公开(公告)号：US11289139B2

公开(公告)日：2022-03-29

申请号：US16793638

申请日：2020-02-18

Applicant: Rambus Inc.

Inventor： Thomas Giovannini ,  Scott C. Best ,  Lei Luo ,  Ian Shaeffer

IPC: G06F12/00 ,  G11C7/22 ,  G11C29/02 ,  G11C29/50 ,  G11C29/56

Abstract: A first timing reference signal and a second timing reference signal are sent to a memory device. The second timing reference signal has approximately a quadrature phase relationship with respect to the first timing reference signal. A plurality of serial data patterns are received from the memory device. The transitions of the first timing reference and the second timing reference determining when transitions occur between the bits of the plurality of data patterns. Timing indicators associated with when received transitions occur between the bits of the plurality of data patterns are received from the memory device. The timing indicators are each measured using a single sampler. Based on the timing indicators, a first duty cycle adjustment for the first timing reference signal, a second duty cycle adjustment for the second timing reference signal, and a quadrature phase adjustment are determined and applied.

公开(公告)号：US20210124703A1

公开(公告)日：2021-04-29

申请号：US16950861

申请日：2020-11-17

Applicant: Rambus Inc.

Inventor： Amir Amirkhany ,  Suresh Rajan ,  Ravindranath Kollipara ,  Ian Shaeffer ,  David A. Secker

IPC: G06F13/40 ,  G06F13/16 ,  G06F12/00 ,  G06F13/00

Abstract: A memory module comprises a data interface including a plurality of data lines and a plurality of configurable switches coupled between the data interface and a data path to one or more memories. The effective width of the memory module can be configured by enabling or disabling different subsets of the configurable switches. The configurable switches may be controlled by manual switches, by a buffer on the memory module, by an external memory controller, or by the memories on the memory module.

公开(公告)号：US10754799B2

公开(公告)日：2020-08-25

申请号：US16436368

申请日：2019-06-10

Applicant: Rambus Inc.

Inventor： Scott C. Best ,  Ian Shaeffer

IPC: G06F13/00 ,  G06F13/16 ,  G06F3/06 ,  G11C11/4076 ,  G11C11/409 ,  G11C11/4093

Abstract: A memory system includes a memory controller coupled to multiple memory devices. Each memory device includes an oscillator that generates an internal reference signal that oscillates at a frequency that is a function of physical device structures within the memory device. The frequencies of the internal reference signals are thus device specific. Each memory device develops a shared reference signal from its internal reference signal and communicates the shared reference signal to the common memory controller. The memory controller uses the shared reference signals to recover device-specific frequency information from each memory device, and then communicates with each memory device at a frequency compatible with the corresponding internal reference signal.

公开(公告)号：US20200234756A1

公开(公告)日：2020-07-23

申请号：US16842368

申请日：2020-04-07

Applicant: Rambus Inc.

Inventor： Ian Shaeffer ,  Ely Tsern ,  Craig Hampel

IPC: G11C11/4093 ,  G11C11/4091 ,  G06F13/40 ,  H01L25/10 ,  G11C7/22 ,  G11C5/06 ,  G11C7/10 ,  G11C11/4076 ,  G11C11/4096 ,  G11C5/04 ,  H01L25/065 ,  G11C5/02 ,  G11C11/4094 ,  G06F13/16

Abstract: Systems, among other embodiments, include topologies (data and/or control/address information) between an integrated circuit buffer device (that may be coupled to a master, such as a memory controller) and a plurality of integrated circuit memory devices. For example, data may be provided between the plurality of integrated circuit memory devices and the integrated circuit buffer device using separate segmented (or point-to-point link) signal paths in response to control/address information provided from the integrated circuit buffer device to the plurality of integrated circuit buffer devices using a single fly-by (or bus) signal path. An integrated circuit buffer device enables configurable effective memory organization of the plurality of integrated circuit memory devices. The memory organization represented by the integrated circuit buffer device to a memory controller may be different than the actual memory organization behind or coupled to the integrated circuit buffer device. The buffer device segments and merges the data transferred between the memory controller that expects a particular memory organization and actual memory organization.

公开(公告)号：US10672458B1

公开(公告)日：2020-06-02

申请号：US16692043

申请日：2019-11-22

Applicant: Rambus Inc.

Inventor： Ian Shaeffer ,  Ely Tsern ,  Craig Hampel

IPC: G11C7/00 ,  G11C11/4093 ,  H01L25/10 ,  G11C5/02 ,  G11C5/04 ,  G11C5/06 ,  G11C7/10 ,  G11C7/22 ,  G06F13/40 ,  G06F13/16 ,  G11C11/4076 ,  G11C11/4091 ,  G11C11/4094 ,  G11C11/4096 ,  H01L25/065 ,  H01L25/18 ,  H01L23/00

Abstract: Systems, among other embodiments, include topologies (data and/or control/address information) between an integrated circuit buffer device (that may be coupled to a master, such as a memory controller) and a plurality of integrated circuit memory devices. For example, data may be provided between the plurality of integrated circuit memory devices and the integrated circuit buffer device using separate segmented (or point-to-point link) signal paths in response to control/address information provided from the integrated circuit buffer device to the plurality of integrated circuit buffer devices using a single fly-by (or bus) signal path. An integrated circuit buffer device enables configurable effective memory organization of the plurality of integrated circuit memory devices. The memory organization represented by the integrated circuit buffer device to a memory controller may be different than the actual memory organization behind or coupled to the integrated circuit buffer device. The buffer device segments and merges the data transferred between the memory controller that expects a particular memory organization and actual memory organization.

