公开(公告)号：US10813216B2

公开(公告)日：2020-10-20

申请号：US16657130

申请日：2019-10-18

Applicant: Rambus Inc.

Inventor： Frederick A. Ware ,  Suresh Rajan

IPC: G11C5/06 ,  H05K1/11 ,  G11C11/4093 ,  H05K1/18 ,  G06F15/78 ,  G11C11/408 ,  G06F1/18 ,  G11C5/04 ,  G11C7/10 ,  G06F13/16 ,  G06F13/40

Abstract: The embodiments described herein describe technologies for memory systems. One implementation of a memory system includes a motherboard substrate with multiple module sockets, at least one of which is populated with a memory module. A first set of data lines is disposed on the motherboard substrate and coupled to the module sockets. The first set of data lines includes a first subset of point-to-point data lines coupled between a memory controller and a first socket and a second subset of point-to-point data lines coupled between the memory controller and a second socket. A second set of data lines is disposed on the motherboard substrate and coupled between the first socket and the second socket. The first and second sets of data lines can make up a memory channel.

公开(公告)号：US10802981B2

公开(公告)日：2020-10-13

申请号：US15389402

申请日：2016-12-22

Applicant: Rambus Inc.

Inventor： Frederick A. Ware

IPC: G06F12/08 ,  G06F12/0895 ,  G06F12/0846 ,  G11C8/06 ,  G06F12/1027 ,  G06F12/0802

Abstract: A memory controller includes logic circuitry to generate a first data address identifying a location in a first external memory array for storing first data, a first tag address identifying a location in a second external memory array for storing a first tag, a second data address identifying a location in the second external memory array for storing second data, and a second tag address identifying a location in the first external memory array for storing a second tag. The memory controller includes an interface that transfers the first data address and the first tag address for a first set of memory operations in the first and the second external memory arrays. The interface transfers the second data address and the second tag address for a second set of memory operations in the first and the second external memory arrays.

公开(公告)号：US20200301858A1

公开(公告)日：2020-09-24

申请号：US16840341

申请日：2020-04-04

Applicant: Rambus Inc.

Inventor： Frederick A. Ware ,  Craig E. Hampel

IPC: G06F13/16 ,  G11C7/10 ,  G11C5/04 ,  G11C11/4096 ,  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：US20200294557A1

公开(公告)日：2020-09-17

申请号：US16828591

申请日：2020-03-24

Applicant: Rambus Inc.

Inventor： Frederick A. Ware ,  John Eric Linstadt ,  Carl W. Werner

IPC: G11C7/04 ,  G06F1/12 ,  G11C7/22 ,  G11C29/02 ,  G11C29/50 ,  H03K5/15 ,  H01L39/22

Abstract: In a chip-to-chip signaling system includes at least one signaling link coupled between first and second ICs, the first IC has an interface coupled to the signaling link and timed by a first interface timing signal. The second IC has an interface coupled to the signaling link and timed by a second interface timing signal that is mesochronous with respect to the first interface timing signal. The second IC further has phase adjustment circuitry that adjusts a phase of the second interface timing signal using a digital counter implemented with Josephson-junction circuit elements.

公开(公告)号：US20200279599A1

公开(公告)日：2020-09-03

申请号：US16799491

申请日：2020-02-24

Applicant: Rambus Inc.

Inventor： Frederick A. Ware ,  Richard E. Perego

IPC: G11C11/406 ,  G06F12/00 ,  G06F13/16

Abstract: Described are dynamic memory systems that perform overlapping refresh and data access (read or write) transactions that minimize the impact of the refresh transaction on memory performance. The memory systems support independent and simultaneous activate and precharge operations directed to different banks. Two sets of address registers enable the system to simultaneously specify different banks for refresh and data-access transactions.

公开(公告)号：US10755764B2

公开(公告)日：2020-08-25

申请号：US16418316

申请日：2019-05-21

Applicant: Rambus Inc.

