Concurrent Accessing Patents (Class 711/168)
  • Patent number: 7934057
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems and method for providing predictable timing for read operations in a multiport memory device. Accordingly, an embodiment is directed to a multiport memory system, comprising a single port memory core synchronized to a first clock, multiple access ports synchronized to at least a second clock, and a multiplexer logic coupled to the core memory and the plurality of access ports. The multiplexer logic arbitrates access to the memory core between multiple access ports. Each access ports includes an uncertainty detect logic that measures data path latency, and an uncertainty adjust logic that operates to selectively add data path delay to increase the measured path latency to a predictable value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: S. Babar Raza
  • Patent number: 7929539
    Abstract: A method for controlling access by processes running on a host device to a communication network includes assigning to each of the processes a respective doorbell address on a network interface adapter that couples the host device to the network and allocating instances of a communication service on the network, to be provided via the adapter, to the processes. Upon receiving a request submitted by a given one of the processes to its respective doorbell address to access one of the allocated service instances, the adapter conveys the data over the network using the specified instance of the service, subject to verifying, based on the doorbell address to which the request was submitted, that the specified instance was allocated to the given process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Mellanox Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael Kagan, Gil Bloch, Diego A. Crupnicoff, Margarita Schnitman, Dafna Levenvirth
  • Patent number: 7930401
    Abstract: A solution is provided for accessing a shared resource in a data processing system (such as a server of a DAM application) by a plurality of exploiter entities (such as clients). A corresponding method starts with the step of monitoring an activity of each enabled entity being granted an access to the shared resource. The access granted to each enabled entity is released in response to the reaching of a first threshold (such as a time-out period) by an inactivity indicator, which is indicative of the non-activity of the enabled entity (such as an idle time). The method continues by detecting a critical condition of the shared resource (such as after reaching a maximum number of concurrent accesses). The access granted to an eligible enabled entity (or more) is released in response to the critical condition; the inactivity indicator of each eligible enabled entity reaches a second threshold preceding the first threshold (such as a grant period lower than the time-out period).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Antonio Castellucci, Roberto Guarda
  • Patent number: 7921272
    Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for monitoring patterns of processes accessing addresses in a storage device to determine access parameters to apply. Processes accessing addresses of data in a storage device are monitored. The processes are granted access to the addresses according to first access parameters that indicate how to arbitrate access by processes to the addresses. A condition occurring in response to a pattern of processes accessing addresses is detected. A determination is made of one of the processes in the pattern and the address accessed by the determined process. Indication is made that second access parameters apply for the determined address. The second access parameters are used to grant access to the determined address for subsequent accesses of the indicated address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Prasenjit Sarkar, Dinesh Kumar Subhraveti
  • Patent number: 7921249
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a weakly-ordered processing system and method of executing memory barriers in weakly-ordered processing system. The processing system includes memory and a master device configured to issue memory access requests, including memory barriers, to the memory. The processing system also includes a slave device configured to provide the master device access to the memory, the slave device being further configured to produce a signal indicating that an ordering constraint imposed by a memory barrier issued by the master device will be enforced, the signal being produced before the execution of all memory access requests issued by the master device to the memory before the memory barrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: James Edward Sullivan, Jr., Jaya Prakash Subramaniam Ganasan, Richard Gerard Hofmann
  • Patent number: 7917676
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a weakly-ordered processing system and method of executing memory barriers in weakly-ordered processing system. The processing system includes memory and a master device configured to issue memory access requests, including memory barriers, to the memory. The processing system also includes a slave device configured to provide the master device access to the memory, the slave device being further configured to produce a signal indicating that an ordering constraint imposed by a memory barrier issued by the master device will be enforced, the signal being produced before the execution of all memory access requests issued by the master device to the memory before the memory barrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: QUALCOMM, Incorporated
    Inventors: James Edward Sullivan, Jr., Jaya Prakash Subramaniam Ganasan, Richard Gerard Hofmann
  • Patent number: 7916554
    Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing delays between successive write and read accesses in multi-bank memory devices are provided. Computer circuits modify the relative timing between addresses and data of write accesses, reducing delays between successive write and read accesses. Memory devices that interface with these computer circuits use posted write accesses to effectively return the modified relative timing to its original timing before processing the write access.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Round Rock Research, LLC
    Inventor: J. Thomas Pawlowski
  • Patent number: 7912951
    Abstract: A method and system for providing quality of service to a plurality of hosts accessing a common resource is described. According to one embodiment, a plurality of IO requests is received from clients executing as software entities on one of the hosts. An IO request queue for each client is separately managed, and an issue queue is populated based on contents of the IO request queues. When a host issue queue is not full, a new IO request is entered into the host issue queue and is issued to the common resource. A current average latency observed at the host is calculated, and an adjusted window size is calculated at least in part based on the current average latency. The window size of the issue queue is adjusted according to the calculated window size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: VMware, Inc.
