Methods for implementing programmable memory controller for distributed DRAM system-in-package (SiP)

• US 8,356,138 B1
• Filed: 08/20/2007
• Issued: 01/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xilinx, Inc. (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Xilinx, Inc. (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kulkarni, Chidamber R., Rahman, Arifur
• Primary Examiner(s): PEUGH, BRIAN R
• Application Number:
  US11/894,346
• Time in Patent Office: 1,975 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 711/105
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/34 for reconfigurable circuits, e.g. field programmable gate arrays [FPGA] or programmable logic devices [PLD]

Abstract

A multi-port memory controller (MPMC) can be parameterized to selectively connect to different memory configurations. In particular, a programmable device that is combined with a DRAM in a die-stacked distributed memory in a single chip is provided with the programmable device forming the MPMC. The programmable device is parameterized to form a memory controller that can either aggregate or segment memory controller components to control different DRAM memory banks either together or separately. The aggregation or segmentation of the memory devices can be configured dynamically during operation of the programmable device.

Claims

1. A memory controller system for providing access from connection ports to one or more memory devices comprising:

a plurality of controller interface devices, each comprising;

an address device for receiving addresses from one or more of the ports and for providing data to outputs of the controller interface,

a data device for receiving data from one or more of the ports and for providing the data to outputs of the controller interface, and

a control device for receiving control signals from one or more of the ports and providing control signals to outputs to the controller interface;

a plurality of physical interfaces for receiving the control, the address and the data signals from the outputs of the plurality of controller interface devices and providing the received control and data signals to the memory devices; and

a bank management interface for connecting the plurality of controller interfaces to the plurality of physical interfaces, the bank management interface being programmable to selectively implement one of a plurality of modes comprising a first mode and a second mode, wherein,

the first mode aggregates the plurality of controller interface devices into an aggregated controller interface device and wherein the bank management interface is configured to provide the aggregated controller interface device with access to each of the plurality of physical interfaces, and

the second mode segments the plurality of controller interface devices among a plurality of regions and the plurality of physical interfaces among the plurality of regions and wherein the bank management interface is configured to provide controller interface devices with access only to physical interfaces that are within the same region.

2. The memory controller system of claim 1, wherein the system is provided in a field programmable gate array (FPGA).

3. The memory controller system of claim 2, wherein the FPGA is provided on a first die stacked wherein the one or more memory devices are implemented in a second die, stacked with the first stacked die.

4. The memory controller system of claim 3, wherein the first die and the second die are provided in a single integrated circuit chip.

5. The memory controller system of claim 4, wherein the one or more memory devices are distributed DRAM memory devices with multiple ones of the DRAM memory devices provided on the single integrated circuit chip.

6. The memory controller system of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more physical control devices for receiving control and address signals from the bank management unit and for providing control signals to the plurality of the physical interfaces to correspond with the selective aggregation or segmentation of the controller interfaces of the bank management interface.

7. The memory controller system of claim 1, wherein the bank management interface is dynamically programmable to perform the selective aggregation or segmentation during operation.

8. The memory controller system of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of controller interface devices are configured to receive requests for accessing memory devices and are not coupled directly to memory devices; and

the plurality of physical interfaces are configured to couple to the memory devices.

9. The memory controller system of claim 1, wherein the first mode aggregates the plurality of controller interface devices into an aggregated controller interface device by connecting the plurality of controller interface devices to a single physical interface.

10. The memory controller system of claim 1, wherein the bank management interface is dynamically programmable during operation to implement a selected access mode comprising an interleaved mode or a sequential mode.

11. The memory controller system of claim 10, wherein implementation of a selected access mode is independent of whether the bank management interface implements the first mode that aggregates the plurality of controller interfaces or the second mode that segments the plurality of controller interfaces.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium with instructions stored thereon for programming a memory controller to distribute signals from a plurality of ports to distributed memory devices provided on a die, the instructions comprising code to perform steps comprising:

forming a plurality of controller interface devices for receiving data address and control signals from the ports and providing outputs for transmitting the data, address and control signals; and

forming a bank management interface to selectively implement one of a plurality of modes comprising a first mode and a second mode, wherein,

the first mode aggregates the plurality of controller interface devices into an aggregated controller interface device and wherein the bank management interface is configured to provide the aggregated controller interface device with access to each of a plurality of physical interfaces, and

the second mode segments the plurality of controller interface devices among a plurality of regions and the plurality of physical interfaces among the plurality of regions and wherein the bank management interface is configured to provide controller interface devices with access only to physical interfaces that are within the same region.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12, further comprising code to perform steps comprising:

forming the physical interfaces for connecting the bank management interface to the individual one of the memory devices to provide data signals to and from the plurality of controller interface devices to the individual memory devices.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13, further comprising code to perform steps comprising:

forming a physical interface control for connecting the bank management interface to the individual one of the memory devices to receive control and address signals from the bank management interface and for providing signals for controlling the physical interfaces.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the memory controller is provided in a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA).

16. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the bank management interface is dynamically programmable to switch between the first mode and the second mode during operation.

17. A method for controlling access from connection ports to distributed DRAM memories using a device with programmable resources, the method comprising:

programming logic to provide a plurality of controller interface devices for receiving data, address and control signals from the ports and providing data, address and control signals for distributing to one or more of the DRAM memories; and

programming the bank management interface to selectively implement one of a plurality of modes comprising a first mode and a second mode, wherein,

the first mode aggregates the plurality of controller interface devices into an aggregated controller interface device and wherein the bank management interface is configured to provide the aggregated controller interface device with access to each of a plurality of physical interfaces, and

the second mode segments the plurality of controller interface devices among a plurality of regions and the plurality of physical interfaces among the plurality of regions and wherein the bank management interface is configured to provide controller interface devices with access only to physical interfaces that are within the same region.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the device with programmable resources comprises a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA);

and

wherein the step of programming the bank management interface is performed during operation of the FPGA.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising programming the bank management interface to selectively connect the plurality of the controller interface devices to multiple ones of the memory devices.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

dynamically switching between the first mode and the second mode during operation of the device.