公开(公告)号：US20200073752A1

公开(公告)日：2020-03-05

申请号：US16678159

申请日：2019-11-08

Applicant: Rambus Inc.

Inventor： Ian Shaeffer ,  Craig E. Hampel

IPC: G06F11/10 ,  H03M13/09 ,  G06F11/16 ,  G06F11/07

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for detecting and correcting address errors in a memory system. In the memory system, a memory device generates an error-detection code based on an address transmitted via an address bus and transmits the error-detection code to a memory controller. The memory controller transmits an error indication to the memory device in response to the error-detection code. The error indication causes the memory device to remove the received address and prevent a memory operation

公开(公告)号：US20200004714A1

公开(公告)日：2020-01-02

申请号：US16520137

申请日：2019-07-23

Applicant: Rambus Inc.

Inventor： Liji Gopalakrishnan ,  Ian Shaeffer ,  Yi Lu

IPC: G06F13/40 ,  G11C7/10 ,  G11C11/4093 ,  G11C11/4094 ,  G11C5/04 ,  G06F13/16

Abstract: A memory device or module selects between alternative command ports. Memory systems with memory modules incorporating such memory devices support point-to-point connectivity and efficient interconnect usage for different numbers of modules. The memory devices and modules can be of programmable data widths. Devices on the same module can be configured select different command ports to facilitate memory threading. Modules can likewise be configured to select different command ports for the same purpose.

公开(公告)号：US20190379378A1

公开(公告)日：2019-12-12

申请号：US16425406

申请日：2019-05-29

Applicant: Rambus Inc.

Inventor： Ian Shaeffer

IPC: H03K19/00 ,  G11C5/06 ,  G11C7/10 ,  H03K19/0175 ,  G11C11/4063 ,  G11C11/413 ,  G11C16/06 ,  G11C5/14

Abstract: Local on-die termination controllers for effecting termination of a high-speed signaling links simultaneously engage on-die termination structures within multiple integrated-circuit memory devices disposed on the same memory module, and/or within the same integrated-circuit package, and coupled to the high-speed signaling link. A termination control bus is coupled to memory devices on a module, and provides for peer-to-peer communication of termination control signals.

公开(公告)号：US10381067B2

公开(公告)日：2019-08-13

申请号：US15832468

申请日：2017-12-05

Applicant: Rambus Inc.

Inventor： Ian Shaeffer ,  Ely Tsern ,  Craig Hampel

IPC: G11C7/10 ,  G11C11/4093 ,  G11C5/02 ,  G11C5/04 ,  G11C5/06 ,  H01L25/065 ,  H01L25/10 ,  G06F13/40 ,  G06F13/16 ,  G11C11/4076 ,  G11C11/4091 ,  G11C11/4094 ,  G11C11/4096 ,  G11C7/22 ,  H01L25/18 ,  H01L23/00

Abstract: Systems, among other embodiments, include topologies (data and/or control/address information) between an integrated circuit buffer device (that may be coupled to a master, such as a memory controller) and a plurality of integrated circuit memory devices. For example, data may be provided between the plurality of integrated circuit memory devices and the integrated circuit buffer device using separate segmented (or point-to-point link) signal paths in response to control/address information provided from the integrated circuit buffer device to the plurality of integrated circuit buffer devices using a single fly-by (or bus) signal path. An integrated circuit buffer device enables configurable effective memory organization of the plurality of integrated circuit memory devices. The memory organization represented by the integrated circuit buffer device to a memory controller may be different than the actual memory organization behind or coupled to the integrated circuit buffer device. The buffer device segments and merges the data transferred between the memory controller that expects a particular memory organization and actual memory organization.

公开(公告)号：US10331587B2

公开(公告)日：2019-06-25

申请号：US15498065

申请日：2017-04-26

Applicant: Rambus Inc.

Inventor： Ian Shaeffer ,  Thomas J. Giovannini

IPC: G06F12/00 ,  G06F13/16 ,  G11C7/10 ,  G11C7/22

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for operation of a memory controller, memory device and system are described. During operation, the memory controller transmits a read command which specifies that a memory device output data accessed from a memory core. This read command contains information which specifies whether the memory device is to commence outputting of a timing reference signal prior to commencing outputting of the data. The memory controller receives the timing reference signal if the information specified that the memory device output the timing reference signal. The memory controller subsequently samples the data output from the memory device based on information provided by the timing reference signal output from the memory device.