Showing papers on "Memory controller published in 2003"

Computer memory cards using flash EEPROM integrated circuit chips and memory-controller systems

Abstract: A very small computer memory card is densely packed with a large number of flash EEPROM integrated circuit chips. A computer memory system provides for the ability to removably connect one or more of such cards with a common controller circuit that interfaces between the memory cards and a standard computer system bus. Alternately, each card can be provided with the necessary controller circuitry and thus is connectable directly to the computer system bus. An electronic system is described for a memory system and its controller within a single memory card. In a preferred physical arrangement, the cards utilize a main circuit board with a plurality of sub-boards attached thereto on both sides, each sub-board carrying several integrated circuit chips.

The AMD Opteron processor for multiprocessor servers

Abstract: Representing AMD's entry into 64-bit computing, Opteron combines the backwards compatibility of the X86-64 architecture with a DDR memory controller and hypertransport links to deliver server-class performance. These features also make Opteron a flexible, modular, and easily connectable component for various multiprocessor configurations.

Pipelined parallel programming operation in a non-volatile memory system

Abstract: The present invention allows for an increase in programming parallelism in a non-volatile memory system without incurring additional data transfer latency. Data is transferred from a controller to a first memory chip and a programming operation is caused to begin. While that first memory chip is busy performing that program operation, data is transferred from the controller to a second memory chip and a programming operation is caused to begin in that chip. Data transfer can begin to the first memory chip again once it has completed its programming operation even though the second chip is still busy performing its program operation. In this manner high parallelism of programming operation is achieved without incurring the latency cost of performing the additional data transfers. Two sets of embodiments are presented, one that preserves the host data in a buffer until successful programming of that data is confirmed and one that does not require that success be achieved and that does not preserve the data thus achieving a higher rate of data programming throughput.

System and method for selective memory module power management

Abstract: A memory module includes a memory hub that monitors utilization of the memory module and directs devices of the memory module to a reduced power state when the module is not being used at a desired level. System utilization of the memory module is monitored by tracking system usage, manifested by read and write commands issued to the memory module, or by measuring temperature changes indicating a level of device activity beyond normal refresh activity. Alternatively, measured activity levels can be transmitted over a system bus to a centralized power management controller which, responsive to the activity level packets transmitted by remote memory modules, direct devices of those remote memory modules to a reduced power state. The centralized power management controller could be disposed on a master memory module or in a memory or system controller.

Universal non-volatile memory card used with various different standard cards containing a memory controller

Abstract: A mother/daughter card non-volatile memory system includes a daughter card containing the memory and a mother card containing the memory controller and host interface circuits. The daughter memory card contains as little more than the memory cell array as is practical, in order to minimize its cost, and has an interface for connecting with a variety of mother controller cards having physical attributes and host interfaces according to a number of different published or proprietary memory card standards. Different types of memory cards may be used when the operating parameters of the memory are stored within it in a protected location, the mother card controller then reading these parameters and adapting its operation accordingly. A radio frequency antenna may be included on a surface of the card along with its electrical contacts, in order to provide a radio frequency identification function.

Flash with consistent latency for read operations

Abstract: A synchronous flash memory includes an array of non-volatile memory cells. The memory device has a package configuration that is compatible with an SDRAM. The memory device includes a pipelined buffer with selectable propagation paths to route data from the input connection to the output connection. Each propagation path requires a predetermined number of clock cycles. The non-volatile synchronous memory includes circuitry to route both memory data and register data through the pipelined output buffer to maintain consistent latency for both types of data.

Memory latency and bandwidth optimizations

Abstract: A computer system includes a plurality of memory modules that contain semiconductor memory, such as DIMMs. The system includes a host/data controller that utilizes an XOR engine to store data and parity information in a striped fashion on the plurality of memory modules to create a redundant array of industry standard DIMMs (RAID). The host/data controller also interleaves data on a plurality of channels associated with each of the plurality of memory modules. To optimize memory bandwidth and reduce memory latency, various techniques are implemented in the present RAID system. Present techniques include providing dual memory arbiters, sorting read cycles by chip select or bank address, providing programmable upper and lower boundary registers to facilitate programmable memory mapping, and striping and interleaving memory data to provide a burst length of one.

Memory hub with internal cache and/or memory access prediction

Abstract: A computer system includes a memory hub for coupling a processor to a plurality of synchronous dynamic random access memory (“SDRAM”) devices. The memory hub includes a processor interface coupled to the processor and a plurality of memory interfaces coupled to respective SDRAM devices. The processor interface is coupled to the memory interfaces by a switch. Each of the memory interfaces includes a memory controller, a cache memory, and a prediction unit. The cache memory stores data recently read from or written to the respective SDRAM device so that it can be subsequently read by processor with relatively little latency. The prediction unit prefetches data from an address from which a read access is likely based on a previously accessed address.

