Memory system with selectively interfaceable memory subsystem
Methods, systems, and devices for memory systems having a selectively interfaceable memory subsystem are described. A memory system may include the memory subsystem that may be configurable to provide volatile storage, nonvolatile storage, or both to a host system. The memory subsystem may include a plurality of ports each capable of communicating with the host system using different interfaces. The memory subsystem may be dynamically configurable to perform different functions based on the demands of the host system. In some examples, memory systems described herein may include a first memory subsystem to provide nonvolatile storage to the host system, a second memory subsystem to provide volatile storage to the host system, and a third memory subsystem configurable to provide volatile storage or nonvolatile storage or both to the host system.
1. A memory system, comprising:
a first memory subsystem of a first type that is configured to communicate information with a host system via a first interface;
a second memory subsystem of a second type that is configured to communicate information with the host system via a second interface; and
a third memory subsystem of a third type that is selectively configurable to communicate information with the host system via the first interface and the second interface, wherein the third memory subsystem comprises:
a first port configured to cause the third memory subsystem to communicate information with the host system via the first interface; and
a second port configured to cause the third memory subsystem to communicate information with the host system via the second interface.
2. The memory system of claim 1 , wherein the third memory subsystem comprises a first portion of memory cells coupled with the first port and a second portion of memory cells coupled with the second port.
3. The memory system of claim 2 , wherein a first size of the first portion and a second size of the second portion are dynamically reconfigurable.
4. The memory system of claim 1 , wherein the third memory subsystem comprises:
a first portion of memory cells selectively configurable to communicate information with the host system via the first interface and the second interface; and
a second portion of memory cells selectively configurable to communicate information with the host system via the first interface and the second interface.
5. The memory system of claim 4 , wherein the second portion of the third memory subsystem is selectively configurable to communicate information with the host system via the first interface and the second interface independent from whether the first portion uses the first interface or the second interface.
6. The memory system of claim 5 , wherein a first size of the first portion and a second size of the second portion are reconfigurable.
7. The memory system of claim 1 , wherein the third memory subsystem includes a plurality of ports through which the third memory subsystem is configured to communicate information with the host system.
8. The memory system of claim 1 , wherein the third memory subsystem is configured as a nonvolatile memory subsystem when communicating information via the first interface and as a volatile memory subsystem when communicating information via the second interface.
9. The memory system of claim 1 , wherein the third memory subsystem of the third type comprises one or more resistive RAM memory cells.
10. The memory system of claim 9 , wherein:
the first memory subsystem of the first type comprises one or more not-and (NAND) memory cells; and
the second memory subsystem of the second type comprises one or more dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cells.
11. The memory system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first interface comprises a dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) interface; and
the second interface comprises a universal flash storage (UFS) interface.
12. A method performed by a memory system, the method comprising:
communicating, via a first interface of the memory system, first information between a first memory subsystem of the memory system and a host system, the first memory subsystem being a first type of memory;
communicating, via a second interface of the memory system, second information between a second memory subsystem of the memory system and the host system, the second memory subsystem being a second type of memory;
receiving, via the first interface or the second interface, an indication of whether a third memory subsystem of the memory system is to communicate with the host system using the first interface, the second interface, or both, the third memory subsystem being a third type of memory and comprising:
a first port through which information is communicated between the third memory subsystem and the host system via the first interface;
and a second port through which the information is communicated between the third memory subsystem and the host system via the second interface; and
configuring the third memory subsystem to communicate with the host system via the first interface, the second interface, or both based at least in part on the indication.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
communicating, via the first interface or the second interface, third information between the third memory subsystem and the host system based at least in part on configuring the third memory subsystem.
14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
communicating, via the first interface, third information between the third memory subsystem and the host system; and
communicating, via the second interface, fourth information between the third memory subsystem and the host system.
15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
configuring a first portion of the third memory subsystem to communicate with the host system via the first interface based at least in part on the indication; and
configuring a second portion of the third memory subsystem to communicate with the host system via the second interface based at least in part on the indication, wherein configuring the third memory subsystem is based at least in part on configuring the first portion and the second portion.
16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
receiving a second indication from the host system after configuring the first portion of the third memory subsystem; and
configuring the first portion of the third memory subsystem to have a different size based at least in part on the second indication.
17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the third memory subsystem is configured as a nonvolatile memory subsystem when communicating information via the first interface and as a volatile memory subsystem when communicating information via the second interface.
18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the third memory subsystem of the third type comprises one or more resistive RAM memory cells.
19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the third memory subsystem is configured as a nonvolatile memory subsystem when communicating information via the first interface and as a volatile memory subsystem when communicating information via the second interface.
20. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
the first memory subsystem of the first type comprises one or more not-and (NAND) memory cells; and
the second memory subsystem of the second type comprises one or more dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cells.
21. A memory system, comprising:
a nonvolatile memory subsystem that is configured to communicate information with a host system via a first interface;
a volatile memory subsystem that is configured to communicate information with the host system via a second interface; and
a third memory subsystem that is configured to communicate information with the host system via the first interface and the second interface, the third memory subsystem configured as a second nonvolatile memory subsystem when communicating information via the first interface and as a second volatile memory subsystem when communicating information via the second interface, wherein the third memory subsystem includes a first port coupled with the first interface and a second port coupled with the second interface.
22. The memory system of claim 21 , wherein the third memory subsystem is configured to communicate information via the first interface and the second interface concurrently.
23. The memory system of claim 21 , wherein the third memory subsystem comprises one or more resistive RAM memory cells.
24. The memory system of claim 21 , wherein:
the nonvolatile memory subsystem comprises one or more not-and (NAND) memory cells; and
the volatile memory subsystem comprises one or more dynamic random access (DRAM) memory cells.
25. The memory system of claim 21 , wherein:
the first interface comprises a dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) interface; and
the second interface comprises a universal flash storage (UFS) interface.