Protected Memory Management Architecture for Streaming Media
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing memory management systems for streaming media devices often waste memory resources due to pre-allocation of large blocks of physical memory before boot time, as the exact memory requirements are unknown, leading to inefficiencies in memory utilization.
Innovation Solution
A protected memory management architecture that dynamically allocates and protects physical memory through a virtual memory address space, using page tables and a high DRAM window to optimize memory usage and ensure secure access, allowing for the creation of protected memory regions that can be resized as needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If physical memory is pre-allocated as a large block before OS boot, then security access and contiguous addressing are improved, but memory utilization efficiency deteriorates due to wasted memory
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the pre-allocated physical memory block into multiple protected memory regions, each accessible only to specific streaming media drivers. This segmentation allows the system to maintain the security benefits of pre-allocation while improving memory utilization by allocating only the portions actually needed by each driver, rather than reserving the entire large block.
2Ease of operation
If physical memory is pre-allocated as a large block, then contiguous addressing for streaming is improved, but memory waste increases due to unknown requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic memory allocation within the pre-allocated physical memory block. The virtual memory system dynamically assigns contiguous address spaces to streaming media drivers based on their actual needs rather than static pre-allocation. This allows the system to maintain contiguous addressing for streaming operations while reducing memory waste by allocating only the necessary portions.
3Reliability
If virtual memory address space is used with page tables, then memory protection and dynamic allocation are improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a virtual memory system with page tables as an intermediary layer between the pre-allocated physical memory and the streaming media drivers. This intermediary provides memory protection and dynamic allocation capabilities while managing the complexity through structured page table entries that map virtual addresses to physical memory regions, isolating the complexity from the drivers themselves.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of techniques and systems for protected access to virtual memory are described. In embodiments, a protected memory management architecture (“PMMA”) may be configured to control accesses to protected physical memory. The PMMA may provide a protected virtual memory window for dynamic allocation of protected memory regions. During forward translation of virtual memory addresses, the PMMA may check a region ID of a process before allowing access. During reverse translation of a physical memory address, the PMMA may prevent accesses to protected physical memory addresses. The PMMA may also dynamically allocate physical memory to protected memory regions in virtual memory and may authenticate the physical memory as available before allocation. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.