Method and apparatus for multi-port memory controller

Abstract: A memory controller is provided. The memory controller includes an initiator block configured to arbitrate requests corresponding to data from multiple ports. The initiator block includes an arbitration module configured to consider a latency factor and a bandwidth factor associated with the data from a port to be selected for processing. A state machine is in communication with the arbitration module. The state machine is configured to generate a signal to the arbitration module that is configured to select the data associated with the port based upon the latency factor and the bandwidth factor. Task status and completion circuitry configured to calculate the bandwidth factor based upon previous data selected from the port is included in the initiator block. The task status and completion circuitry is further configured to transmit the calculated bandwidth factor to the state machine. A method for arbitrating across multiple ports is also provided.

Active memory data compression system and method

Abstract: An integrated circuit active memory device receives task commands from a component in a host computer system that may include the active memory device. The host system includes a memory controller coupling the active memory device to a host CPU and a mass storage device. The active memory device includes a command engine issuing instructions responsive to the task commands to either an array control unit or a DRAM control unit. The instructions provided to the DRAM control unit cause data to be written to or read from a DRAM and coupled to or from either the processing elements or a host/memory interface. The processing elements execute instructions provided by the array control unit to decompress data written to the DRAM through the host/memory interface and compress data read from the DRAM through the host/memory interface.

Memory module, memory system, and information device

Abstract: A memory system including ROM and RAM in which reading and writing are enabled. A memory system includes a non-volatile memory (FLASH), DRAM, a control circuit, and an information processing device. Data in FLASH is transferred to SRAM or DRAM in advance. Data transfer between the non-volatile memory and the DRAM can be performed in the background. The memory system including these plural chips is configured as a memory system module in which each chip is mutually laminated and each chip is wired via a ball grid array (BGA) and bonding wire between the chips. Data in FLASH can be read at the similar speed to that of DRAM by securing a region in which the data in FLASH can be copied in DRAM and transferring the data to DRAM in advance immediately after power is turned on or by a load instruction.

Method and system for energy management in a simultaneous multi-threaded (SMT) processing system including per-thread device usage monitoring

Abstract: A method and system for energy management in a simultaneous multi-threaded (SMT) processing system including per-thread device usage monitoring provides control of energy usage that accommodates thread parallelism. Per-device usage information is measured and stored on a per-thread basis, so that upon a context switch, the previous usage evaluation state can be restored. The per-thread usage information is used to adjust the thresholds of device energy management decision control logic, so that energy use can be managed with consideration as to which threads will be running in a given execution slice. A device controller can then provide for per-thread control of attached device power management states without intervention by the processor and without losing the historical evaluation state when a process is switched out. The device controller may be a memory controller and the controlled devices memory modules or banks within modules if individual banks can be power-managed. Local thresholds provide the decision-making mechanism for each controlled device and are adjusted by the operating system in conformity with the measured usage level for threads executing within the processing system. The per-thread usage information may be obtained from a performance monitoring unit that is located within or external to the device controller and the usage monitoring state is then retrieved and replaced by the operating system at each context switch.

Memory system with burst length shorter than prefetch length

Abstract: In some embodiments, the invention includes a system having a memory controller, a bus, and first and second memory devices. The memory controller requests read and write operations and operates with a burst length. The first and second memory devices are coupled to the memory controller through the bus, the first and second memory devices each having a prefetch length that is greater than the burst length, but performing the requested read and write operations with the burst length. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Method and system for power management including device controller-based device use evaluation and power-state control

Abstract: A method and system for power management including device controller-based device use evaluation and power-state control provides improved performance in a power-managed processing system. Per-device usage information is measured and evaluated during process execution and is retrieved from the device controller upon a context switch, so that upon reactivation of the process, the previous usage evaluation state can be restored. The device controller can then provide for per-process control of attached device power management states without intervention by the processor and without losing the historical evaluation state when a process is switched out. The device controller can control power-saving states of connected devices in conformity with the usage evaluation without processor intervention and across multiple process execution slices. The device controller may be a memory controller and the controlled devices memory modules or banks within modules if individual banks can be power-managed. Local thresholds provide the decision-making mechanism for each controlled device. The thresholds may be history-based, fixed or adaptive and are generally set initially by the operating system and may be updated by the memory controller adaptively or using historical collected usage evaluation counts or alternatively by the operating system via a system processor.

