Processor with Host and Slave Operating Modes Stacked with Memory

• US 20140181453A1
• Filed: 12/20/2012
• Published: 06/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
• Inventors: JAYASENA, Nuwan S., LOH, Gabriel H., BECKMANN, Bradford M., O'CONNOR, James M., HSU, Lisa R.
• Granted Patent: US 10,079,044 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/02 Addressing or allocation; Relocation program address sequencing G06F9/00; arrangements for selecting an address in a digital store G11C8/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/10 Address translation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/1694 Configuration of memory controller to different memory types
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 5/06 Arrangements for interconnecting storage elements electrically, e.g. by wiring
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/1006 Data managing, e.g. manipulating data before writing or reading out, data bus switches or control circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program product are provided for a memory device system. One or more memory dies and at least one logic die are disposed in a package and communicatively coupled. The logic die comprises a processing device configurable to manage virtual memory and operate in an operating mode. The operating mode is selected from a set of operating modes comprising a slave operating mode and a host operating mode.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a memory die disposed in a package; and

a logic die disposed in the package and communicatively coupled to the memory die, the logic die comprising a processing device configurable to manage virtual memory and operate in an operating mode, wherein the operating mode is selected from a set of operating modes comprising a slave operating mode and a host operating mode.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an interposer die communicatively coupled to the memory die and the logic die when the memory die and the logic die are stacked in a horizontal configuration, wherein the memory die and the logic die communicate through the interposer die.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an additional logic die communicatively coupled to the logic die, wherein the additional logic die operates in the host operating mode and the logic die is configurable to operate in the slave operating mode.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising;

one or more additional memory dies disposed in a second package, wherein the second package is communicatively coupled to the package; and

one or more additional logic dies disposed in the second package and communicatively coupled to the one or more additional memory dies, wherein the processing device of the package is configurable to operate in the host operating mode and the one or more additional logic dies of the second package are configurable to operate in the slave operating mode.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing device is further configured to run autonomously and execute an operating system when operated in the host operating mode.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing device is further configured to fetch and execute an instruction stream when operated in the host operating mode.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one logic die further comprises:

a command decode module configured to pass one or more commands from an external host processor to the processing device, when the processing device is operated in the slave operating mode.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the command decode module is further configured to receive the one or more commands, determine a command type of each command and determine a processing destination for each command based on the command type, wherein the processing destination is either the memory die or the logic die.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the command decode module is further configured to bypass the processing device;

and

wherein the memory die is configured to process the one or more commands based on a first command type.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the processing device is configured to process the one or more commands based on a second command type, the second command type being different from the first command type and indicating a requirement to perform one or more sequencing operations.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the external host processor is configured to execute an operating system in an asymmetric configuration with the processing device and the processing device is further configured to execute a spawned process from the external host processor.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing device is further configurable to operate in a hybrid operating mode, the hybrid operating mode comprising a combination of the slave operating mode and the host operating mode.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the processing device is further configured to run autonomously and accept commands from an external host processor when operated in the hybrid operating mode.

14. A method comprising:

receiving, by a logic die, one or more commands, wherein the logic die comprises a processing device configurable to manage virtual memory and operate in an operating mode selected from a set of operating modes comprising a slave operating mode and a host operating mode;

determining, by the logic die, a command type for each command; and

determining, by the logic die, a processing destination for each command based on the command type, wherein the processing destination is either a memory die or the logic die.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

receiving the one or more commands from an external host processor, when the processing device is configured to operate in the slave operating mode.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

for each command of a first command type;

bypassing the processing device; and

processing the command with the memory die.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

for each command of a second command type, wherein the second command type is different from the first command type;

processing the command with the processing device, wherein the second command type indicates a requirement to perform one or more sequencing operations.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

executing an operating system of the external host processor with the processing device in an asymmetric configuration; and

executing a spawned process of the external host process with the processing device.

19. A computer-readable storage device having instructions stored thereon, execution of which, by a computing device, causes the computing device to perform operations comprising:

configuring a logic-memory module to manage virtual memory and operate in an operating mode, wherein the operating mode is selected from a set of operating modes comprising a slave operating mode and a host operating mode, wherein the logic-memory module comprises a package including a logic die stacked with a memory die via through-silicon-vias; and

distributing processing operations between the logic-memory module and an external host processor, wherein the external host processor issues a command to be executed by the logic-memory module and the external host processor handles an address translation for the command.

20. A method comprising:

configuring a logic-memory module to manage virtual memory and operate in an operating mode, wherein the operating mode is selected from a set of operating modes comprising a slave operating mode and a host operating mode, wherein the logic-memory module comprises a package including a logic die stacked with a memory die via through-silicon-vias; and

distributing processing operations between the logic-memory module and an external host processor, wherein the external host processor issues a command to be executed by the logic-memory module and the external host processor handles an address translation for the command.