    Inventors: Ajay Gulati, Irfan Ahmad, Carl A. Waldspurger
  • Patent number: 7908470
    Abstract: The present invention provides a controller that allows plural processor nodes to access plural boot memories concurrently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Vincent E. Cavanna
  • Patent number: 7908425
    Abstract: In a read method for a memory device, a bit line is set with data in a first memory cell; and the data on the bit line is stored in a register. The data in the register is transferred to a data bus while setting the bit line with data in a second memory cell. In another read method for a memory device, a bit line of a first memory cell is initialized and the bit line is pre-charged with a pre-charge voltage. Data in a memory cell on the bit line is developed, and a register corresponding to the bit line is initialized. The data on the bit line is stored in the register. The data in the register is output externally while performing the initializing, pre-charging, making and initializing to set the bit line with data in a second memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin-Yub Lee, Sang-Won Hwang
  • Patent number: 7907470
    Abstract: A memory system includes a master device, such as a graphics controller or processor, and an integrated circuit memory device operable in a dual column addressing mode. The integrated circuit memory device includes an interface and column decoder to access a row of storage cells or a page in a memory bank. During a first mode of operation, a first row of storage cells in a first memory bank is accessible in response to a first column address. During a second mode of operation, a first plurality of storage cells in the first row of storage cells is accessible in response to a second column address during a column cycle time interval. A second plurality of storage cells in the first row of storage cells is accessible in response to a third column address during the column cycle time interval. The first and second pluralities of storage cells are concurrently accessible from the interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: RAMBUS Inc.
    Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, Lawrence Lai, Chad A. Bellows, Wayne S. Richardson
  • Patent number: 7900019
    Abstract: A data processing apparatus having a plurality of memories is provided in which address generation logic (109) outputs to at least one of the plurality of memories a target memory address corresponding to the data to be accessed. Target memory prediction logic (113) outputs a prediction indicating in which one of the plurality of memories a target data is stored. The target memory prediction logic (113) outputs the prediction in the same processing cycle as the output of the target memory address by the address generation logic (109). An associated method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: ARM Limited
    Inventors: Vladimir Vasekin, Andrew Christopher Rose, David Kevin Hart, Javed Osmany
  • Patent number: 7895401
    Abstract: We propose a new form of software transactional memory (STM) designed to support dynamic-sized data structures, and we describe a novel non-blocking implementation. The non-blocking property we consider is obstruction-freedom. Obstruction-freedom is weaker than lock-freedom; as a result, it admits substantially simpler and more efficient implementations. An interesting feature of our obstruction-free STM implementation is its ability to use of modular contention managers to ensure progress in practice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Oracle America, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark S. Moir, Victor M. Luchangco, Maurice Herlihy
  • Patent number: 7882325
    Abstract: A single micro-instruction to perform either an N-bit or a 2N-bit load is provided. A microprocessor having an N-bit load port performs either an N-bit load or a 2N-bit load in a single cycle with the same micro-instruction being used for both the N-bit and the 2N-bit load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Zeev Sperber, Robert Valentine, Ehud Cohen, Doron Orenstien, Benny Eitan
  • Patent number: 7877566
    Abstract: A read command protocol and a method of accessing a nonvolatile memory device having an internal cache memory. A memory device configured to accept a first and second read command, outputting a first requested data while simultaneously reading a second requested data. In addition, the memory device may be configured to send or receive a confirmation indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventor: Vijaya P. Adusumilli
  • Patent number: 7870328
    Abstract: When a free physical block where data is to be written is searched for, a search process for searching for a pair of free physical blocks is first executed using a free physical block search table. Detection of a free non-pair good block is executed only when a pair of free physical block is not detected in the search process using the free physical block search table. When there is a free physical block, two-plane write is executed. When there is no pair of free physical blocks, data is written in an adequately combined non-pair good blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventor: Takuma Mitsunaga