Memory channel test fixture and method

Abstract: Method and apparatus for use with buffered memory modules are included among the embodiments. In exemplary systems, the memory module has a host-side memory channel port and a downstream memory channel port, allowing multiple modules to be chained point-to-point. In the present disclosure, a separate bus, such as a low-speed system management bus, connects to a memory module buffer. In response to commands received over the system management bus, the memory module can initiate commands and transmit those commands over its downstream memory channel port as if the commands originated from a host connected to the host-side memory channel port. This functionality allows module-to-module memory channels and memory modules to be tested independent of a host memory controller and host memory channel. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Image processing apparatus and method of same

Abstract: An image processing apparatus, able to improve the pixel fill rate and able to prevent an increase of memory resources and increase of memory access, provided with a color calculation circuit for performing pixel level processing based on supplied first attribute parameters of the Z and color (R, G, B) data and outputting second attribute parameters and (x, y) coordinate data supplied by a DDA circuit together with the results and a sub primitive generation circuit for expanding a plurality of stamps to a plurality of sub primitives (sub stamps) based on the second attribute parameters of the color calculation circuit, generating expanded coordinates corresponding to the expanded sub stamps based on the (x, y) coordinate data of the DDA circuit, and outputting the same as the drawing parameters after expansion and the expanded graphics drawing coordinates to a memory controller, and a method of the same.

Single rank memory module for use in a two-rank memory module system

Abstract: A memory module for use in a two rank memory module system includes a plurality of memory devices and a control circuit. In one embodiment, the control circuit may be configured to generate a chip select signal that is provided to each of the memory devices. The chip select signal may be dependent upon assertions of a first bank chip select signal and a second bank chip select signal received from a memory controller. The control circuit may be further configured to generate an address signal that is provided to each of the memory devices. The address signal may be asserted dependent upon which of the first bank chip select signal and the second bank chip select signal are asserted.

On-die termination circuit and method for reducing on-chip DC current, and memory system including memory device having the same

Abstract: Provided are an on-die termination (“ODT”) circuit and ODT method which are capable of minimizing consumption of an on-chip DC current, and a memory system which adopts a memory device having the same, where the ODT circuit includes a termination voltage port, a data input/output (“I/O”) port, a first termination resistor, a switch, and a termination enable signal generating circuit; the termination voltage port receives termination voltage from a voltage regulator or a memory controller which is installed outside the memory device; one end of the first termination resistor is connected to the data I/O port; the switch selectively connects the termination voltage port to the other end of the first termination resistor in response to a termination enable signal; the termination enable signal generating circuit generates the termination enable signal in response to a signal which indicates a valid section of input data or that the present period is not a read period during write operations of the memory device, and may also generate the termination enable signal in response to a signal output from a mode register set (“MRS”); and the ODT circuit may include a second termination resistor, one end of which is connected to the data I/O port and the other end of which is connected to the termination voltage port.

Power/performance optimized memory controller considering processor power states

Abstract: When a processor in a computer system is placed in a low power mode, power consumption of the computer system may be further reduced by reducing power consumption of one or more components of a memory coupled to the processor and by reducing power consumption of one or more components of a controller device coupled to the memory. The processor and the controller device may share the memory.

Memory buffer device integrating ECC

Abstract: Apparatus and method to carry out checks for memory errors within a memory device independently of a memory controller during times when there is no activity on a memory bus coupling the memory device to the memory controller that involves the memory device.

Stackable memory module with variable bandwidth

Abstract: The present invention is a family of memory modules. In one embodiment a memory module with granularity and upgradeability of bandwidth, and a low profile uses 256 MB SDRAM or DDR SDRAM memory devices in chip scale packages (CSPs) to support a memory data bus width of up to at least 512 bits. Each module includes an impedance-controlled substrate having contact pads, memory devices, and other components on its surfaces. In one embodiment, the inclusion of spaced apart multiple area array interconnections allows a row of memory devices to be symmetrically mounted on each side of each of the area array interconnections, thereby reducing the interconnect lengths and facilitating matching of interconnect lengths. Short area array interconnections, including ball grid array (BGA) and land grid array (LGA) options, provide electrical communication between modules and the rest of the system. Thermal control structures may be included to maintain reliable operating temperatures.

Out of order DRAM sequencer

Abstract: Memory access requests are successively received in a memory request queue of a memory controller. Any conflicts or potential delays between temporally proximate requests that would occur if the memory access requests were to be executed in the received order are detected, and the received order of the memory access requests is rearranged to avoid or minimize the conflicts or delays and to optimize the flow of data to and from the memory data bus. The memory access requests are executed in the reordered sequence, while the originally received order of the requests is tracked. After execution, data read from the memory device by the execution of the read-type memory access requests are transferred to the respective requestors in the order in which the read requests were originally received.

