Patents Assigned to Cray Inc.
  • Publication number: 20120059938
    Abstract: A multiprocessor computer system comprises a plurality of nodes, wherein the nodes are ordered using dimension-ordered numbering. An application placement module is operable to place an application in nodes with preference given to nodes ordered near one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: Cray Inc.
    Inventors: Carl Albing, Hugo R. Mills
  • Patent number: 8126674
    Abstract: A memory daughter card (MDC) is described, having a very high-speed serial interface and an on-card MDC test engine that allows one MDC to be directly connected to another MDC for testing purposes. In some embodiments, a control interface allows the test engine to be programmed and controlled by a test controller on a test fixture that allows simultaneous testing of a single MDC or one or more pairs of MDCs, one MDC in a pair (e.g., the “golden” MDC) testing the other MDC of that pair. Other methods are also described, wherein one MDC executes a series of reads and writes and other commands to another MDC to test at least some of the other card's functions, or wherein one port executes a series of test commands to another port on the same MDC to test at least some of the card's functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Cray Inc.
    Inventors: David R. Resnick, Gerald A. Schwoerer, Kelly J. Marquardt, Alan M. Grossmeier, Michael L. Steinberger, Van L. Snyder, Roger A. Bethard
  • Patent number: 8095759
    Abstract: A multiprocessor computer system comprises a plurality of processors and a plurality of nodes, each node comprising one or more processors. A local memory in each of the plurality of nodes is coupled to the processors in each node, and a hardware firewall comprising a part of one or more of the nodes is operable to prevent a write from an unauthorized processor from writing to the local memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Cray Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis C. Abts, Steven L. Scott, Aaron F. Godfrey
  • Patent number: 8081459
    Abstract: Computer systems with air cooling systems and associated methods are disclosed herein. In several embodiments, a computer system can include a computer cabinet holding multiple computer modules, and an air mover positioned in the computer cabinet. The computer system can also include an airflow restrictor positioned proximate to an air outlet of the computer cabinet, and an overhead heat exchanger mated to the computer cabinet proximate to the air outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Cray Inc.
    Inventors: Wade J. Doll, Douglas P. Kelley
  • Patent number: 8065573
    Abstract: Various embodiments include an apparatus comprising a memory device including a plurality of addressable memory locations, and a memory manager coupled to the memory device, the memory manager including a scheduling unit and a histogram data structure including a plurality of counters, the scheduling unit operable to detect a single-bit error in data read from the memory device, and to increment a value in a particular one of the plurality of counters, the particular one of the plurality of counters corresponding to the particular bit in the accessed data which incurred the single-bit error in the read data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Cray Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis C. Abts, Gerald A Schwoerer, Van L. Snyder
  • Publication number: 20110271259
    Abstract: Systems and methods provide a debugger that debugs code using two versions of code, an optimized and a debuggable version of object code for subroutines, methods or functions. The debugger causes the appropriate version of the code to be executed depending on whether debug commands have been applied with respect to particular subroutines, methods or functions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: Cray Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Warren Moench, Robert Cushman Clark
  • Patent number: 8051338
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a SerDes circuit and a link control block (LCB). The SerDes circuit is a first end of a SerDes circuit pair of a SerDes lane. A SerDes lane includes the SerDes circuit pair coupled by a communications medium. The LCB includes an error tracking circuit and a controller. The controller includes an error recovery module configured to retry a data communication when an error is detected and deactivate the SerDes lane when a rate of errors on the SerDes lane exceeds a threshold error rate value. Other devices, systems, and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Cray Inc.
    Inventor: Roger A. Bethard
  • Patent number: 8024638
    Abstract: A memory controller and method that provide a read-refresh (also called “distributed-refresh”) mode of operation, in which every row of memory is read within the refresh-rate requirements of the memory parts, with data from different columns within the rows being read on subsequent read-refresh cycles until all rows for each and every column address have been read, scrubbing errors if found, thus providing a scrubbing function that is integrated into the read-refresh operation, rather than being an independent operation. For scrubbing, an atomic read-correct-write operation is scheduled. A variable-priority, variable-timing refresh interval is described. An integrated card self-tester and/or card reciprocal-tester is described. A memory bit-swapping-within-address-range circuit, and a method and apparatus for bit swapping on the fly and testing are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Cray Inc.
    Inventors: David R. Resnick, Van L. Snyder, Michael F. Higgins
  • Patent number: 7984453
    Abstract: An availability system is provided that includes a hierarchy of controllers for providing event notifications relating to availability of components of a scalable MPP system. A controller receives a subscription from a child controller that identifies an event type and a generator. The controller stores in a subscription store an indication that the subscription has been received from the child controller. When a parent controller has not yet been notified of a subscription with a matching event type and generator as indicated by the subscription store, the controller sends the subscription to the parent controller. When the parent controller has already been notified of a subscription with a matching event type and generator as indicated by the subscription store, the controller suppresses the sending of the subscription to the parent controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Cray Inc.
    Inventors: Gail A. Alverson, Robert L. Alverson, Daniel C. Duval, Eric A. Hoffman, Laurence S. Kaplan, Matthew Kelly, Kazuya Okubo, Mark Swan, Asaph Zemach
  • Patent number: 7974052
    Abstract: One embodiment includes an integrated circuit including an input circuit, a first diode including a first anode and a first cathode, with the first cathode coupled to a first voltage, the first anode coupled to the input circuit at a node via a first mechanical switch, a second diode including a second anode and a second cathode, with the second cathode coupled to the node via a second mechanical switch, the second anode coupled to a ground and a resistor coupled to the input circuit between the integrated circuit and the node, wherein in a first mode of operating, the first mechanical switch and the second mechanical switch are conducting, and in a second mode of operating, the first and second mechanical switches are nonconducting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Cray Inc.
