Wavelength division multiplexed memory module, memory system and method
First Claim
1. A memory system, comprising:
- a plurality of memory modules each of which has an optical input/output port, each of the memory modules being operable to receive optical input signals coupled to the optical input/output port and to transmit optical output signals coupled from the optical input/output port, the respective optical input/output port of at least some of the memory modules receiving or transmitting at least some optical input or output signals, respectively, at a wavelength that is different from the wavelength of at least some optical input or output signals received or transmitted, respectively, by a plurality of the other memory modules, each of the memory modules including a programming circuit operable to receive a programming signal and to cause the memory module to respond to received optical input signals or transmit optical output signals having one of the plurality of wavelengths;
a controller having an optical input/output port, the controller being operable to receive and transmit optical signals at the wavelengths of the optical signals transmitted or received by the plurality of the memory modules; and
an optical communication path coupling the optical input/output port of the controller to the respective optical input/output ports of the plurality of the memory modules.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A computer system includes a controller linked to a plurality of memory modules each of which has an optical memory hub and several memory devices coupled to the memory hub. The controller communicates with the memory hubs by coupling optical signals to and from the memory hubs using an optical communication path, such as one or more optical waveguides. In one example of the invention, the memory modules transmit and receive optical signals having different wavelengths. In another example of the invention, the memory modules receive optical signals corresponding to memory command and address signals at different wavelengths, but they transmit and receive optical signals corresponding to memory commands at the same wavelength.
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Citations
51 Claims
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1. A memory system, comprising:
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a plurality of memory modules each of which has an optical input/output port, each of the memory modules being operable to receive optical input signals coupled to the optical input/output port and to transmit optical output signals coupled from the optical input/output port, the respective optical input/output port of at least some of the memory modules receiving or transmitting at least some optical input or output signals, respectively, at a wavelength that is different from the wavelength of at least some optical input or output signals received or transmitted, respectively, by a plurality of the other memory modules, each of the memory modules including a programming circuit operable to receive a programming signal and to cause the memory module to respond to received optical input signals or transmit optical output signals having one of the plurality of wavelengths; a controller having an optical input/output port, the controller being operable to receive and transmit optical signals at the wavelengths of the optical signals transmitted or received by the plurality of the memory modules; and an optical communication path coupling the optical input/output port of the controller to the respective optical input/output ports of the plurality of the memory modules. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer system, comprising:
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a processing unit operable to perform computing functions; a system controller coupled to the processing unit, the system controller operating in synchronism with a system clock signal; at least one input device coupled to the processing unit through the system controller; at least one output device coupled to the processing unit through the system controller; at least one data storage devices coupled to the processing unit through the system controller; a plurality of memory modules each of which has an optical input/output port, each of the memory modules being operable to receive optical input signals coupled to the optical input/output port and to transmit optical output signals coupled from the optical input/output port, the respective optical input/output port of at least some of the memory modules receiving or transmitting at least some optical input or output signals, respectively, at a wavelength that is different from the wavelength of at least some optical input or output signals received or transmitted, respectively, by a plurality of the other memory modules, each of the memory modules including a programming circuit operable to receive a programming signal and to cause the memory module to respond to received optical input signals or transmit optical output signals having one of the plurality of wavelengths; a controller having an optical input/output port, the controller being operable to receive and transmit optical signals at the wavelengths of the optical signals transmitted or received by the plurality of the memory modules; and an optical communication path coupling the optical input/output port of the controller to the respective optical input/output ports of the plurality of the memory modules. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of coupling memory command, address and write data signals to a memory module and of coupling read data signals from the memory module, comprising:
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coupling optical signals corresponding to the memory command and address signals to the memory module at a first wavelength; coupling optical signals corresponding to the write data signals to the memory module at a second wavelength; and coupling optical signals corresponding to the read data signals from the memory module at a third wavelength, at least one of the first, second and third wavelengths being different from one of the other of the first, second and third wavelengths, and at least one of the command, address, and write data signals being coupled to the memory module through free space. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of coupling memory command, address and write data signals to a plurality of memory modules and of coupling read data signals from the plurality of memory modules, comprising:
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coupling optical input signals corresponding to the memory command and address signals to the memory modules, the wavelength of the optical input signals corresponding to the memory command and address signals being different for each of the memory modules; coupling optical input signals corresponding to the write data signals to the memory modules; coupling optical output signals corresponding to the read data signals from the memory modules at least some of the optical input signals having a wavelength that is different from at least some of the optical output signals, and programming each of the memory modules to select one of a plurality of wavelengths at which the memory module receives optical input signals corresponding to the memory command and address signals. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A memory system, comprising:
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a plurality of memory modules each of which has an optical input/output port, each of the memory modules being operable to receive optical input signals coupled to the optical input/output port and to transmit optical output signals coupled from the optical input/output port, a controller having an optical input/output port, the controller being operable to receive and transmit optical signals at the wavelengths of the optical signals transmitted or received by the plurality of the memory modules, the controller being operable to communicate with the memory modules using a wavelength division multiplexing protocol that varies as a function of the number of memory modules in the memory system; and an optical communication path coupling the optical input/output port of the controller to the respective optical input/output ports of the plurality of the memory modules. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A computer system, comprising:
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a processing unit operable to perform computing functions; a system controller coupled to the processing unit, the system controller operating in synchronism with a system clock signal; at least one input device coupled to the processing unit through the system controller; at least one output device coupled to the processing unit through the system controller; at least one data storage devices coupled to the processing unit through the system controller; a plurality of memory modules each of which has an optical input/output port, each of the memory modules being operable to receive optical input signals coupled to the optical input/output port and to transmit optical output signals coupled from the optical input/output port, the respective optical input/output port of at least some of the memory modules receiving or transmitting at least some optical input or output signals, respectively, at a wavelength that is different from the wavelength of at least some optical input or output signals received or transmitted, respectively, by a plurality of the other memory modules; a controller having an optical input/output port, the controller being operable to receive and transmit optical signals at the wavelengths of the optical signals transmitted or received by the plurality of the memory modules, the controller being operable to communicate with the memory modules using a wavelength division multiplexing protocol that varies as a function of the number of memory modules in the memory system; and an optical communication path coupling the optical input/output port of the controller to the respective optical input/output ports of the plurality of the memory modules. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A method of coupling memory command, address and write data signals to a plurality of memory modules and of coupling read data signals from the plurality of memory modules, comprising:
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coupling optical input signals corresponding to the memory command and address signals to the memory modules through fee space; coupling optical input signals corresponding to the write data signals to the memory modules through fee space; and coupling optical output signals corresponding to the read data signals from the memory module through fee space, at least some of the optical input signals having a wavelength that is different from at least some of the optical output signals. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51)
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Specification