  • Patent number: 7870347
    Abstract: The disclosed data processing system comprises a memory means (SDRAM), a plurality of data processing means (IP) provided for accessing to said memory means (SDRAM), and a communication interface means coupled between said memory means (SDRAM) and said plurality of data processing means (IP), said communication interface means including a network of nodes (H 11, H 12, H2), each node comprising at least one slave port (s) for receiving a memory access request from a data processing means (IP) or from a previous node and at least one master port (m) for issuing a memory access request to a next node or to said memory means (SDRAM) in accordance with the memory access request received at said slave port (s), wherein said at least one slave port (s) is connected to a master port (m) of a previous node or to one of said data processing means (IP) and said at least one master port (m) is connected to a slave port (s) of a next node or to said memory means (SDRAM).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Pieter Van Der Wolf, Josephus Theodorus Johannes Van Eijndhoven, Johannes Boonstra
  • Patent number: 7865657
    Abstract: A method and device for copying-back data in a multi-chip flash memory device having first and second memory chips. The method may include reading first source data from a first source region of one of the memory chips; programming the first source data into a target region included in one of the memory chips and reading second source data from second source region of the other memory chip different from the memory chip including the target region. Reading the second source data may be carried out while programming the first source data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: In-Young Kim, Young-Joon Choi, Jong-Hwa Kim, Soon-Young Kim
  • Patent number: 7865684
    Abstract: A method, and corresponding system and software, is described for writing data to a plurality of queues, each portion of the data being written to a corresponding one of the queues. The method includes, without requiring concurrent locking of more than one queue, determining if a space is available in each queue for writing a corresponding portion of the data, and if available, reserving the spaces in the queues. The method includes writing each portion of the data to a corresponding one of the queues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Ab Initio Technology LLC
    Inventors: Spiro Michaylov, Sanjeev Banerji, Craig W. Stanfill
  • Patent number: 7856632
    Abstract: A computing system that includes a number of processing elements, a memory and a multi-task controller is disclosed. The computing system operates on ASCII instructions which includes a set of ASCII operators. The operators include both ASCII data operators and ASCII system operators. The system operators include characters for specifying a request to obtain resources, to perform a task switch, to perform a task suspension, to execute a branch, to transfer results of an operation into a task data register, to transfer data into a processing element, to record the current location of instruction execution in the task code space, to treat a sequence of symbols as a group, and to perform an output function. Data operators include characters for specifying a request to perform arithmetic and logical operations on data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Inventor: Edwin E. Klingman
  • Patent number: 7856536
    Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for providing a process exclusive access to a page including a memory address to which a lock is granted to the process. A request is received for a memory address in a memory device from a requesting process. A lock is granted to the requested memory address to the requesting process. The requesting process is provided exclusive access to a page including the requested memory address for a page access time period. The exclusive access to the page provided to the requesting process is released in response to an expiration of the page access time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Philippe Bergheaud, Dinesh Kumar Subhraveti, Marc Philippe Vertes
  • Patent number: 7849283
    Abstract: A linear combiner weight memory. Various embodiments of the weight memory provide a weight bank and control logic. The weight bank is operable to couple with a data stream and may include four registers. The first register is operable to store a first in-phase weight value. The second register is operable to store a second in-phase weight value and be written with the second in-phase weight value while the first in-phase weight value is read from the first register. The third register is operable to store a first quadrature weight value. The fourth register is operable to store a second quadrature weight value and be written with the second quadrature weight value while the first quadrature weight value is read from the third register.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: L-3 Communications Integrated Systems L.P.
