ×D[j]+I j ) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors.

17. The method of claim 16 , for D S [j]=((I j−1 /I j )×D[j]) where D S [j] is at least two and Q selected from [1:(I j−1 −D S [j]−1)], the method further comprises:

selectively coupling D S [j] number of conductors of the I j−1 number of conductors to (Q+1) number of conductors of at least one set of conductors of the D[j] sets of conductors of the I j number of conductors through (D S [j]+Q) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors;

selectively coupling the D S [j] number of conductors to one conductor of the one set of conductors through D S [j] number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors; and

selectively coupling each conductor of Q number of conductors of the D S [j] number of conductors to a respective conductor of the one set of conductors through a respective switch without requiring traversal of another conductor.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

selectively coupling the D S [j] number of conductors to at least (Q+1) number of conductors in each set of conductors of the D[j] sets of conductors through a respective (D S [j]+Q) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the I j−1 number of conductors comprise (I j−1 /D S [j]) groups of D S [j] number of conductors and for (I j−1 /D S [j])≧T>1, the method further comprises:

selectively coupling A groups of the (I j−1 /D S [j]) groups of D S [j] number of conductors to at least (T×(Q+1)) number of conductors in each set of conductors of the D[j] sets of conductors through a respective (T×(D S [j]+Q)) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

selectively coupling each conductor of the I j number of conductors to (D S [j]+Q) number of conductors of the I j−1 number of conductors through (D S [j]+Q) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein T1=(I i−1 ×D[i]) for i=[1:L+1] where i≠j.

22. The method of claim 19 , wherein I j ≧I j−1 .

23. The method of claim 20 , wherein, for I j =I j−1 , the method further comprises:

selectively coupling each conductor of the I j−1 number of conductors to (D[j]+Q) number of conductors of the I j number of conductors through (D[j]+Q) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors.

24. The method of claim 17 , wherein the D S [j] number of conductors is a D S [j]-tuple, the method further comprises:

selectively coupling the D S [j]-tuple to (Q+1) number of conductors in each set of conductors of the D[j] sets of conductors through a respective (D S [j]+Q) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors;

selectively coupling the D S [j]-tuple to one conductor in the each set of conductors of the D[j] sets of conductors through a respective D S [j] number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors; and

selectively coupling each conductor of Q number of conductors of the D S [j]-tuple to a respective conductor of the each set of the D[j] sets of conductors through a respective switch without requiring traversal of another conductor.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the I j−1 number of conductors comprise (I j−1 /D S [j]) number of D S [j]-tuples, the method further comprises:

selectively coupling each D S [j]-tuple of the (I j−1 /D S [j]) number of D S [j]-tuples to (Q+1) number of conductors in each set of conductors of the D[j] sets of conductors through a respective (D S [j]+Q) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors;

selectively coupling the D S [j]-tuple to one conductor in the each set of conductors of the D[j] sets of conductors through a respective D S [j] number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors; and

selectively coupling each conductor of Q number of conductors of the D S [j]-tuple to a respective conductor of the each set of the D[j] sets of conductors through a respective switch without requiring traversal of another conductor.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein, for (I j−1 /D S [j])≧T>1, the method further comprises:

selectively coupling T groups of D S [j]-tuples to (T×(Q+1)) number of conductors in the each set of conductors of the D[j] sets of conductors through a respective (T×(D S [j]+Q)) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors.

27. The method of claim 26 , further comprises:

selectively coupling each conductor of the I j number of conductors to (D S [j]+Q) number of conductors of the I j−1 number of conductors through (D S [j]+Q) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors.

28. The method of claim 26 , wherein T1=(I i−1 ×D[i]) for i=[1:L+1] where i≠j.

29. The method of claim 26 , wherein I j−1 ≧I j−1 .

30. The method of claim 27 , wherein, for I j =I j−1 , the method further comprises:

selectively coupling each conductor of the I j−1 , number of conductors to (D[j]+Q) number of conductors of the I j number of conductors through (D[j]+Q) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors.

31. An article of manufacture comprising a machine readable storage medium that stores data representing an integrated circuit layout, comprising: a L-level permutable switching network (L-PSN);

wherein the L-PSN comprises:

(L+2) levels of conductors,

wherein each of the (L+2) levels of conductors comprises I i number of conductors for i=[0:L+1],

wherein the i-th level of conductors of I i number of conductors comprises D[i] sets of conductors and each of the D[i] sets of conductors comprises (I i /D[i]) number of conductors for i=[0:L+1], D[0]=1 and D[i]≧1,

wherein at least one of the D[i] is at least three for an i selected from [1:L+1],

wherein the I i−1 number of conductors of the (i−1)-th level of conductors selectively couple to the I i number of conductors of the i-th level of conductors through at least T1=((I i−1 −D[i]+1)×D[i]) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors for i=[1:L+1];

at least one j selected from [1:L+1],

wherein D[j] is at least two,

wherein each conductor of the I j−1 number of conductors of the (j−1)-th level of conductors selectively couples to at least (D[j]+1) number of conductors of the I j number of conductors of the j-th level of conductors through a corresponding at least (D[j]+1) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors,

wherein the (D[j]+1) number of conductors comprise at least one conductor in each of the D[j] sets of conductors of the I j number of conductors, and

wherein the I j−1 number of conductors selectively couple to the I j number of conductors through at least (I j−1 ×D[j]+I j ) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors.

