Intel Corporation

David J McDonnell

Andrew M Volk

Michael W Williams

Subramaniam M Maiyuran

Zohar Bogin

Brian K Langendorf

Puthiya K Nizar

Vincent E VonBokern

Jeff L Rabe

Himanshu Sinha

Michael G LaTondre

Tom A Sutera

A memory controller is disclosed. The memory controller includes a slot-based controller adaptable to launch a packet that straddles a first fixed packet slot and a second fixed packet slot.

Method and apparatus for a slot-based memory controller

A method and apparatus for communicating commands and/or data between two different time domains. In one embodiment, multiple memory commands are placed into one or more FIFOs in a manner that specifies the delays that must take place between execution of the different commands. Along with the commands, delay information is placed into the FIFOs, specifying the number of clock cycles, or other form of time delay, that must elapse between execution of a command and execution of a subsequent command. This delay information is used to delay the execution of the subsequent command for the specified time period, while minimizing or eliminating any excess delays. Cue information can also be placed into the FIFOs with the commands to specify which commands must wait for other commands before beginning execution. The delay and cue information is determined and created in the time domain that initiates the transfers. The delays and cueing are executed in the other time domain. Although the different commands may be delivered through different FIFOs and can therefore have unpredictable arrival times with respect to each other, the delay and cueing information maintains the proper execution order and timing between the commands. Interactive control logic at the output of each FIFO uses the timing data to maintain execution in the proper order and with the proper inter-command delays.

Method and apparatus for timing-dependant transfers using FIFOs

An apparatus and method for transferring units of information between clock domains. A respective set of N units of information is loaded from an output circuit in a first clock domain into a storage circuit in a second clock domain during each cycle of the first clock domain. Each set of N units is selected by the output circuit to include (1) units of information that have previously loaded into the storage circuit and that will not be output from the storage output from the storage circuit prior to the storage circuit being loaded with a subsequent set of N units of information, and (2) a complement number of units of information that have not previously been loaded into the storage circuit.

Cross-clock domain data transfer method and apparatus

According to one embodiment of the invention, a prefetcher in a memory controller is described which includes logic to receive memory request hints from a CPU. The memory request hints are used by the prefetcher in the memory controller to prefetch information from one or more memory devices coupled to the memory controller via a memory bus. The prefetcher in the memory controller further includes logic to determine the types of memory request hints provided by the CPU, the types of memory request hints are used to indicate whether the hints provided by the CPU are for instruction memory read request or data memory read request. The prefetcher in the memory controller also includes logic to generate prefetch requests to prefetch information from the one or more memory devices, based on the types of memory request hints provided by the CPU and bandwidth availability of the memory bus.

Apparatus, method, and system for synchronizing information prefetch between processors and memory controllers

A method and apparatus for synchronizing a synchronizing clock is disclosed for use in synchronizing a high-speed memory bus with a second, heritage memory bus. This method and apparatus includes generating an initial synchronizing clock from a reference clock of the high-speed memory bus. It then includes receiving a synchronizing packet on the high-speed memory bus utilizing the initial synchronizing clock. Finally, it includes delaying a clock transition of the initial synchronizing clock in response to the received data of the synchronizing packet.

Method and apparatus for remote memory clock synchronization for optimized leadoff performance

A method for controlling device temperature. The method involves determining access rate to a component, comparing the access rate with a predetermined threshold modified by a weighted value and controlling the temperature of the component through corrective action.

Method and apparatus to control device temperature

An apparatus and method for transferring units of information between clock domains. A respective set of N units of information is loaded from an output circuit in a first clock domain into a storage circuit in a second clock domain during each cycle of the first clock domain. Each set of N units is selected by the output circuit to include (1) units of information that have previously been loaded into the storage circuit and that will not be output from the storage circuit prior to the storage circuit being loaded with a subsequent set of N units of information, and (2) a complement number of units of information that have not previously been loaded into the storage circuit.

Growing community of inventors

Fair Oaks, CA, United States of America

David J McDonnell