Tree based memory structure

• US 20040243769A1
• Filed: 05/30/2003
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Frame, David W., Mauritz, Karl H.
• Application Number:
  US10/449,216
• Publication Number:
  US 20040243769A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/148
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1666 where the redundant component is memory or memory area
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2005 using redundant communication controllers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2007 using redundant communication media
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/1657 Access to multiple memories

Abstract

A memory architecture with a tree based topology. Memory devices are paired with intelligent memory hubs that service memory access requests and manage data in the network of memory devices. Memory hubs can reconfigure the network topology dynamically to compensate for failed devices or the addition or removal of devices. The memory architecture can also support input output devices and be shared between multiple systems.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first memory device to store data;

a first hub device coupled to the at least one memory device, the hub device to process memory access requests for the first memory device;

a second hub device coupled to the first hub device by a point to point link and the second memory device to process memory access requests for a second memory device; and

the second memory device to store data coupled to the second hub device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a third hub device coupled to the third memory device and the first hub device, the hub device to process memory access requests for a third memory device; and

the third memory device to store data coupled to the third hub device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first hub device to analyze a memory access request and determines an output port and to forward the memory access request to an output port.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first hub device processes a set of instructions received in a message.

5. A system comprising:

a set of hub devices configured in a tree topology; and

a set of memory devices, each memory device coupled to a single hub device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein each hub device is assigned an address space.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein each hub device analyzes a memory access request to determine if it applies to the assigned address space of the hub device.

8. A system comprising:

a first central processing unit;

a second central processing unit;

a first communications hub to manage communication between the first central processing unit, the second central processing unit and a first memory subsystem;

the first memory subsystem coupled to the first communications hub, the first memory subsystem including a first set of hub devices arranged in a tree topology; and

a set of memory devices, each memory device coupled to a hub device.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a second central processing unit;

a second communications hub to manage communication between the second central processing unit and a second memory subsystem;

the second memory subsystem coupled to the second communications hub, the second memory subsystem including a second set of hub devices; and

a link to connect the second memory subsystem to the first memory subsystem.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the set of memory devices includes more than 64 gigabytes of storage space, and

wherein the set of memory devices is a set of random access memory modules.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the first memory subsystem includes redundant links between hub devices.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the hub device includes an input output port coupled to an input output device.

13. A method comprising:

sending an initialization message to a first memory hub device;

sending a response message, the response message including configuration data for the first memory hub device; and

forwarding the initialization message to a second memory hub device.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

analyzing a response message from the second memory hub device by the first memory hub device.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the response message includes data regarding a memory device coupled to the second memory hub device.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

storing data related to a second hub device in a first memory hub device received in a response message.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

forwarding the response message from a second hub device to an initialization message originating device.

18. A method comprising:

analyzing a resource request message by a first memory hub device;

determining if the first memory hub device can service the resource request; and

forwarding the resource request message to a second memory hub device, if the first memory hub device cannot service the request.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

servicing the resource request message by the first memory hub device.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

sending a response message to an originator of the resource request message.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the response message contains requested data.

22. An apparatus comprising:

a means for saving data in a data storage network;

a means for retrieving data in the data storage network; and

a means for determining the location of data in the data storage network.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the data storage network has a tree topology.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

a means for configuring the data storage network.

25. A machine readable medium having stored therein instructions, which when executed cause a machine to perform a set of operations comprising:

analyzing a resource request message by a first memory hub device;

determining if the first memory hub device can service the resource request; and

forwarding the resource request message to a second memory hub device, if the first memory hub device cannot service the request.

26. The machine readable medium of claim 25, including further instructions, which when executed cause the machine to perform a set of operations further comprising:

executing a set of instructions by the first memory hub device.

27. The machine readable medium of claim 25, including further instructions, which when executed cause the machine to perform a set of operations further comprising:

moving data stored in a first memory device coupled to the first memory hub device to a second memory device coupled to a second memory hub device.