Adjustable access energy and access latency memory system and devices

    公开(公告)号:US11379136B2

    公开(公告)日:2022-07-05

    申请号:US17075357

    申请日:2020-10-20

    Applicant: Rambus Inc.

    Abstract: Same sized blocks of data corresponding to a single read/write command are stored in the same memory array of a memory device, but using different formats. A first one of these formats spreads the data in the block across a larger number of memory subarrays (a.k.a., memory array tiles—MATs) than a second format. In this manner, the data blocks stored in the first format can be accessed with lower latency than the blocks stored in the second format because more data can be read from the array simultaneously. In addition, since the data stored in the second format is stored in fewer subarrays, it takes less energy to read a block stored in the second format. Thus, a system may elect, on a data block by data block basis, whether to conserve power or improve speed.

    Command/address channel error detection

    公开(公告)号:US11361839B2

    公开(公告)日:2022-06-14

    申请号:US17049282

    申请日:2019-03-20

    Applicant: Rambus Inc.

    Abstract: A memory component and a controller communicate commands and data with each other The commands to activate and then access data, and the data itself, are all communicated between a controller and the memory component at different times. The controller and memory component each calculate a respective error detecting code (EDC) values on the activate command information (e.g., bank address and row address) and store them indexed by the bank address. When the memory component is accessed, retrieved EDC values are combined with EDC values calculated from the access command information, and the data itself. The memory component transmits its combined EDC value to the controller for checking.

    Memory controller and method of data bus inversion using an error detection correction code

    公开(公告)号:US11349496B2

    公开(公告)日:2022-05-31

    申请号:US17321060

    申请日:2021-05-14

    Applicant: Rambus Inc.

    Abstract: Memory controllers, devices and associated methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, a memory controller includes write circuitry to transmit write data to a memory device, the write circuitry includes a write error detection correction (EDC) encoder to generate first error information associated with the write data. Data bus inversion (DBI) circuitry conditionally inverts data bits associated with each of the write data words based on threshold criteria. Read circuitry receives read data from the memory device. The read circuitry includes a read EDC encoder to generate second error information associated with the received read data. Logic evaluates the first and second error information and conditionally reverse-inverts at least a portion of the read data based on the decoding.

    Memory component having internal read-modify-write operation

    公开(公告)号:US11347441B2

    公开(公告)日:2022-05-31

    申请号:US17247167

    申请日:2020-12-02

    Applicant: Rambus Inc.

    Abstract: An memory component includes a memory bank and a command interface to receive a read-modify-write command, having an associated read address indicating a location in the memory bank and to either access read data from the location in the memory bank indicated by the read address after an adjustable delay period transpires from a time at which the read-modify-write command was received or to overlap multiple read-modify-write commands. The memory component further includes a data interface to receive write data associated with the read-modify-write command and an error correction circuit to merge the received write data with the read data to form a merged data and write the merged data to the location in the memory bank indicated by the read address.

    Optimizing power in a memory device

    公开(公告)号:US11340686B2

    公开(公告)日:2022-05-24

    申请号:US16947973

    申请日:2020-08-26

    Applicant: Rambus Inc.

    Abstract: Embodiments generally relate to a memory device. In one embodiment, the memory device includes a clock receiver circuit that receives an external clock signal and provides an internal clock signal. The memory device also includes a delay-locked loop circuit (DLL) having an input, and a circuit that receives the internal clock signal. The circuit selects which pulses of the internal clock signal are applied to the input of the DLL, such that no more than two clock pulses selected from at least three consecutive pulses of the external clock signal are applied to the input of the DLL during a predetermined interval. In another embodiment, a method includes receiving an external clock signal at a clock receiver circuit, receiving an internal clock signal from the clock receiver circuit, and selecting which pulses of the internal clock signal are applied to an input of a DLL, where no more than two clock pulses selected from at least three consecutive pulses of the external clock signal are applied to the input of the DLL during a predetermined interval.

    Area-efficient, width-adjustable signaling interface

    公开(公告)号:US11302367B2

    公开(公告)日:2022-04-12

    申请号:US16148984

    申请日:2018-10-01

    Applicant: Rambus Inc.

    Abstract: A lateral transfer path within an adjustable-width signaling interface of an integrated circuit component is formed by a chain of logic segments that may be intercoupled in different groups to effect the lateral data transfer required in different interface width configurations, avoiding the need for a dedicated transfer path per width configuration and thereby substantially reducing number of interconnects (and thus the area) required to implement the lateral transfer structure.

    Periodic calibration for communication channels by drift tracking

    公开(公告)号:US11258522B2

    公开(公告)日:2022-02-22

    申请号:US17024835

    申请日:2020-09-18

    Applicant: Rambus Inc.

    Abstract: A method and system that provides for execution of a first calibration sequence, such as upon initialization of a system, to establish an operation value, which utilizes an algorithm intended to be exhaustive, and executing a second calibration sequence from time to time, to measure drift in the parameter, and to update the operation value in response to the measured drift. The second calibration sequence utilizes less resources of the communication channel than does the first calibration sequence. In one embodiment, the first calibration sequence for measurement and convergence on the operation value utilizes long calibration patterns, such as codes that are greater than 30 bytes, or pseudorandom bit sequences having lengths of 2N−1 bits, where N is equal to or greater than 7, while the second calibration sequence utilizes short calibration patterns, such as fixed codes less than 16 bytes, and for example as short as 2 bytes long.

    MEMORY WITH VARIABLE ACCESS GRANULARITY

    公开(公告)号:US20220027093A1

    公开(公告)日:2022-01-27

    申请号:US17428105

    申请日:2020-02-05

    Applicant: Rambus Inc.

    Abstract: An integrated-circuit memory component receives, as part of respective first and second memory read transactions, a first column access command that identifies a first volume of data and a second column read command that identifies a second volume of data, the second volume of data being constituted by not more than half as many data bits as the first volume of data. In response to receiving the first column access command, the integrated-circuit memory component transmits the first volume of data as N parallel bit-serial data signals over N external signaling links. In response to receiving the second column access command, the integrated-circuit memory component transmits the second volume of data as M parallel bit- serial data signals over M of the N external signaling links, where M is less than N.

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