32. The article of manufacture of claim 31 , for D S [j]=((I j−1 /I j )×D[j]) where D S [j] is at least two and Q selected from [1:(I j−1 −D S [j]−1)],

wherein D S [j] number of conductors of the I j−1 number of conductors selectively couple to (Q+1) number of conductors of at least one set of conductors of the D[j] sets of conductors of the I j number of conductors through (D S [j]+Q) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors,

wherein the D S [j] number of conductors selectively couple to one conductor of the one set of conductors through D S [j] number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors, and

wherein each conductor of Q number of conductors of the D S [j] number of conductors selectively couples to a respective conductor of the one set of conductors through a respective switch without requiring traversal of another conductor.

33. The article of manufacture of claim 32 , wherein the D S [j] number of conductors selectively couple to at least (Q+1) number of conductors in each set of conductors of the D[j] sets of conductors through a respective (D S [j]+Q) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors.

34. The article of manufacture of claim 33 , wherein the I j−1 number of conductors comprise (I j−1 /D S [j]) groups of D S [j] number of conductors and for (I j−1 /D S [j])≧T>1,

wherein A groups of the (I j−1 /D S [j]) groups of D S [j] number of conductors selectively couple to at least (T×(Q+1)) number of conductors in each set of conductors of the D[j] sets of conductors through a respective (T×(D S [j]+Q)) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors.

35. The article of manufacture of claim 34 , wherein each conductor of the I j number of conductors selectively couples to (D S [j]+Q) number of conductors of the I j−1 number of conductors through (D S [j]+Q) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors.

36. The article of manufacture of claim 34 , wherein T1=(I i−1 ×D[i]) for i=[1:L+1] where i≠j.

37. The article of manufacture of claim 34 , wherein I j ≧I j−1 .

38. The article of manufacture of claim 35 , wherein, for I j =I j−1 , each conductor of the I j−1 number of conductors selectively couples to (D[j]+Q) number of conductors of the I j number of conductors through (D[j]+Q) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors.

39. The article of manufacture of claim 32 , wherein the D S [j] number of conductors is a D S [j]-tuple,

wherein the D S [j]-tuple selectively couple to (Q+1) number of conductors in each set of conductors of the D[j] sets of conductors through a respective (D S [j]+Q) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors,

wherein the D S [j]-tuple selectively couple to one conductor in the each set of conductors of the D[j] sets of conductors through a respective D S [j] number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors, and

wherein each conductor of Q number of conductors of the D S [j]-tuple selectively couples to a respective conductor of the each set of the D[j] sets of conductors through a respective switch without requiring traversal of another conductor.

40. The article of manufacture of claim 39 , wherein the I j−1 number of conductors comprise (I j−1 /D S [j]) number of D S [j]-tuples,

wherein each D S [j]-tuple of the (I j−1 /D S [j]) number of D S [j]-tuples selectively couple to (Q+1) number of conductors in each set of conductors of the D[j] sets of conductors through a respective (D S [j]+Q) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors,

wherein the D S [j]-tuple selectively couple to one conductor in the each set of conductors of the D[j] sets of conductors through a respective D S [j] number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors, and

wherein each conductor of Q number of conductors of the D S [j]-tuple selectively couples to a respective conductor of the each set of the D[j] sets of conductors through a respective switch without requiring traversal of another conductor.

41. The article of manufacture of claim 40 , wherein, for (I j−1 /D S [j])≧T>1, T groups of D S [j]-tuples selectively couple to (T×(Q+1)) number of conductors in the each set of conductors of the D[j] sets of conductors through a respective (T×(D S [j]+Q)) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors.

42. The article of manufacture of claim 41 , wherein each conductor of the I j number of conductors selectively couples to (D S [j]+Q) number of conductors of the I j−1 number of conductors through (D S [j]+Q) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors.

43. The article of manufacture of claim 41 , wherein T1=(I i−1 ×D[i]) for i=[1:L+1] where i≠j.

44. The article of manufacture of claim 41 , wherein I j−1 ≧I j−1 .

45. The article of manufacture of claim 42 , wherein, for I j =I j−1 , each conductor of the I j−1 number of conductors selectively couples to (D[j]+Q) number of conductors of the I j number of conductors through (D[j]+Q) number of switches without requiring traversal of any other conductors.