Inventor： Frederick A. Ware

IPC: G11C7/22 ,  G11C7/10 ,  G11C11/4076 ,  G06F13/16 ,  G06F13/42 ,  G11C8/18 ,  G06F1/10 ,  G11C11/409

Abstract: A clock signal is transmitted to first and second integrated circuit (IC) components via a clock signal line, the clock signal having a first arrival time at the first IC component and a second, later arrival time at the second IC component. A write command is transmitted to the first and second IC components to be sampled by those components at respective times corresponding to transitions of the clock signal, and write data is transmitted to the first and second IC components in association with the write command. First and second strobe signals are transmitted to the first and second IC components, respectively, to time reception of the first and second write data in those components. The first and second strobe signals are selected from a plurality of phase-offset timing signals to compensate for respective timing skews between the clock signal and the first and second strobe signals.

公开(公告)号：US20200264782A1

公开(公告)日：2020-08-20

申请号：US16805535

申请日：2020-02-28

Applicant: Rambus Inc.

Inventor： Frederick A. Ware ,  Ely Tsern

IPC: G06F3/06 ,  G11C7/10 ,  G11C5/04 ,  G06F12/06

Abstract: Memory modules, systems, memory controllers and associated methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, a memory module includes a module substrate having first and second memory devices. Buffer circuitry disposed on the substrate couples to the first and second memory devices via respective first and second secondary interfaces. The buffer circuitry includes a primary signaling interface for coupling to a group of signaling links associated with a memory controller. The primary signaling interface operates at a primary signaling rate and the first and second secondary data interfaces operate at a secondary signaling rate. During a first mode of operation, the primary interface signaling rate is at least twice the secondary signaling rate. A first time interval associated with a transfer of first column data via the first secondary interface temporally overlaps a second time interval involving second column data transferred via the second secondary interface.

公开(公告)号：US10739841B2

公开(公告)日：2020-08-11

申请号：US16272346

申请日：2019-02-11

Applicant: Rambus Inc.

Inventor： Frederick A. Ware

IPC: G06F1/32 ,  G06F13/16 ,  G06F1/3287 ,  G06F1/3234 ,  G06F1/3293

Abstract: Bandwidth for information transfers between devices is dynamically changed to accommodate transitions between power modes employed in a system. The bandwidth is changed by selectively enabling and disabling individual control links and data links that carry the information. During a highest bandwidth mode for the system, all of the data and control links are enabled to provide maximum information throughout. During one or more lower bandwidth modes for the system, at least one data link and/or at least one control link is disabled to reduce the power consumption of the devices. At least one data link and at least one control link remain enabled during each low bandwidth mode. For these links, the same signaling rate is used for both bandwidth modes to reduce latency that would otherwise be caused by changing signaling rates. Also, calibration information is generated for disabled links so that these links may be quickly brought back into service.

公开(公告)号：US20200250090A1

公开(公告)日：2020-08-06

申请号：US16652234

申请日：2018-10-03

Applicant: Rambus Inc.

Inventor： Frederick A. Ware ,  John Eric Linstadt ,  Christopher Haywood

IPC: G06F12/0804 ,  G06F12/12

Abstract: A hybrid volatile/non-volatile memory module employs a relatively fast, durable, and expensive dynamic, random-access memory (DRAM) cache to store a subset of data from a larger amount of relatively slow and inexpensive nonvolatile memory (NVM). A module controller prioritizes accesses to the DRAM cache for improved speed performance and to minimize programming cycles to the NVM. Data is first written to the DRAM cache where it can be accessed (written to and read from) without the aid of the NVM. Data is only written to the NVM when that data is evicted from the DRAM cache to make room for additional data. Mapping tables relating NVM addresses to physical addresses are distributed throughout the DRAM cache using cache line bits that are not used for data.

公开(公告)号：US10700671B2

公开(公告)日：2020-06-30

申请号：US15824892

申请日：2017-11-28

Applicant: Rambus Inc.

Inventor： Frederick A. Ware ,  Ely Tsern ,  Brian S. Leibowitz ,  Jared Zerbe

IPC: H03K5/13 ,  G06F13/16 ,  G11C29/02 ,  G11C7/10 ,  G11C7/22 ,  G06F13/42 ,  G06F13/00 ,  G11C7/04

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a delay circuit and first and second interface circuits. The delay circuit delays a first timing signal by an internal delay to generate an internal timing signal. The first interface circuit communicates data to an external device in response to the internal timing signal. The second interface circuit transmits an external timing signal for capturing the data in the external device. An external delay is added to the external timing signal in the external device to generate a delayed external timing signal. The delay circuit sets the internal delay based on a comparison between the delayed external timing signal and a calibration signal transmitted by the first interface circuit.