    Inventors: Jerry William Yancey, Yea Zong Kuo
  • Patent number: 7827362
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system for accessing units of storage in at least one logical unit by processing I/O requests directed to the logical units using a LUN queue and an operation-type queue. By using the queues to process the I/O requests, the requests can be processed without address collisions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Symantec Corporation
    Inventor: Ron Passerini
  • Patent number: 7822933
    Abstract: Enabling an off-host computer to migrate data of a data volume. In one embodiment, the off-host computer copies data contents of n data blocks of a first data volume to n data blocks, respectively, of a second data volume. A host computer is capable of modifying data contents of a first plurality of data blocks of the n data blocks of the first data volume after the off-host computer begins copying data contents of the n data blocks of the first data volume to the n data blocks, respectively, of the second data volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Symantec Operating Corporation
    Inventors: Nikhil Keshav Sontakke, Rahul M. Fiske, Anuj Garg, Niranjan S. Pendharkar
  • Patent number: 7818529
    Abstract: An integrated memory control apparatus including a first interface decoder, a second interface decoder and an interface controller is provided. Wherein, the first interface decoder is coupled to a control chip through a first serial peripheral interface (SPI), the second interface decoder is coupled to a micro-processor unit through a general transmission interface, and the interface controller is coupled to a memory through a second SPI. When the interface controller receives the request signals from the control chip and the micro-processor unit, the control chip may correctly read data from the memory through the first and second SPI. On the other hand, the micro-processor unit may stop reading data from the memory through the general transmission interface. Therefore, the control chip and the micro-processor unit may share the same memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: ITE Tech. Inc.
    Inventor: Ching-Min Hou
  • Patent number: 7818712
    Abstract: A computer system includes a controller coupled to a plurality of memory modules each of which includes a memory hub and a plurality of memory devices divided into a plurality of ranks. The memory hub is operable to configure the memory module to simultaneously address any number of ranks to operate in a high bandwidth mode, a high memory depth mode, or any combination of such modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Round Rock Research, LLC
    Inventors: Terry R. Lee, Joseph M. Jeddeloh
  • Patent number: 7797468
    Abstract: In certain, currently available data-storage systems, incoming commands from remote host computers are subject to several levels of command-queue-depth-fairness-related throttles to ensure that all host computers accessing the data-storage systems receive a reasonable fraction of data-storage-system command-processing bandwidth to avoid starvation of one or more host computers. Recently, certain host-computer-to-data-storage-system communication protocols have been enhanced to provide for association of priorities with commands. However, these new command-associated priorities may lead to starvation of priority levels and to a risk of deadlock due to priority-level starvation and priority inversion. In various embodiments of the present invention, at least one additional level of command-queue-depth-fairness-related throttling is introduced in order to avoid starvation of one or more priority levels, thereby eliminating or minimizing the risk of priority-level starvation and priority-related deadlock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company
    Inventors: George Shin, Rajiv K. Grover, Santosh Ananth Rao
  • Publication number: 20100228939
    Abstract: A functional unit for a microprocessor is provided, which allows for fast, parallel data read, write, and manipulation operations in the microprocessor that are useful for a number of software applications, such as cryptography. The functional unit includes first and second source registers for receiving first and second data items to be processed by the functional unit, first and second banks of memory tables, a combinational logic circuit, and a decoder. The first and second banks of memory tables are in communication with the first source register, and each of the tables is indexed by an index comprising a portion of the first data item received by the first source register. Each index points to a lookup result in a respective one of the memory tables.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Inventors: Ruby B. Lee, Yu-Yuan Chen
  • Publication number: 20100223443
    Abstract: An operating system is provided. The system includes an agent component to monitor computer activities between one or more single-item access components and one or more set-based access components. A protocol component is employed by the agent component to mitigate data access between the single-item access components and the set-based access components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Arkadi Brjazovski, Rohan Kumar, Sameet H. Agarwal, Stefan R. Steiner, Mahesh K. Sreenivas
  • Patent number: 7779215
    Abstract: A method for utilizing the multi-channel transmission bandwidth in an asymmetrically arranged memory is provides. The present invention defines symmetrically arranged parts of the memory ranks of the memory as a virtual ranks. If data is stored in symmetrically arranged memory ranks of the memory, channels corresponding to the symmetrically arranged memory ranks could be simultaneously utilized to transfer data. If data is stored in an asymmetrically arranged memory rank of the memory, the channel corresponding to the asymmetrically arranged memory rank could only be utilized to transfer data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: VIA Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Ming-Shi Liou, Bowei Hsieh, Jiin Lai
