IP Library Granted Patent US 11,461,139
Granted Patent B2
US 11,461,139 · App. 16/842,870 · Granted Oct 4, 2022

Memory pool allocation for a multi-core system

Inventors: Michael Simmons (Chandler, AZ); Anjana Priya Sistla (Bangalore, IN); Priyank Gupta (Chandler, AZ)
Assignee: Microchip Technology Incorporated
G06F9/5016G06F8/441G06F9/544G06F12/023G06F2209/5011
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,461,139
App. No.
16/842,870
Granted
Oct 4, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

An apparatus includes processing cores, memory blocks, a connection between each of processing core and memory block, chip selection circuit, and chip selection circuit busses between the chip selection circuit and each of the memory blocks. Each memory block includes a data port and a memory check port. The chip selection circuit is configured to enable writing data from a highest priority core through respective data ports of the memory blocks. The chip selection circuit is further configured to enable writing data from other cores through respective memory check ports of the memory blocks.

Claims (38)

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of processing cores including a first core and a second core;

a pool of memory including a plurality of memory blocks, wherein each memory block includes a data port and a memory check port;

first connections between the first core and each of the plurality of memory blocks;

second connections between the second core and each of the plurality of memory blocks; and,

a chip selection circuit to share access between the first core and the second core to the pool of memory through:

enablement of access of data from the first core to the memory blocks through respective data ports of the memory blocks; and

enablement of access of data from the second core to the memory blocks through respective memory check ports of the memory blocks during assertion of a test enable signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the chip selection circuit is to share access to the pool of memory between the first core, the second core, and a third core of the plurality of processing cores by enabling access of data from the third core to the memory blocks through the respective memory check ports of the memory blocks.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the chip selection circuit is to enable access signals from memory test circuits to the memory blocks through the respective memory check ports of the memory blocks.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the chip selection circuit is to enable access of data from the first core through respective data ports and enable access of data from the second core through respective memory check ports based on a determination that the first core is a higher priority core than the second core.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the chip selection circuit is to simultaneously:

enable access of data from the first core to a given memory block through a respective data port of the given memory; and

enable access of data from the second core to the given memory block through a respective memory check port of the given memory.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the memory blocks are of different sizes.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an assignment of memory blocks to respective cores is determined during compilation of software to be executed by the first core and the second core.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the chip selection circuit is to:

determine from a compilation process an assignment of memory blocks to cores; and

based on a determination that a given memory block is not assigned to a core, turn off the given memory block.

9. A method, comprising:

using a plurality of processing cores including a first core and a second core;

sharing a pool of memory including a plurality of memory blocks, wherein each memory block includes a data port and a memory check port;

providing first connections between the first core and each of the plurality of memory blocks;

providing second connections between the second core and each of the plurality of memory blocks; and,

sharing access between the first core and the second core to the pool of memory through:

enablement of access of data from the first core to the memory blocks through respective data ports of the memory blocks; and

enablement of access of data from the second core to the memory blocks through respective memory check ports of the memory blocks during assertion of a test enable signal.

10. The method of claim 9 , comprising sharing access to the pool of memory between the first core, the second core, and a third core of the plurality of processing cores by enabling access of data from the third core to the memory blocks through the respective memory check ports of the memory blocks.

11. The method of claim 9 , comprising enabling access signals from memory test circuits to the memory blocks through the respective memory check ports of the memory blocks.

12. The method of claim 9 , comprising enabling access of data from the first core through respective data ports and enable access of data from the second core through respective memory check ports based on a determination that the first core is a higher priority core than the second core.

13. The method of claim 9 , comprising, simultaneously:

enabling access of data from the first core to a given memory block through a respective data port of the given memory; and

enabling access of data from the second core to the given memory block through a respective memory check port of the given memory.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the memory blocks are of different sizes.

15. The method of claim 9 , comprising determining an assignment of memory blocks to respective cores during compilation of software to be executed by the first core and the second core.

16. The method of claim 9 , comprising:

determining from a compilation process an assignment of memory blocks to cores; and

based on a determination that a given memory block is not assigned to a core, turning off the given memory block.

Assignments (11)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 14, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 060894/0437 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059363/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 10, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059863/0400 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059358/0335 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059263/0001 →
GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Nov 19, 2021
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058214/0625 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2021
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 057935/0474 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 055671/0612 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 053468/0705 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 052856/0909 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 8, 2020
From: SIMMONS, MICHAEL; SISTLA, ANJANA PRIYA; GUPTA, PRIYANK
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 052339/0290 →