Memory controller with non-volatile buffer for persistent memory operations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10719236-B2
Application number	US-201514947877-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 20, 2015
Priority date	Nov 20, 2015
Publication date	Jul 21, 2020
Grant date	Jul 21, 2020

Abstract

Subject matter disclosed herein may relate to buffers, and may relate more particularly to non-volatile buffers for memory operations.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a processor; and
a memory controller located on a particular integrated circuit die with the processor, wherein the memory controller to include a non-volatile buffer comprising one or more correlated electron switch devices, wherein the memory controller to interface with a separate non-volatile memory device, wherein the memory controller to store in the non-volatile buffer of the memory controller one or more signals and/or states associated with a persistent memory operation to be directed to the separate non-volatile memory device, the signals and/or states associated with the persistent memory operation to be received from the processor,
wherein to store the one or more signals and/or states to comprise the signals and/or states associated with the persistent memory operation, a circuit to apply a particular current signal to at least one of the one or more correlated electron switch devices during an operation to place the at least one of the one or more correlated electron switch devices in a first impedance state and to establish a reset condition current density requirement for a subsequent operation to place the at least one of the one or more correlated electron switch devices in a second impedance state, the memory controller further to signal to the processor completion of the persistent memory operation responsive to storage of the signals and/or states associated with the persistent memory operation in the non-volatile buffer.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the non-volatile buffer to maintain the signals and/or states associated with the persistent memory operation subsequent to a removal of power from the non-volatile buffer, and wherein the signals and/or states associated with the persistent memory operation to be communicated between the memory controller and the separate non-volatile memory device subsequent to a restoration of power.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein, to signal to the processor the completion of the persistent memory operation responsive to the storage of the signals and/or states associated with the persistent memory operation in the non-volatile buffer, the memory controller to signal to the processor the completion of the persistent memory operation prior to communication of signals and/or states associated with the persistent memory operation between the memory controller and the separate non-volatile memory device.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein, to signal to the processor the completion of the persistent memory operation, the memory controller to write a reply message into a response queue without waiting for the signals and/or states associated with the persistent memory operation to be communicated between the memory controller and the separate non-volatile memory device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second impedance states respectively to include particular approximate resistance and capacitance characteristics.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the capacitance of the second impedance state to exceed the capacitance of the first impedance state.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the non-volatile buffer to represent a point of persistency adjacent to the processor.

8. A method, comprising:
storing, in non-volatile buffer of a memory controller, one or more signals and/or states associated with a persistent memory operation communicated between a processor and the memory controller, wherein the processor and the memory controller are located on a particular integrated circuit die, wherein the signals and/or states associated with the persistent memory operation are directed to a separate non-volatile memory device, wherein the non-volatile buffer comprises one or more correlated electron switch devices, and wherein the storing the one or more signals and/or states associated with the persistent memory operation in the non-volatile buffer includes applying a particular current signal to at least one of the one or more correlated electron switch devices during an operation to place the at least one of the one or more correlated electron switch devices in a first impedance state and to establish a reset condition current density requirement for a subsequent operation to place the at least one of the one or more correlated electron switch devices in a second impedance state; and
communicating between the memory controller and the processor a message indicating completion of the persistent memory operation responsive to the storing the one or more signals and/or states associated with the persistent memory operation in the non-volatile buffer.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
maintaining the signals and/or states associated with the persistent memory operation in the non-volatile buffer subsequent to a removal of power from the non-volatile buffer; and
communicating the signals and/or states associated with the persistent memory operation between the non-volatile buffer and the separate non-volatile memory device subsequent to a restoration of power; and
communicating the one or more signals and/or states associated with the persistent memory operation between the non-volatile buffer and the separate non-volatile memory device at a point in time after the communicating the message indicating completion of the persistent memory operation.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the communicating the message indicating the completion of the persistent memory operation further comprises writing the message indicating the completion of the persistent memory operation to a reply queue of the memory controller without waiting for the signals and/or states associated with the persistent memory operation to be communicated between the non-volatile buffer and the separate non-volatile memory device.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first and second impedance states respectively to include particular approximate resistance and capacitance characteristics.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein a resistance of the second impedance state to exceed a resistance of the first impedance state and wherein a capacitance of the second impedance state to exceed a capacitance of the first impedance state.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first impedance state to represent a binary value of “0” and second impedance state represents a binary value of “1”.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the persistent memory operation to comprise a persistent write operation, and wherein the non-volatile buffer to represent a point of persistency adjacent to the processor.

15. A system, comprising:
a non-volatile memory device;
a processor and a memory controller located on a particular integrated circuit die, wherein the processor to execute a persistent memory operation directed to a memory location in the non-volatile memory device; and
wherein the memory controller to receive one or more signals and/or states associated with the persistent memory operation from the processor, wherein the memory controller to store in one or more correlated electron switch devices of a non-volatile buffer of the memory controller the signals and/or states associated with the persistent memory operation, wherein to store the one or more signals and/or states associated with the persistent memory operation, a circuit to apply a particular current signal to at least one of the one or more correlated electron switch devices during an operation to place the at least one of the one or more correlated electron switch devices in a first impedance state and to establish a reset condition current density requirement for a su

Assignees

• Advanced Risc Mach Ltd

Inventors

• Hansson Andreas
• Diestelhorst Stephan
• Wang Wei
• De Jong Irenéus Johannes

Classifications

• G06F3/0679

  Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP] · CPC title

• G06F3/061 Primary

  Improving I/O performance · CPC title

• G06F3/0656

  Data buffering arrangements · CPC title

• G06F15/7853

  including a ROM · CPC title