公开(公告)号：US20200106598A1

公开(公告)日：2020-04-02

申请号：US16584830

申请日：2019-09-26

Applicant: Rambus Inc.

Inventor： Bret G. Stott ,  Craig E. Hampel ,  Frederick A. Ware

IPC: H04L7/033 ,  H04L7/00 ,  G11C7/10 ,  G11C7/20 ,  G11C7/22 ,  H03L7/081 ,  H04L1/20

Abstract: A signaling system is disclosed. The signaling system includes a first integrated circuit (IC) chip to receive a data signal and a strobe signal. The first IC includes circuitry to sample the data signal at times indicated by the strobe signal to generate phase error information and circuitry to output the phase error information from the first IC device. The system further includes a signaling link and a second IC chip coupled to the first IC chip via the signaling link to output the data signal and the strobe signal to the first IC chip. The second IC chip includes delay circuitry to generate the strobe signal by delaying an aperiodic timing signal for a first time interval and timing control circuitry to receive the phase error information from the first IC chip and adjust the first time interval in accordance with the phase error information.

公开(公告)号：US20190339908A1

公开(公告)日：2019-11-07

申请号：US16405479

申请日：2019-05-07

Applicant: Rambus Inc.

Inventor： Frederick A. Ware ,  Craig E. Hampel ,  Wayne S. Richardson ,  Chad A. Bellows ,  Lawrence Lai

IPC: G06F3/06 ,  G11C8/06 ,  G11C7/10 ,  G11C11/4076 ,  G11C7/22 ,  G11C11/4097

Abstract: A micro-threaded memory device. A plurality of storage banks are provided, each including a plurality of rows of storage cells and having an access restriction in that at least a minimum access time interval must transpire between successive accesses to a given row of the storage cells. Transfer control circuitry is provided to transfer a first amount of data between the plurality of storage banks and an external signal path in response to a first memory access request, the first amount of data being less than a product of the external signal path bandwidth and the minimum access time interval.

公开(公告)号：US20190305925A1

公开(公告)日：2019-10-03

申请号：US16378084

申请日：2019-04-08

Applicant: Rambus Inc.

Inventor： Frederick A. Ware ,  Richard E. Perego ,  Craig E. Hampel

IPC: H04L7/00 ,  H04L25/12 ,  H04L25/02 ,  H04L7/10

Abstract: A method and system provides for execution of calibration cycles from time to time during normal operation of the communication channel. A calibration cycle includes de-coupling the normal data source from the transmitter and supplying a calibration pattern in its place. The calibration pattern is received from the communication link using the receiver on the second component. A calibrated value of a parameter of the communication channel is determined in response to the received calibration pattern. The steps involved in calibration cycles can be reordered to account for utilization patterns of the communication channel. For bidirectional links, calibration cycles are executed which include the step of storing received calibration patterns on the second component, and retransmitting such calibration patterns back to the first component for use in adjusting parameters of the channel at first component.

公开(公告)号：US20190205268A1

公开(公告)日：2019-07-04

申请号：US16223031

申请日：2018-12-17

Applicant: Rambus Inc.

Inventor： Craig E. Hampel ,  Frederick A. Ware

IPC: G06F13/16 ,  G11C7/10 ,  G06F12/1081 ,  G06F13/28 ,  G11C5/04 ,  G06F13/42 ,  H05K1/18

CPC classification number: G06F13/1642 ,  G06F12/1081 ,  G06F13/1663 ,  G06F13/1678 ,  G06F13/1684 ,  G06F13/28 ,  G06F13/4243 ,  G06F2212/656 ,  G11C5/04 ,  G11C7/1012 ,  G11C7/1045 ,  G11C7/1075 ,  H05K1/181 ,  H05K2201/09227 ,  H05K2201/10159 ,  Y02D10/14 ,  Y02D10/151 ,  Y02P70/611

Abstract: A memory module having reduced access granularity. The memory module includes a substrate having signal lines thereon that form a control path and first and second data paths, and further includes first and second memory devices coupled in common to the control path and coupled respectively to the first and second data paths. The first and second memory devices include control circuitry to receive respective first and second memory access commands via the control path and to effect concurrent data transfer on the first and second data paths in response to the first and second memory access commands.

公开(公告)号：US20190179740A1

公开(公告)日：2019-06-13

申请号：US16214558

申请日：2018-12-10

Applicant: Rambus Inc.

Inventor： Frederick A. Ware ,  Craig E. Hampel

IPC: G06F12/02

Abstract: Improvements are disclosed for “leveling” or averaging out more evenly the number of activate/precharge cycles seen by the rows of a memory component, so that one or more particular rows are not excessively stressed (relative to the other rows). In one embodiment, a memory controller includes remapping facilities arranged to move data stored in a physical row from RPK to RPK′ and modify the mapping from logical row RLK while minimizing impact on normal read/write operations. Remapping operations may be scheduled relative to refresh or other maintenance operations. Remapping operations may be conditionally deferred so as to minimize performance impact.

公开(公告)号：US20190163661A9

公开(公告)日：2019-05-30

申请号：US15813963

申请日：2017-11-15

Applicant: Rambus Inc.

