Abstract Disclosed is a connector assembly for a parallel-processing device, the assembly comprising a pile of bus disks (7) each having an integrated circuit crossbar switch (9) at its centre and a plurality of conductor lines (13) radiating from the centre crossbar switch, thus providing communication lines of equal length to make a required electrical connection between selected processing units. This eliminates the necessity of adjusting different transmission times in communication between selected processing units, and accordingly the time involved for processing is shortened. A pile of numerous disks permit interconnection of numerous processing units therearound through the shortest possible conductor lines, thus making the processing units insensitive to interference by noise signals.
A connector assembly for connecting a plurality of processing elements in a parallel-processing device the assembly comprising a plurality of bus disks (7) arranged along a common axis, each disk having an integrated circuit crossbar switch (9) at its centre and a plurality of signal conductor lines (13) of substantially equal length radially extending thereon from the crossbar switch to the circumference of respective bus disks for connection to processing elements wherein the switch (9) is controllable to open and close an interior contact at each crossing of the signal conductor lines in the crossbar switch according to a predetermined sequence.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
35 words
An assembly according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of bus disks (7) is a three-layered bus disk composed of upper, intermediate and lower layers each having a respective signal conductor line (13A-13C).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
57 words
An assembly according to claim 2, wherein the signal conductor lines (13A-13C) are angularly offset relative to each other and include terminals at distal ends thereof, respectively, whereby the terminals of each of the plurality of three-layered bus disks are connected in use to a plurality of processing elements arranged around the plurality of three-layered bus disks.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
A parallel-processing device comprising a connector assembly according to any of the preceding claims; and a plurality of processing elements (18) arranged around the bus disks, an exterior contact of each of the plurality of processing elements being electrically connected at a terminal end of each radial signal conductor line.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
56 words
A parallel-processing device according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of processing elements (18) includes an upright printed circuit board, a processing unit, and a plurality of terminals formed on an inner vertical edge of the printed circuit board for exterior connection to corresponding ones of the terminal ends of each radial signal conductor line (13).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
A parallel-processing device according to claim 4 or claim 5, further comprising means for controlling an opening-and-closing operation of the crossbar switches constituted by a crossbar switch controller connected to the signal conductor lines (13) of each of the plurality of bus disks (7).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
A parallel-processing device according to any of claims 4 to 6, wherein the terminals of each of the plurality of bus disks (7) are connected to the plurality of processing elements by a male/female connector (24,25).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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