Abstract: A method for performing address mapping for a memory within a computer system is disclosed. The memory is organized in multiple of memory banks, and each memory bank is identified by a respective bank number. A block address portion of a physical address is translated to a corresponding bank number and an associated internal bank address. The bank number is formed by concatenating an output from a first lookup table and an output from a second lookup table. The output from the first lookup table is obtained by a first and a second segments of the block address portion, while the output from the second lookup table is obtained by a third and a fourth segments of the block address portion. Data stored in a specific location within the memory banks can be accessed by the bank number and the associated internal bank address.

Abstract: A multi-chip module is disclosed in which a first die connects to a second set of die via a set of C4 connections within a single package. Low resistivity signal posts are provided within the lateral separation between adjacent die in the second set of die. These signal posts are connectable to externally supplied power signals. The power signals provided to the signals posts are routed to circuits within the second set of die over relatively short metallization interconnects. The signal posts may be connected to thermally conductive via elements and the package may include heat spreaders on upper and lower package surfaces. The first die may comprise a DRAM while the second set of die comprise portions of a general purpose microprocessor. The power signals provided to the second set of die may be connected to a capacitor terminal in the first die to provide power signal decoupling.

Abstract: A method and system for executing one or more remote procedure calls. In one embodiment, a method comprises the step of a processing unit issuing a plurality of commands to a corresponding DMA controller. One or more commands of the plurality of commands issued by the processing unit are to copy attached processing unit instructions associated with one or more Attached Processing Unit's (APU's) and data associated with the attached processing unit instructions from the shared memory to one or more APU's. The attached processing unit instructions may include instructions that enable the associated one or more APU's to perform one or more particular operations on the data. The method further comprises the DMA controller issuing an indication to the one or more APU's to perform the one or more operations on the data associated with the attached processing unit instructions.

Abstract: A method and system for attached processing units accessing a shared memory in an SMP system. In one embodiment, a system comprises a shared memory. The system further comprises a plurality of processing elements coupled to the shared memory. Each of the plurality of processing elements comprises a processing unit, a direct memory access controller and a plurality of attached processing units. Each direct memory access controller comprises an address translation mechanism thereby enabling each associated attached processing unit to access the shared memory in a restricted manner without an address translation mechanism. Each attached processing unit is configured to issue a request to an associated direct memory access controller to access the shared memory specifying a range of addresses to be accessed as virtual addresses. The associated direct memory access controller is configured to translate the range of virtual addresses into an associated range of physical addresses.

Abstract: A method and system for accessing a shared memory in a deterministic schedule. In one embodiment, a system comprises a plurality of processing elements and a system I/O controller where each processing element and system I/O controller comprises a DMA controller. The system further comprises a shared memory coupled to each of the plurality of processing elements where the shared memory comprises a master controller. The master controller may then issue tokens to DMA controllers to grant the right for the associated processing elements and system I/O controller to access the shared memory at deterministic points in time. Each token issued by the master controller grants access to the shared memory for a particular duration of time at a unique deterministic point in time. A processing element or system I/O controller may access the shared memory upon the associated DMA controller relinquishing to the master controller the token that grants the right to access the shared memory at that particular time.

Abstract: In one embodiment a multiprocessing apparatus includes a first processor and a second processor. Each of the processors have their own data and instruction caches to support independent operation. In a normal mode the processors independently execute separate instruction streams. Each of the processors has a respective signature generator. The system also includes a compare unit coupled to the signature generators. In a high reliability mode, both processors execute the same instruction stream. That is, each processor computes a version of a result for ones of the instructions in the stream. Responsive to the respective versions, the respective signature generators assert signatures to the compare unit, so that a faulting instruction may be detected. In another aspect, each processor has its own respective commit logic.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for adjusting time delays in circuits with multiple operating supply voltages are disclosed. A voltage level detector and a delay means are coupled to a critical timing circuit of an integrated circuit capable of operating at multiple supply voltages. The voltage level detector detects a supply voltage at which the integrated circuit is operating. When the operating supply voltage of the integrated circuit changes from a first voltage level to a second voltage level, the voltage level detector sends a signal to the delay means and to a current enhancement circuit such that the delay means and current enhancement circuit can automatically modify the delay of the switching time of an output signal from the critical timing circuit.

Abstract: A package for integrated circuit chips. The package contains a silicon substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface. The package also contains a first means for electrically connecting the integrated circuits to the substrate attached to the top surface of the substrate. A multilevel wiring is located at the top surface and is coupled to the first connecting means and serves as a communication link among a plurality of the first connecting means to enable multi-chip processing. A via containing means for coupling the multilevel wiring at the top surface to the bottom surface runs through the substrate from the bottom surface to the top surface. A second means is also present for connecting the coupling means at the bottom surface of the substrate with external components.

Abstract: A superscalar computer architecture for executing instructions out-of-order, comprising a multiplicity of execution units, a plurality of registers, and a register renaming circuit which generates a list of tags corresponding to specific registers that are not in use during loading of a given instruction. A table is constructed having one bit for each register per instruction in flight. The entries in the table may be combined in a logical OR fashion to create a vector that identifies which registers are in use by instructions that are in flight. Validity bits can also be generated to indicate validity of the generated tags, wherein a generated tag is invalid only if an insufficient number of registers are available during loading of the given instruction. The execution units are preferably pipelined.

Abstract: A method of providing simultaneous, or overlapped, access to multiple cache levels to reduce the latency penalty for a higher level cache miss. A request for a value (data or instruction) is issued by the processor, and is forwarded to the lower level of the cache before determining whether a cache miss of the value has occurred at the higher level of the cache. In the embodiment wherein the lower level is an L2 cache, the L2 cache may supply the value directly to the processor. Address decoders are operated in parallel at the higher level of the cache to satisfy a plurality of simultaneous memory requests. One of the addresses (selected by priority logic based on hit/miss information from the higher level of the cache) is gated by a multiplexer to a plurality of memory array word line drivers of the lower level of the cache. Some bits in the address which do not require virtual-to-real translation can be immediately decoded.

Abstract: A circuit for generating control signals used in a microprocessor has a storage array, such as a read-only memory (ROM) array, which contains a plurality of predefined logic patterns. An entry of the ROM array is selected, such as by the use of an address decoder, to choose a specific pattern, and the specific pattern is then modified based on a dynamic signal to generate an output control signal. The microprocessor may further predecode a base instruction using operation and operand source bits to yield a predecoded instruction having an address field whose value corresponds to the specific pattern. The dynamic signal can be based on whether an operand should be forwarded from a microprocessor component, and the specific pattern is then equivalent to a value for control signals required to execute an instruction when assuming that the operand should not be forwarded. Special control states can also be implemented, such as stall, halt, or scan data, through the use of particular code points in the ROM.

Abstract: A method of scanning an integrated circuit, by converting a parallel scan input (scan data and scan control) to serial, passing the serial scan input through scan circuitry to create a serial scan output, converting the scan output from serial to parallel, transmitting the scan output in parallel from the integrated circuit to the tester. A tester clock signal is derived by synchronizing the tester to a divided clock signal (1/N) of the integrated circuit. Communications take place at a speed of the tester clock signal, but the scan operates at the full operational speed of the device under test. At-speed scan testing can be achieved for speeds in excess of 1 GHz.