Abstract: A system and method for creating layout for semiconductor chips are described. In various implementations, an integrated circuit includes at least a first functional block and a second functional block. The first functional block includes circuitry that has a first set of parameters of a first process corner. The second functional block includes circuitry that has a second set of parameters of a second process corner different from the first set of parameters of the first process corner. For a same set of operating conditions, the second functional block has device characteristics different from device characteristics of the first functional block based on the first process corner and the second process corner being different from one another. The integrated circuit is fabricated with a process corner mask that indicates which areas of the die use the first process corner and which areas use the second process corner.

Abstract: A system and method for efficiently resetting data stored in a memory array are described. In various implementations, an integrated circuit includes a memory for storing data, and a processing unit that generates access requests for the data stored in the memory. When access circuitry of the memory array begins a reset operation, it reduces a power supply voltage level used by memory bit cells in a column of the array to a value less than a threshold voltage of transistors. Therefore, the p-type transistors of the bit cells do not contend with the write driver during a write operation. The access circuitry provides the reset data on the write bit lines, and asserts each of the write word lines of the memory array. To complete the write operation, the access circuitry returns the power supply voltage level from below the threshold voltage level to an operating voltage level.

Abstract: A memory device includes core circuitry including memory cells, and write data path circuitry coupled to the core circuitry. The write data path circuitry determines a second parity bit from a second signal and a poison bit. The second signal and the poison bit are determined by processing a first data signal. Further, the write data path circuitry detects a first error within the second signal based on a comparison between a first parity bit and the second parity bit, and outputs a first error signal comprising the first error.

Abstract: A technique for performing a path tracing operation is provided. A cache is interrogated using a probe operation that returns a Boolean result for each of a plurality of scene data elements associated with the path tracing operation. The Boolean result indicates presence or absence of a scene data element in the cache. The path tracing operation executes at least a first instruction based at least in part on the probe operation returning a Boolean result indicating absence of one of the scene data elements in the cache. The path tracing operation executes at least a second instruction based at least in part on the probe operation returning a Boolean result indicating presence of said one scene data element in the cache, wherein the first instruction is different from the second instruction.

Abstract: A security module of a processor manages the lifecycle of device interfaces of input/output (I/O) devices within a virtualization environment in a secure and trusted manner. For example, the security module is configured to bind a device interface of an I/O device interface to a virtual machine (VM). Responsive to the device interface being bound, the security module is configured to attest at least one of the device interface and the I/O device. Responsive to the at least one of the device interface or the I/O device being attested, the security module is configured to configure an input-output memory management unit (IOMMU) and memory resources associated with the VM.

Abstract: A multi-die parallel processor semiconductor package includes a first base IC die including a first plurality of virtual compute dies 3D stacked on top of the first base IC die. A first subset of a parallel processing pipeline logic is positioned at the first plurality of virtual compute dies. Additionally, a second subset of the parallel processing pipeline logic is positioned at the first base IC die. The multi-die parallel processor semiconductor package also includes a second base IC die including a second plurality of virtual compute dies 3D stacked on top of the second base IC die. An active bridge chip communicably couples a first interconnect structure of the first base IC die to a first interconnect structure of the second base IC die.

Abstract: The disclosed voltage regulator includes multiple voltage converter circuits. Each of the voltage converter circuits can be configured to operate at respective switching frequencies to deliver current to an output supply voltage. The voltage regulator can include a control circuit that regulates the output supply voltage using the voltage converter circuits. Various other methods and systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: A macro cell includes one or more vertical die interconnects that vertically span the macro cell to transmit a data signal. The macro cell also includes one or more isolation features configured to manage a power of the macro cell by controlling a transmission of the data signal. Additionally, the macro cell includes one or more flip-flops configured to control a timing of the transmission of the data signal through the one or more vertical die interconnects. Various other apparatuses and systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods and systems for runtime management by an accelerator-resident manager. Techniques include receiving, by the manager, a representation of a processing flow of an application, including a plurality of kernels and respective dependencies. The manager, then, assigns the plurality of kernels to one or more APUs managed it and launches the plurality of kernels on their assigned APUs to run in an iteration according to the respective dependencies.

Abstract: Memory stacks having substantially vertical bitlines, and chip packages having the same, are disclosed herein. In one example, a memory stack is provided that includes a first memory IC die and a second memory IC die. The second memory IC die is stacked on the first memory IC die. Bitlines are routed through the first and second IC dies in a substantially vertical orientation. Wordlines within the first memory IC die are oriented orthogonal to the bitlines.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first metal layer including a plurality of first ground wire pairs alternating with a plurality of first power wire pairs and a second metal layer including a plurality of second ground wire pairs alternating with a plurality of second power wire pairs. A metal-insulator-metal capacitor (MIMCAP) is between the first metal layer and the second metal layer. A group of ground vias connects a pair of the first ground wire pairs with a pair of the second ground wire pairs. The group of ground vias can also connect to a ground plate of the MIMCAP. A group of power vias connects a pair of the first power wire pairs with a pair of the second power wire pairs. The group of power vias can also connect to a power plate of the MIMCAP. Various other methods and systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: Using ultrasound to assist in spatial audio processing includes emitting audible sound and ultrasound signals from a plurality of speakers of an electronic device. Reflected ultrasound signals are detected by a plurality of microphones of the electronic device. Presence of a user for the electronic device is detected by a hardware processor of the electronic device based on the reflected ultrasound signals. In response to detecting the presence of the user, the hardware processor is capable of adjusting audio played through one or more of the plurality of speakers as audible sound.

