Compressed Memory Allocation Using Shadow Address Ranges
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Solution Overview
Problem
Memory systems face trade-offs in read/write latency due to the use of compressed pages, necessitating a flexible allocation mechanism that balances memory capacity and operational efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A memory system with a host device and memory buffer device that allows for flexible allocation of compressed storage by using restricted and shadow address ranges, enabling direct data migration and management of compression/decompression operations, thereby optimizing memory usage based on current requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If compressed pages are used to increase memory capacity, then memory efficiency is improved, but read/write latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between compressed and uncompressed storage modes based on memory pressure and access patterns. The memory buffer device can change the compression state of pages on-demand, allowing the system to adapt to varying performance requirements while maintaining both memory capacity and speed when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of memory are treated differently - some pages are stored compressed while others remain uncompressed, based on their access patterns and importance. This allows the system to optimize locally for either capacity or speed depending on the specific data characteristics and workload requirements.
2Ease of operation
If the host device manages compression/decompression operations, then control over data storage is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The memory buffer device acts as an intermediary between the host device and the memory array. It handles all compression and decompression operations automatically, presenting a simplified interface to the host while managing the complexity of data transformation in the background.
Solution Approach 2:
The memory buffer device autonomously manages compression and decompression without requiring active participation from the host device. The system self-adjusts compression states based on memory conditions, eliminating the need for complex host-side compression management logic.
3Ease of manufacture
If fixed memory allocation is used, then allocation simplicity is improved, but adaptability to memory requirements deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The memory allocation scheme transitions from fixed to dynamic, allowing the host device to allocate and deallocate compressed storage regions based on current memory pressure and requirements. This enables flexible adaptation to varying workload conditions while maintaining a relatively simple allocation interface.
Data Source
AI summary
A memory system enables a host device to flexibly allocate compressed storage managed by a memory buffer device. The host device allocates a first block of host-visible addresses associated with the compressed region and a memory buffer device allocates a corresponding second block of host-visible memory. The host device may migrate uncompressed data to and from compressed storage by referencing an address in the second block (with compression and decompression managed by the memory buffer device) and may migrate compressed data to and from compressed storage (bypassing compression and decompression on the memory buffer device) by instead referencing an address in the first block.