Multi-partitioning of memories
View Patent ↗Various embodiments comprise apparatuses and methods including a method of reconfiguring partitions in a memory device as directed by a host. The method includes managing commands through a first interface controller to mapped portions of a first memory not having an attribute enhanced set, and mapping portions of a second memory having the attribute enhanced set through a second interface controller. Additional apparatuses and methods are described.
1. A memory device, comprising:
first and second memory devices of different memory technologies, wherein the first memory device comprises non-volatile flash memory, and wherein the second memory device comprises phase change memory (PCM); and
a first interface controller configured to be interposed between a memory bus and the first memory device, and a second interface controller configured to be interposed between the memory bus and the second memory device,
the first interface controller configured to manage logical memory partitioning on at least the non-volatile flash memory,
the first and second controllers further configured to allocate data of a first characteristic to the first memory device, and to allocate data of a second characteristic to the second memory device;
the first interface controller configured to manage commands to mapped portions of the non-volatile flash memory without a selected attribute; and
wherein the second interface controller is configured to reconfigure partitions of the PCM as directed by the external memory controller unit.
2. The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the first interface controller is configured to be aware of the existence of the second interface controller, and the second interface controller is configured not to be aware of the first interface controller.
3. The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the first interface controller and the second interface controller each include a register management block to track memory partitions.
4. The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the first interface controller is configured to service all requests to access a user data area, an enhanced user data area, and all general-purpose partitions without the selected attribute.
5. The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the first interface controller and the second interface controller each connect directly to the memory bus.
6. The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the first interface controller connects directly to the memory bus, and wherein the second interface controller is connected to the first interface controller.
7. The memory device of claim 4 , wherein the first interface controller includes a partition and mode configuration block to inhibit a response from the second interface controller, and to allow the first interface controller to generate a response across the memory bus to a memory controller unit host, the response to include error conditions related to the enhanced user data area.
8. The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the memory device comprises an embedded multi-media card (e-MMC) device.
9. An embedded multi-media card (e-MMC) memory, comprising:
a non-volatile flash memory coupled to a first interface controller, the first interface controller to be coupled to an external memory controller unit; and
a Phase-Change Memory (PCM) coupled to a second interface controller, the second interface controller coupled to the first memory controller to manage commands referencing partitions set up in the e-MMC memory using a connection between the first interface controller and the second interface controller;
the first interface controller configured to manage commands to mapped portions of the non-volatile flash memory without a selected attribute;
the second interface controller configured to map the portions of the PCM with the selected attribute; and
the second interface controller is further configured to reconfigure partitions of the PCM as directed by the external memory controller unit.
10. The e-MMC memory of claim 9 , wherein the non-volatile flash memory comprises NAND Flash memory.
11. The e-MMC memory of claim 10 , wherein the non-volatile flash memory comprises a number of Multi-Level Cell (MLC) devices.
12. The e-MMC memory of claim 9 , wherein:
the first interface controller is configured to be aware of the existence of the second interface controller; and
the second interface controller is configured not to be aware of the first controller.
13. The e-MMC memory of claim 9 , wherein a combination of memory types including the non-volatile flash memory and the PCM allows the e-MMC memory to access the non-volatile flash memory for mass storage applications and access the PCM for address-intensive applications.
14. The e-MMC memory of claim 13 , wherein the address-intensive applications include read intensive applications.
15. An embedded multi-media card (e-MMC) managed memory device, comprising:
a first interface controller and a second interface controller, the first interface controller configured to be coupled to an external memory controller unit host and to be aware of the existence of the second interface controller and the second interface controller configured not to be aware of the first interface controller,
the first interface controller further configured to provide all responses to incoming commands received from the external memory controller unit host;
a first type of non-volatile memory coupled to the first interface controller; and
a second type of non-volatile memory coupled to the second interface controller, the second interface controller configured to reconfigure partitions of the second type of non-volatile memory according to commands received from the external memory controller unit host.
16. The e-MMC managed memory device of claim 15 , wherein:
the first type of non-volatile memory comprises Multi-Level Cell (MLC) NAND flash memory; and
the second type of non-volatile memory comprises Phase-Change Memory (PCM).
17. The eMMC managed memory device of claim 15 , wherein, during a power management mode:
both the first interface controller and the second interface controller are configured to execute state transitions to an inactive state; and
only the first interface controller is configured to reply to the external memory controller unit host.
18. The eMMC managed memory device of claim 15 ;
wherein:
the second interface controller comprises a register to inhibit a response in the second interface controller; and
the first interface controller is configured to manage generating the response to the external memory controller unit host.
19. The eMMC managed memory device of claim 15 , wherein at least the first interface controller is to abstract the first type of non-volatile memory and the second type of non-volatile memory from the memory controller unit host, wherein the first interface controller connects directly to the memory bus, and wherein the second interface controller is connected to the first interface controller.
20. The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the second interface controller is configured to map the portions of the PCM having the selected attribute.
21. The memory device of claim 1 , wherein either of the first interface controller and the second interface controller may be in an idle state while the other interface controller services a command from a host.