Abstract: A processing system receives graph object data and graph object metadata. The processing system stores the graph object metadata inline with the graph object data. The graph object metadata indicates access permissions for corresponding graph objects. Because the graph object metadata is stored inline with the graph object data, the graph object metadata is more easily retrieved and fewer system resources are consumed to determine access permissions of a requester as compared to a system where graph object metadata is stored separately from the graph object data.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for efficiently managing power consumption among multiple, replicated functional blocks of an integrated circuit. An integrated circuit includes multiple, replicated functional blocks that use separate power domains. Data of a given type is stored in an interleaved manner among the multiple functional blocks. When control circuitry detects a low-performance mode, commands are sent to the multiple functional blocks specifying storing data of the given type in a contiguous manner in one or more of the caches of the multiple functional blocks and the memories connected to the multiple functional blocks. Following, the control circuitry transitions the memories to a sleep state and transitions all but one of the functional blocks to the sleep state. The functional blocks rotate amongst themselves with a single functional block being in the active state and servicing requests based on which data of the given type is targeted by the requests.

Abstract: A masked atomic update instruction is described that atomically performs compare and exchange operations on select bits of a data structure. Executing the masked atomic update instruction compares respective source values with respective values of bits stored at a destination data storage location. If the respective bit values match, one or more of the respective bit values at the destination are replaced with one or more defined replacement values. Alternatively, if the respective bit values do not match, the destination is not modified. The masked atomic update instruction enables a processing unit to mask out bits of the destination data storage location that are not involved in the comparison or update. The masked atomic update instruction thus provides bit-level granularity by which another thread is prevented from accessing bits of the destination data storage location. This bit-level granularity advantageously permits multiple threads to simultaneously access a common data storage location.

Abstract: Data evaluation using processing-in-memory is described. In accordance with the described techniques, data evaluation logic is loaded into a processing-in-memory component. The processing-in-memory component executes the data evaluation logic to evaluate a minimum number of bits required to retrieve data from, or store data to, at least one memory location. A result is output indicating the number of bits required to represent data at the at least one memory location based on the evaluation.

Abstract: Embodiments herein describe tracking the number of congested paths in a multipath connection between endpoints to determine when to throttle the data being transmitted by a sender. In one embodiment, the embodiments herein permit a sender to determine whether congestion is caused by the receiver (or the network as a whole) being congested or only a few paths in the network being congested. The receiver may provide congestion signals that indicate congested paths as feedback to the sender. The sender can track the number of congested paths. For example, the sender can determine a ratio between the number of congested paths and the total paths in the multipath connection. Once this ratio reaches a threshold, the sender may begin data throttling. However, until then, the sender may redirect data that would have been sent on the congested paths to paths that are not yet congested.

Abstract: Techniques for executing workgroups are provided. The techniques include executing, for a first workgroup of a first kernel dispatch, a workgroup dependency instruction that includes an indication to prioritize execution of a second workgroup of a second kernel dispatch, and in response to the workgroup dependency instruction, dispatching the second workgroup of the second kernel dispatch prior to dispatching a third workgroup of the second kernel dispatch, wherein no workgroup dependency instruction including an indication to prioritize execution of the third workgroup has been executed.

Abstract: In-system electrical connectivity detection. In one or more implementations, a computing device includes a transmitter and a receiver in a package, the transmitter to transmit a signal to a separate device, the receiver to receive and measure a reflection of the transmitted signal, and the measured reflection for characterizing (e.g., testing or detecting) an electrical connection between the computing and separate devices. The computing device may characterize (e.g., detect a discontinuity in) the electrical connection by comparing a magnitude of the transmitted signal with a magnitude of the measured reflection. The computing device may be coupled with the separate device by multiple electrical connections, and the multiple electrical connections may be tested by corresponding transmitters and receivers.

Abstract: Keyword-based device activation to avoid false positives includes detecting, by a hardware processor of a device, a first user utterance specifying a first keyword of a multi-keyword phrase from audio data. In response to detecting the first user utterance, the audio data is monitored by the processor for a second user utterance specifying a second keyword of the multi-keyword phrase, and sensor data generated by a user attention sensor of the device is monitored for an indication of user attention directed to the device. In response to detecting the second keyword and detecting the indication of user attention directed to the device, a selected operation of the device is initiated by the hardware processor.