  • Publication number: 20100199057
    Abstract: Provided is a memory system that has a plurality of memory banks and a plurality of link controllers. For each memory bank, there is first switching logic for receiving output for each link controller, and for passing on the output of only one of the link controllers to the memory bank. For each link controller, there is second switching logic for receiving an output of each memory bank, and for passing on the output of only one of the memory banks to the link controller. According to an embodiment of the invention, there is switch controller logic for controlling operation of both the first switching logic and the second switching logic to prevent simultaneous or overlapping access by multiple link controllers to the same memory bank, and for preventing simultaneous or overlapping access to multiple banks by the same link controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2010
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Applicant: MOSAID TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: HONG BEOM PYEON, HAKJUNE OH, JIN-KI KIM
  • Patent number: 7769942
    Abstract: In a data processing system, a buffer integrated-circuit (IC) device includes multiple control interfaces, multiple memory interfaces and switching circuitry to couple each of the control interfaces concurrently to a respective one of the memory interfaces in accordance with a path selection value. A plurality of requester IC devices are coupled respectively to the control interfaces, and a plurality of memory IC devices are coupled respectively to the memory interfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Rambus, Inc.
    Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, Kishore Kasamsetty
  • Patent number: 7765376
    Abstract: Semiconductor devices provide for synchronous transfer of information through a data bus. Address, control and clock information is received, via a command bus and clock line, at a plurality of terminals, the command bus and clock line providing a source synchronous bus. A plurality of output drivers drive read data onto a plurality of terminals coupled to a data bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: MOSAID Technologies Incorporated
    Inventors: Peter Gillingham, Bruce Millar
  • Patent number: 7761658
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for implementing feedback directed deferral on nonessential direct access storage device (DASD) operations. A kernel DASD I/O manager maintains a queue depth count value for a DASD unit and maintains a busy flag that indicates when the queue depth count value is greater than a predefined threshold. The kernel DASD I/O manager defers optional operations responsive to the busy flag being set for the DASD unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Larry J. Cravens, Jay Paul Kurtz, Kenneth Gerald Linn, Glen W. Nelson, Kenneth Charles Vossen, Donald L. Ward
  • Patent number: 7761682
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to memory controllers operating in a system containing a variable system clock. The memory controller may exchange data with a processor operating at a variable processor clock frequency. However the memory controller may perform memory accesses at a constant memory clock frequency. Asynchronous buffers may be provided to transfer data across the variable and constant clock domains. To prevent read buffer overflow while switching to a lower processor clock frequency, the memory controller may quiesce the memory sequencers and pace read data from the sequencers at a slower rate. To prevent write data under runs, the memory controller's data flow logic may perform handshaking to ensure that write data is completely received in the buffer before performing a write access.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Melissa Ann Barnum, Mark David Bellows, Paul Allen Ganfield, Lonny Lambrecht, Tolga Ozguner
  • Publication number: 20100180096
    Abstract: Provided is a technology for controlling partial avoidance or simultaneous access to multimedia contents. This research provides a multimedia contents consuming apparatus, which includes: a receiver for receiving a multimedia content and license data representing a condition for prohibiting partial avoidance of the multimedia content; a license analyzer for receiving the license data from the receiver, analyzes the license condition for the multimedia content, and creating a control signal for partial avoidance; and a controller for controlling avoidance for a predetermined part of the multimedia content according to the control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Inventors: Hyon-Gon Choo, Young-Bae Byun, Gun Bang, Bum-Suk Choi, Je-Ho Nam, Jin-Woo Hong
  • Publication number: 20100174856
    Abstract: A solid-state storage subsystem, such as a non-volatile memory card or drive, includes multiple interfaces and a memory area storing information used by a data arbiter to prioritize data commands received through the interfaces. As one example, the information may store a priority ranking of multiple host systems that are connected to the solid-state storage subsystem, such that the data arbiter may process concurrently received data transfer commands serially according to their priority ranking. A host software component may be configured to store and modify the priority control information in solid-state storage subsystem's memory area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Applicant: SILICONSYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Mark S. Diggs, David E. Merry, JR.