Arrayed data storage architecture with simultaneous command of multiple storage media

Abstract: A storage system controller (302) includes a plurality of media controllers (301), a local microprocessor (306), and a host interface logic (310), operably coupled by a multi-drop parallel bus. The multi-drop parallel bus (319) includes a control bus (324), a payload data bus (320), a real-time ready-status (data ready) signaling bus (322) and a general microprocessor bus (330). Each media controller has a storage media (311) operably coupled thereto. Each media controller includes a parameter storage (404), a media interface circuit (406), a control data state machine (408), a command sequencer state machine (410), a media-side multi-mode transfer state machine (412), a dual-port memory (402), a memory controller (420), and a host-side transfer state machine (430). The host interface logic and the media controllers are implemented in one or more Field Programmable Gate Arrays. The storage system architecture allows the microprocessor to simultaneously broadcast a command to the media controllers, which have a capability to substantially simultaneously begin exchanging data with the storage media in response to the command. The storage system has provision for Redundant Array of Independent Disks, method 0, operation.

Semiconductor memory system having multiple system data buses

Abstract: The semiconductor memory system includes a memory controller, N system data buses, and first through P-th memory module groups. The N system data buses are connected to the memory controller and respectively have a width of M/N bits. The first through P-th memory module groups are connected to the N system data buses and respectively have N memory modules. In each of the first through P-th memory module groups, a different one of the N system data buses is connected to each of the N memory modules, and each of the N system data buses has a data bus width of M/N bits. The first through P-th memory module groups are operated in response to first through P-th corresponding chip select signals. M is the bit-width of an entire system data bus of the semiconductor memory system. The N system data buses are wired such that data transmission times are the same from each N memory modules that operate in response to the same chip select signal to the memory controller.

Memory controller useable in a data processing system

Abstract: One embodiment relates to a memory controller using an independent memory controller bus in order to transfer data between two or more memories. One embodiment of a data processing system includes a system bus, a system bus master coupled to the system bus, a first memory controller for controlling a first memory, a second memory controller for controlling a second memory, and a memory controller bus operating independent of the system bus to transfer data between the first memory controller and the second memory controller. The memory controller bus may include a data bus and read, write, and acknowledge signals. In one embodiment, the first memory is a block accessible memory such as a NAND Flash memory and the second memory is a random access memory (RAM) such as an SDRAM. The second memory may include arbitration logic for arbitrating between the system bus master and the first memory controller.

Apparatus and method for controlling execute-in-place (XIP) in serial flash memory, and flash memory chip using the same

Abstract: The invention is for controlling execute-in-place in a serial flash memory and a flash memory chip using the same, enabling a serial flash controller with predetermined amount of storage to access the serial flash, to read an entire page to which required data belong, and to transmit the desired data to a main control unit or to execute the data. The apparatus includes a cache module for accessing a designated memory address of the serial flash in response to a command received from a main control unit, and reading or writing data required by the main control unit; a serial flash controller with a boot loader for allowing system booting to be performed by reading boot codes written on the serial flash, and storing the boot codes in a buffer and immediately transmitting the boot codes to the main control unit when the main control unit requires the boot codes.

RAID memory system

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are broadly directed to a memory system. In one embodiment, a first data memory is coupled to a first memory controller and a second data memory is coupled to a second memory controller. A parity memory is coupled to a parity controller, the parity controller being directly coupled to both the first memory controller and the second memory controller. Parity data control logic is configured to store and retrieve parity information associated with data stored in both the first data memory and the second data memory, the parity data control logic configured to interleave within the parity memory parity data associated with data stored in the first data memory with parity data associated with data stored in the second data memory.

Apparatus and method for placing memory into self-refresh state

Abstract: A circuit external to a memory controller in a processing system places a dynamic random access memory into a self-refresh state in response to a predetermined condition associated with a power-down or reset event.

Reference voltage generator

Abstract: Voltage differences between memory module power sources and memory controller power sources are corrected for when interpreting data signals passed between memory modules and a controller. Correction is provided by the reference voltage generated from the memory module or controller power source voltage so that if the voltage amplitude of a data signal transmitted by the memory module or controller varies due to changes in the power source voltage, the reference signal voltage amplitude will correspondingly vary. Thus, the data signal receiving controller or memory module can use the reference signal to properly interpret the voltage amplitude of data received.

Programmable data strobe offset with DLL for double data rate (DDR) RAM memory

Abstract: A double data rate (DDR) synchronous dynamic RAM (SDRAM), or DDR-SDRAM, memory controller employing a delay locked loop (DLL) circuit to delay an SDRAM data strobe (DQS) signal to the center, or ‘eye’ of the read data window. However, in distinction from conventional techniques, the initial delay determined by the DLL is fine tuned with an offset determined by a memory test. Moreover, in an additional embodiment, the delay may be further adjusted during operation to compensate for environmental conditions by a PVT (process, value, temperature) circuit.