IP Library Granted Patent US 10,409,754
Granted Patent B2
US 10,409,754 · App. 15/141,757 · Granted Sep 10, 2019

Interconnected memory system and method of operation thereof

Inventor: Rajesh Ananthanarayanan (Mountain View, CA)
Assignee: SMART Modular Technologies, Inc.
G06F13/4068G06F3/0604G06F3/067G06F3/0629
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,409,754
App. No.
15/141,757
Granted
Sep 10, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

An interconnected memory system, and a method of operation thereof, including: a first discrete unit having a first unit processor and first unit memory module; a high-speed interconnect connected directly to the first unit memory module; and a second discrete unit having a second unit processor and a second unit memory module, the second unit memory module connected to the first unit memory module through the high-speed interconnect for utilizing the first unit memory module and the second unit memory module with the first unit processor.

Claims (37)

1. A method of operation of an interconnected memory system comprising:

connecting a first discrete unit to a second discrete unit, the first discrete unit having a first unit processor with a first unit memory module, the first unit memory module having a first network engine within the first unit memory module, the first unit memory module configured as a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) module, the second discrete unit having a second unit processor with a second unit memory module, the second unit memory module having a second network engine within the second unit memory module, and the second unit memory module configured as a DRAM module;

establishing a network interconnect between the second network engine of the second unit memory module and the first network engine of the first unit memory module, the network interconnect configured to bypass the first unit processor; and

accessing the second unit memory module from the first unit memory module over the network interconnect.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein establishing the network interconnect includes forming a point-to-point connection between the first unit memory module and the second unit memory module.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein establishing the network interconnect includes forming an optical connection between the first unit memory module and the second unit memory module.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising connecting the network interconnect to a grid management module.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein establishing a network interconnect includes accessing the second unit memory module through the network interconnect.

6. A method of operation of an interconnected memory system comprising:

connecting a first discrete unit to a second discrete unit, the first discrete unit having a first unit processor with a first unit memory module, the first unit memory module having a first network engine within the first unit memory module, the first unit memory module configured as a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) module; the second discrete unit having a second unit processor with a second unit memory module, the second unit memory module having a second network engine within the second unit memory module, and the second unit memory module configured as a DRAM module;

establishing a network interconnect between the first network engine of the first unit memory module and second network engine of the second unit memory module, the network interconnect having a grid management module, and the network interconnect configured to bypass the first unit processor; and

accessing the second unit memory module from the first unit memory module, the second unit memory module accessed through the network interconnect and the grid management module.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 further comprising:

connecting a third discrete unit having a third unit processor with a third unit memory module; and

connecting another network interconnect between the third unit memory module and the grid management module.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6 wherein establishing the network interconnect includes forming a point-to-point, optical, or ethernet connection between the first unit memory module and the second unit memory module.

9. The method as claimed in claim 6 wherein establishing the network interconnect includes connecting the network interconnect to a hub, switch, or router.

10. The method as claimed in claim 6 wherein/further comprising:

connecting a third discrete unit having a third unit processor with a third unit memory module;

connecting another network interconnect between the third unit memory module and the grid management module; and

accessing the first unit memory module, the second unit memory module, and the third unit memory module with the first unit processor.

11. An interconnected memory system comprising:

a first discrete unit having a first unit processor and first unit memory module, the first unit memory module having a first network engine within the first unit memory module, and the first unit memory module configured as a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) module;

a second discrete unit having a second unit processor and a second unit memory module, the second unit memory module having a second network engine within the second unit memory module, and the second unit memory module configured as a DRAM module,

a network interconnect connected between the first network engine of the first unit memory module and the second network engine of the second unit memory module, and the first unit memory module configured to access the second unit memory module.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the network interconnect is a point-to-point connection between first unit memory module and the second unit memory module.

13. The system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the network interconnect is an optical connection between the first unit memory module and the second unit memory module.

14. The system as claimed in claim 11 further comprising a grid management module connected to the network interconnect.

15. The system as claimed in claim 11 further comprising another network engine on the second unit memory module.

16. The system as claimed in claim 11 further comprising:

a grid management module connected between the first network engine and the second network engine.

17. The system as claimed in claim 16 further comprising:

a third discrete unit having a third unit processor and a third unit memory module, the third discrete unit connected to the grid management module; and

another network interconnect between the third unit memory module and the grid management module.

18. The system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the network interconnect is a point-to-point connection between the first unit memory module and the second unit memory module.

19. The system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the grid management module is a hub, switch, or router.

20. The system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the network interconnects is ethernet or fiber-optic cable.

Assignments (8)
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 30, 2025
From: CREELED, INC.; PENGUIN SOLUTIONS CORPORATION (DE); SMART EMBEDDED COMPUTING, INC.; SMART HIGH RELIABILITY SOLUTIONS LLC; SMART MODULAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; PENGUIN COMPUTING, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 071755/0001 →
RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY INTEREST RECORDED AT R/F 058983/0001 Recorded Jun 25, 2025
From: CITIZENS BANK, N.A.
To: SMART MODULAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; SMART EMBEDDED COMPUTING, INC.; SMART HIGH RELIABILITY SOLUTIONS LLC; CREELED, INC.
Reel/Frame 071725/0207 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 7, 2022
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS AGENT
To: SMART MODULAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 058913/0385 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 043495 FRAME 0397 Recorded Feb 7, 2022
From: BARCLAYS BANK PLC
To: SMART MODULAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 058963/0479 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 7, 2022
From: SMART MODULAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; SMART HIGH RELIABILITY SOLUTIONS, LLC; SMART EMBEDDED COMPUTING, INC.; CREELED, INC.
To: CITIZENS BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 058983/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 23, 2020
From: SMART MODULAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 054738/0855 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 9, 2017
From: SMART MODULAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 043495/0397 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 28, 2016
From: ANANTHANARAYANAN, RAJESH
To: SMART MODULAR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 038415/0479 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170315949A1 · Nov 2, 2017