An Analysis of Methods for Improving Long-Range Connectivity in Meshes

The two-dimensional mesh-connected processor array is well-suited for performing low-level image processing algorithms which involve near-neighbour operations, but poorly matched to those which are functions of data at long distances. In attempting to overcome this problem, designers of such systems have utilised a number of different schemes for adding better long-range communications to the basic mesh. Schemes which have been implemented include sets of orthogonal buses; dual-channel processors and a superimposed hypercube. Other methods which are being developed include directly switchable connections between PE input and output channels and simulated quadtree connectivity.