    Inventors: Raymond J. Farbarik, Jeremy Stephens, Gerald J. Twomey
  • Publication number: 20110150136
    Abstract: A data communication receiver includes an interface operable to receive at least one incoming data signal. A transition point tracker is operable to track data transition points of the data signal, and a data sampler is operable to sample the data signal at a desired sampling point between transition points.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: Cray Inc.
    Inventor: Roger A. Bethard
  • Patent number: 7966591
    Abstract: Embodiments include a system and method for generating RTL description of an electronic device provided for a design test and a test bench environment to drive stimulus into the electronic device, identifying at least one register to be verified during the design test, authoring a property list including a plurality of properties, wherein each property includes a cause and an effect, creating a new property instance upon receiving an enqueue cause, transitioning a property instance from a waiting state to a pending state based on a dequeue cause, advancing property instances from the pending state to an active state and then to an expired state based on a defined time window, creating a current solution space including a plurality of solutions, wherein each of the plurality of solutions includes a list of unused active effects, inserting property instances into each of the plurality of solutions when the property instance enters to active state, pruning solutions from the current solutions space which have no
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Cray, Inc.
    Inventors: John Thompson, Michael Bye
  • Patent number: 7957412
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising a transmission line, a receiver circuit, and a high pass filter circuit coupled between the transmission line and a receiver circuit input. The receiver circuit is configured to receive a data signal over the transmission line at a first data rate. The high pass filter circuit is connected between the transmission line and a receiver circuit input and has a corner frequency that is less than approximately the first data rate and is greater or equal to than approximately one-half the second data rate. The second data rate is an effective data rate caused by an expected data pattern on the transmission line. Other devices, systems, and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Cray Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Steinberger, Ricky J. Hakes, Christopher K. White
  • Patent number: 7904685
    Abstract: Various techniques for manipulating data using access states of memory, access control fields of pointers and operations, and exception raising and exception trapping in a multithreaded computer system. In particular, the techniques include synchronization support for a thread blocked in a word, demand evaluation of values, parallel access of multiple threads to a list, synchronized and unsynchronized access to a data buffer, use of forwarding to avoid checking for an end of a buffer, use of sentinel word to detect access past a data structure, concurrent access to a word of memory using different synchronization access modes, and use of trapping to detect access to restricted memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Cray Inc.
    Inventors: Gail A. Alverson, Charles David Callahan, II, Simon H. Kahan, Brian D. Koblenz, Allan Porterfield, Burton J. Smith
  • Patent number: 7903403
    Abstract: Airflow intake systems for use with computer cabinet air conditioning systems are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a computer system includes a plurality of computer modules and an associated air mover positioned in an interior portion of a computer cabinet. The computer cabinet includes an opening that provides access to the interior portion. In this embodiment, a door or other panel is positioned in front of the opening and is at least partially offset from the opening to define a gap between the panel and the cabinet. Operation of the air mover draws cooling air into the cabinet through the gap, and then drives the cooling air through the cabinet to cool the computer modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Cray Inc.
    Inventors: Wade J. Doll, Brian F. Hawkins
  • Publication number: 20110051724
    Abstract: A system and method for routing in a high-radix network. A packet is received and examined to determine if the packet can be routed adaptively. If the packet can be routed adaptively, the packet is routed adaptively, wherein routing adaptively includes selecting a column, computing a column mask, routing the packet to the column; and selecting an output port as a function of the column mask. If the packet can be routed deterministically, routing deterministically, wherein routing deterministically includes accessing a routing table to obtain an output port and routing the packet to the output port from the routing table.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: Cray Inc.
    Inventors: Steven L. Scott, Gregory Hubbard, Dennis C. Abts
  • Patent number: 7898799
    Abstract: Airflow management apparatuses for computer cabinets and associated methods are disclosed herein. The computer cabinets include a plurality of computer modules positioned between an air inlet and an air outlet and an air mover configured to move a flow of cooling air from the air inlet, past the plurality of computer modules, and out the computer cabinet via the air outlet. The computer cabinets carry an airflow restrictor positioned proximate to the air outlet. The airflow restrictor is configured to restrict the flow of cooling air through a portion of the computer cabinet to achieve a desired temperature profile in the computer cabinet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Cray Inc.
    Inventor: Wade J. Doll
  • Patent number: 7890673
    Abstract: A system and method for addressing memory and transferring data, which in some embodiments include one or more processor translation look-aside buffers (TLBs) and optionally one or more I/O TLBs, and/or a block transfer engine (BTE) that optionally includes a serial cabinet-to-cabinet communications path (MLINK). In some embodiments, the processor TLBs are located within one or more common memory sections, each memory section being connected to a plurality of processors, wherein each processor TLB is associated with one of the processors. The BTE performs efficient memory-to-memory data transfers without further processor intervention. The MLINK extends the BTE functionality beyond a single cabinet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Cray Inc.
    Inventor: Roger A. Bethard
  • Publication number: 20110010522
    Abstract: A multiprocessor computer system includes a plurality of processor nodes coupled by a direct processor interconnect network, and a plurality of processor nodes coupled by an indirect processor interconnect network. A bridge directly couples the direct processor interconnect network and the indirect processor interconnect network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: Cray Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis C. Abts, Peter M. Klausler, James Nowicki
  • Patent number: 7864792
    Abstract: In a system having a N output ports, wherein N is an integer greater than one, a method of distributing packets across the plurality of output ports. A packet having two or more fields is received and a first number is computed as a function of one or more of the plurality of fields. A second number is computed that is modulo base N of the first number and an output port is selected as a function of the second number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Cray, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven L. Scott, Dennis C. Abts, William J. Dally