HOLMS

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HOLMS
John F. Snowdon February 20th 2004
http//www.optical-computing.co.uk
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Research
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Conjunct

• Dynamic Serial Optical Interconnect (DSOI)
• A next generation protocol-agile serial optical
  interconnect component.
• New market between telecoms and traditional
  parallel all electrical transmission.
• Stepping stone from solely electrical short range
  interconnects to high bandwidth optical
  solutions.
• Uses proven components creating a low cost,
  tolerance insensitive part.
• Optoelectronics are used in amanner that is both
  cost-effectiveand technologically elegant.

http//www.conjunct.co.uk
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Demonstrator Projects

• Advanced Modelling of Optical Systems (AMOS)
• Partners Leeds University and Silicon
  Graphics.
• Neural Optoelectronic Switch Controller (NOSC)
• Partners Transtech, BT and NeuScience.
• High-Speed Optoelectronic Memory (HOLMS)
• Partners ETH Zurich, Siemens and Hagen
  Univeristy et. al.
• Programmable Optoelectronic Computer
  Architectures (POCA)
• Partners Edinburgh University, Xilinx and BAe
  Systems.
• System for Transparent Avionics (STAR)
• Partners Imperial College London, BAe Systems
  and DERA.

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Partners
BAe Systems, UK British Telecom, UK Ecole
Superieure d'Electricite (SUPELEC), France ILFA
GmbH, Germany Imperial College London, UK Leeds
University, UK Siemens Business Services GmbH
Co. OHG, Germany Silicon Graphics Inc., UK Swiss
Federal Institute of Technology (ETHZ),
Switzerland Terahertz Photonics, UK THALES
Communications (TCFR), France Universität
Gesamthochschule Paderborn, Germany University of
Hagen, Germany Xilinx, USA
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HOLMSHigh-Speed Optoelectronic Memory Systems

• To develop optoelectronic packaging technology
  that allows a seamless integration of complex,
  parallel optoelectronic interconnection with
  conventional high performance electronic systems.
• To construct a demonstrator to prove that the
  above technology can dramatically increase the
  performance of real life information systems.
• The key problem of todays computer architectures
  will be addressed memory latency.

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Technical Approach

• The project aims to integrate
• Planar Free Space Optics
• Opto-Electronic MCM
• Opto-Electronic PCB

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Aims and Advantages

• The project aims to develop an opto-mechanical
  interface between OE-MCM components and the
  waveguides integrated in an OE-PCB system.
• The three types of communication do not require
  different drivers and I/O devices.
• Regardless of the type of communication, latency
  and bandwidth can become virtually identical.
• The integration of OE-MCM, OE-PCB and fiber is a
  key enabling technology for the replacement of
  high latency multistage networks with low latency
  direct optical interconnections in information
  systems.

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Memory Architecture
Optoelectronics enables the construction of this
innovative memory architecture.

• A Mephisto (ARM) processor is connected both
  optically and electronically.
• Custom memory controllers manage multiple RAM
  chips in what are known as memory banks.
• Memory banks are logically grouped.
• The architecture has a low memory latency.
• Multicast support makes this system well suited
  to multiprocessor applications.
• The proposed example application is a real-time
  JPEG 2000 decoder.

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Memory Architecture

• Optoelectronics enables the construction of this
  innovative memory architecture.
• A processor is connected both optically and
  electronically.
• Custom memory controllers manage multiple RAM
  chips in what are known as memory banks.
• Memory banks are logically grouped.
• The architecture has a low memory latency.
• Multicast support makes this system well suited
  to multiprocessor applications.
• The proposed example application is a real-time
  JPEG 2000 decoder
• A sample application is include real-time
  satellite image decoding.

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Memory Architecture
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Architectural Overview
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System Segmentation
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PCB Segmentation
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PIFSO Interface
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PIFSO and Fibre Interface
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Assembly (PCB-MCM-OE)
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Assembly (PIFSO-MCM-PCB)
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Assembly Optical Path