Abstract: A method and controller for sending data frames over a lossy bidirectional link between integrated circuit chips is disclosed. Upon transmission, frames are stored in a buffer. The detection of errors is indicated and triggers retransmission of the erroneously received frame, but acknowledgement of correctly received frames is not indicated. Instead, the sending controller assumes that frames were correctly received if no error indication is received after a period of time. The period of time is the maximum amount of time that would be taken for the sending controller to receive an error indication if the frame was received with an error. After said period of time, the sent frame is discarded from the buffer.

Abstract: Quality-of-Servitrce (QoS) is an important system-level requirement in the design and implementation of on-chip networks. QoS requirements can be implemented in an on-chip-interconnect by providing for at least two signals indicating priority at a transaction-level interface where one signal transfers information in-band with the transaction and the other signal transfers information out-of-band with the transaction. The signals can be processed by the on-chip-interconnect to deliver the required QoS. In addition, the disclosed embodiments can be extended to a Network-on-Chip (NoC).