Inventor： Mark A. Horowitz ,  Craig E. Hampel ,  Alfredo Moncayo ,  Kevin S. Donnelly ,  Jared L. Zerbe

IPC: G06F13/42 ,  G06F3/06

CPC classification number: G06F13/4291 ,  G06F3/061 ,  G06F3/0611 ,  G06F3/0619 ,  G06F3/0658 ,  G06F3/0661 ,  G06F3/0679 ,  G06F3/0688 ,  G06F12/0246 ,  G06F12/1081 ,  G06F13/102 ,  G06F13/1689 ,  G06F13/364 ,  G06F13/4072 ,  G06F13/4086 ,  G06F13/4234 ,  G06F13/4243 ,  G06F2206/1014 ,  G06F2212/7201 ,  G11C5/04 ,  G11C5/063 ,  G11C7/1048 ,  G11C7/1072 ,  G11C7/22 ,  G11C7/222 ,  G11C16/32 ,  G11C19/00 ,  H03K19/00384 ,  H03K19/018585

Abstract: An integrated circuit device includes a transmitter circuit including an output driver. The integrated circuit device includes a first register to store a value representative of a drive strength setting associated with the transmitter circuit such that the output driver outputs data in accordance with the drive strength setting. The integrated circuit device also includes a second register to store a value representative of an equalization setting associated with the transmitter circuit such that the output driver outputs data in accordance with the equalization setting. The integrated circuit device further includes a third register to store a value representative of a slew rate setting associated with the transmitter circuit such that the output driver outputs data in accordance with the slew rate setting.

公开(公告)号：US10305674B2

公开(公告)日：2019-05-28

申请号：US15498031

申请日：2017-04-26

Applicant: Rambus Inc.

Inventor： Frederick A. Ware ,  Richard E. Perego ,  Craig E. Hampel

IPC: H04L7/00 ,  H04L7/10 ,  H04L25/02 ,  H04L25/12 ,  G11C7/04 ,  H04L7/033

Abstract: A method and system provides for execution of calibration cycles from time to time during normal operation of the communication channel. A calibration cycle includes de-coupling the normal data source from the transmitter and supplying a calibration pattern in its place. The calibration pattern is received from the communication link using the receiver on the second component. A calibrated value of a parameter of the communication channel is determined in response to the received calibration pattern. The steps involved in calibration cycles can be reordered to account for utilization patterns of the communication channel. For bidirectional links, calibration cycles are executed which include the step of storing received calibration patterns on the second component, and retransmitting such calibration patterns back to the first component for use in adjusting parameters of the channel at first component.

公开(公告)号：US10241940B2

公开(公告)日：2019-03-26

申请号：US15314316

申请日：2015-05-26

Applicant: Rambus Inc.

Inventor： Frederick A. Ware ,  Craig E. Hampel

IPC: G06F13/16 ,  G11C7/10 ,  G11C5/04 ,  G06F13/40 ,  G11C11/408 ,  G11C11/4093

Abstract: A memory module includes a substrate, plural memory devices, and a buffer. The plural memory devices are organized into at least one rank, each memory device having plural banks. The buffer includes a primary interface for communicating with a memory controller and a secondary interface coupled to the plural memory devices. For each bank of each rank of memory devices, the buffer includes data buffer circuitry and address buffer circuitry. The data buffer circuitry includes first storage to store write data transferred during a bank cycle interval (tRR). The address buffer circuitry includes second storage to store address information corresponding to the data stored in the first storage.

公开(公告)号：US20170337144A1

公开(公告)日：2017-11-23

申请号：US15525379

申请日：2015-11-11

Applicant: Rambus Inc.

Inventor： Frederick A. Ware ,  Ely Tsern ,  John Eric Linstadt ,  Thomas J. Giovannini ,  Craig E. Hampel ,  Scott C. Best ,  John Yan

IPC: G06F13/16

CPC classification number: G06F13/1678 ,  G06F13/1673 ,  G06F13/1694

Abstract: Described are motherboards with memory-module sockets that accept legacy memory modules for backward compatibility, or accept a greater number of configurable modules in support of increased memory capacity. The configurable modules can be backward compatible with legacy motherboards. Equipped with the configurable modules, the motherboards support memory systems with high signaling rates and capacities.

公开(公告)号：US09824036B2

公开(公告)日：2017-11-21

申请号：US14702995

申请日：2015-05-04

Applicant: Rambus Inc.

Inventor： Richard E. Perego ,  Donald C. Stark ,  Frederick A. Ware ,  Ely K. Tsern ,  Craig E. Hampel

IPC: G06F13/16 ,  G11C7/10 ,  G06F13/40

CPC classification number: G06F13/1678 ,  G06F12/04 ,  G06F12/06 ,  G06F12/0646 ,  G06F13/1657 ,  G06F13/4022 ,  G11C5/02 ,  G11C5/025 ,  G11C5/04 ,  G11C5/06 ,  G11C5/063 ,  G11C7/1006 ,  G11C7/1045 ,  G11C7/1048 ,  G11C7/106 ,  G11C7/1072 ,  G11C7/1087 ,  G11C8/06 ,  G11C11/4087 ,  G11C11/4097 ,  G11C2207/105 ,  G11C2207/108 ,  H05K1/117 ,  H05K1/14 ,  H05K2201/09954 ,  H05K2201/10189 ,  Y02D10/14

Abstract: Described are memory systems in which a memory controller issues commands and addresses to multiple memory modules that collectively support each read and write transactions. A common set of control signal lines from the controller communicates the same command and address signals to the modules. For write commands, the controller sends subsets of write data to each module over a respective subset of data lines. For read commands, each module responds with a subset of the requested data over the respective subset of data lines. The memory modules can be width configurable so that a single full-width module can connect to both subsets of data lines to convey full-width data, or two half-width modules can connect one each to the subsets of data lines.