  • Patent number: 7752393
    Abstract: A design structure embodied in a machine readable storage medium for designing, manufacturing, and/or testing a design for forwarding store data to loads in a pipelined processor is provided. In one implementation, a processor is provided that includes a decoder operable to decode an instruction, and a plurality of execution units operable to respectively execute a decoded instruction from the decoder. The plurality of execution units include a load/store execution unit operable to execute decoded load instructions and decoded store instructions and generate corresponding load memory operations and store memory operations. The store queue is operable to buffer one or more store memory operations prior to the one or more memory operations being completed, and the store queue is operable to forward store data of the one or more store memory operations buffered in the store queue to a load memory operation on a byte-by-byte basis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jason A. Cox, Kevin C. K. Lin, Eric F. Robinson
  • Patent number: 7752411
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a chip includes a link interface, monitoring circuitry to provide an activity indicator that is indicative of activity of the chip, and scheduling circuitry to schedule commands. The chip also includes mode selection circuitry to select a first mode or a second mode for the scheduling circuitry depending on the activity indicator, wherein in the first mode the scheduling circuitry schedules certain commands as separate single commands and in the second mode the scheduling circuitry schedules at least one consolidated command to represent more than one of the separate single commands. Other embodiments are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Randy B. Osborne, Shelley Chen
  • Patent number: 7747833
    Abstract: Provided is a memory system that has a plurality of memory banks and a plurality of link controllers. For each memory bank, there is first switching logic for receiving output for each link controller, and for passing on the output of only one of the link controllers to the memory bank. For each link controller, there is second switching logic for receiving an output of each memory bank, and for passing on the output of only one of the memory banks to the link controller. According to an embodiment of the invention, there is switch controller logic for controlling operation of both the first switching logic and the second switching logic to prevent simultaneous or overlapping access by multiple link controllers to the same memory bank, and for preventing simultaneous or overlapping access to multiple banks by the same link controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Mosaid Technologies Incorporated
    Inventors: Hong Beom Pyeon, HakJune Oh, Jin-Ki Kim
  • Patent number: 7743146
    Abstract: A method of controlling concurrent users of a distributed resource on a network is disclosed. In one aspect, there are one or more local lock managers executing on corresponding hosts and cooperating as a distributed lock manager. The resource is limited to a maximum number of concurrent users. A user identification for each user is associated with one host. In response to a request associated with a particular user associated with a first host, a lock is requested from a first local lock manager process executing on the first host. A related method of handling a request for a count-limited resource includes receiving a request from a client process for the computer resource. If it is determined that the request exceeds a maximum count for the resource, then it is determined whether a current time is within a retry time period of the client's first request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Shahrokh Sadjadi
  • Patent number: 7739470
    Abstract: Described are techniques for controlling performance of a data storage system. A performance goal specifying a limit for an I/O class is received. A number of requests of the I/O class to be processed concurrently to achieve the performance goal so that an observed performance value for the I/O class does not exceed the performance goal is determined. If the limit is a upper bound, the observed performance value falls within a range of one or more values equal to or less than the limit, and if the limit is a minimum value, the observed performance value falls within a range of one or more values equal to or greater than the limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: EMC Corporation
    Inventor: Matthew Norgren
  • Patent number: 7730276
    Abstract: A shared memory switch is provided for storing and retrieving data from BlockRAM (BRAM) memory of a PLD. A set of class queues maintain a group of pointers that show the location of the incoming “cells” or “packets” stored in the memory in the switch based on the time of storage in the BRAM. A non-blocking memory architecture is implemented that allows for a scalable N×N memory structure to be created (N=number of input and output ports). A write controller stripes the data across this N×N memory to prevent data collisions on read in or read out of data. The data is scheduled for read out of this N×N shared memory buffer based on priorities or classes in the class queues, with priorities being set by a user, and then data is read out from the BRAM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: XILINX, Inc.
