Active memory data compression system and method

Abstract

An integrated circuit active memory device receives task commands from a component in a host computer system that may include the active memory device. The host system includes a memory controller coupling the active memory device to a host CPU and a mass storage device. The active memory device includes a command engine issuing instructions responsive to the task commands to either an array control unit or a DRAM control unit. The instructions provided to the DRAM control unit cause data to be written to or read from a DRAM and coupled to or from either the processing elements or a host/memory interface. The processing elements execute instructions provided by the array control unit to decompress data written to the DRAM through the host/memory interface and compress data read from the DRAM through the host/memory interface.

1 . An integrated circuit active memory device comprising: 
 a memory device having a data bus containing a plurality of data bus bits;    an array of processing elements each of which is coupled to a respective group of the data bus bits, each of the processing elements having an instruction input coupled to receive processing element instructions for controlling the operation of the processing elements;    a host interface port operable to transfer data to and from the active memory device; and    a control unit being operable to receive task commands and to generate corresponding sequences of instructions responsive to each of the task commands to control the operation of the memory device and the processing elements, at least some of the instructions generated by the control unit causing the processing elements to either decompress data transferred to the active memory device through the host interface port and then store the decompressed data in the memory device or to compress data transferred from the memory device that is to be transferred from the active memory device through the host interface port.    
     
     
         2 - 43 . (canceled)