    Inventors: Gautam Nag Kavipurapu, Sweatha Rao, Chris Althouse
  • Patent number: 7725665
    Abstract: A data processor (1) has a central processing unit (3) and a memory controller (6) capable of controlling a memory (8) to be connected to an outside. The memory has a buffer capable of temporarily holding data within an address range corresponding to a predetermined bit number on a low order side of an address signal, and a burst operation for inputting/outputting data can be carried out by a data transfer between the buffer and the outside for an access request in which an access address is changed within the address range. When causing the memory to carry out the burst operation to give an access, the memory controller performs an access control for freely executing the burst operation of the memory continuously if it detects an access exceeding the address range. When causing the memory to carry out the burst access, the memory controller performs an access control for freely executing the burst operation of the memory continuously if it detects the access exceeding the address range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Masayoshi Horishima, Hajime Sasaki, Takashi Koshido
  • Patent number: 7724590
    Abstract: A memory controller with multiple delayed timing signals. Control information is provided by a first output driver circuit to a first signal path. Write data, associated with the control information, is provided by a second output driver circuit to a second signal path. Timing information is provided by a third output driver to a third signal path. Rising and falling edge transitions of the timing information indicate times at which subsequent symbols of the write data are valid on the signal path. The timing information is delayed with respect to the control information to account for a difference between a time that the control information takes to reach the destination device while traversing the first signal path and a time that the write data takes to reach the destination device while traversing the second signal path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventor: Frederick A. Ware
  • Patent number: 7725643
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention provide a optimization tool for avoiding an address dependency between tasks in a program. The tool determines whether two or more tasks of the program are dependent on at least one same address, which is associated with a first memory block. When it is determined that the two or more tasks of the program are dependant on the at least one same address, the tool allocates a second memory block and changes a read reference by at least one of the two or more tasks from the first memory block associated with the at least one same address to the second memory block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Oracle America, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael L. Boucher
  • Patent number: 7716403
    Abstract: The subject disclosure pertains to transparent communications in an industrial automation environment amongst automation system components and IT systems. Systems and methods are provided that send and receive data to, from and amongst automation devices and transactional based IT systems. The system is viewed as a control system to the automation device and as a transactional system to the IT system. Accordingly, it is not necessary to provide a custom interface between automation devices and the IT systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenwood H. Hall
  • Patent number: 7711909
    Abstract: It has been discovered that globally indicating read-write conflicts and semi-transparent read sharing in a transactional memory space allows for a more expedient validation. Without being aware of particular transactions, a writing transaction can determine that a read-write conflict will occur with some transaction that has read one or more memory locations to be modified by the writing transaction. With semi-transparent reading, reading transactions can validate quickly. If a read-write conflict has not occurred since a reading transaction began (or since the last validation), then the previous reads are valid. Otherwise, the reading transaction investigates each memory location or ownership record to determine if a read-write conflict affected the investigating transaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Oracle America, Inc.
    Inventors: Yosef Lev, Mark S. Moir
  • Patent number: 7711918
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus and method for operating a flash memory according to a priority order, in which a fast response is insured. The apparatus includes a time calculation unit which calculates an operation execution time required to perform a first operation, a remaining time calculation unit which calculates a remaining time until completion of the first operation based on the calculated operation execution time if a second operation having a higher priority than that of the first operation is requested during performing of the first operation, and an operation processing unit which compares the calculated remaining time with an operation suspension time requested to suspend the first operation and determines whether to suspend the first operation in accordance with a result of the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Min-young Kim, Song-ho Yoon, Ji-hyun In
  • Patent number: 7702859
    Abstract: A new and useful DMA-like arrangement provides fast inter-system transfers of large data volumes. A preferred embodiment of the invention includes a data-transfer-out system and further includes a data-transfer-in system. At least one of the systems has a dual ported memory structure configured in a way so that data can move out of a memory module of the structure from one port while other data can independently move into the memory module through the other port. The systems are detachable with respect to each other, and the memory modules of both systems are correspondingly paired with compatible specifications such as module sizes. Furthermore, these memory modules are physically configured in a way so that inter-system data transfer occurs in a parallel (i.e., module to module) manner without the aid of the CPU of the system that has the dual ported memory structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Inventors: Elwyn Timothy Uy, Mingjie Lin