Rambus Patent Applications

MEMORY DEVICE COMPRISING PROGRAMMABLE COMMAND-AND-ADDRESS AND/OR DATA INTERFACES

Granted: March 21, 2024
Application Number: 20240096387
A memory device comprising a programmable command-and-address (CA) interface and/or a programmable data interface is described. In an operational mode, two or more CA interfaces may be active. In another operational mode, at least one, but not all, CA interfaces may be active. In an operational mode, all of the data interfaces may be active. In another operational mode, at least one, but not all, data interfaces may be active. The memory device can include circuitry to select: an…

USING DYNAMIC BURSTS TO SUPPORT FREQUENCY-AGILE MEMORY INTERFACES

Granted: April 6, 2023
Application Number: 20230106072
The disclosed embodiments relate to a system that supports dynamic bursts to facilitate frequency-agile communication between a memory controller and a memory device. During operation, the system monitors a reference clock signal received at an interface between the memory device and the memory controller. Upon detecting a frequency change in the reference clock signal from a fullrate to a subrate, the interface operates in a burst mode, wherein data is communicated through bursts…

DIRECT DIGITAL SEQUENCE DETECTION AND EQUALIZATION

Granted: March 31, 2022
Application Number: 20220103404
Methods and apparatuses for direct sequence detection can receive an input signal over a communication channel. Next, the input signal can be sampled based on a clock signal to obtain a sampled voltage. A set of reference voltages can be generated based on a main cursor, a set of pre-cursors, and a set of post-cursors associated with the communication channel. Each generated reference voltage in the set of reference voltages can correspond to a particular sequence of symbols. A sequence…

STRUCTURE FOR DELIVERING POWER

Granted: October 21, 2021
Application Number: 20210329774
A structure for delivering power is described. In some embodiments, the structure can include conductors disposed on two or more layers. Specifically, the structure can include a first set of interdigitated conductors disposed on a first layer and oriented substantially along an expected direction of current flow. At least one conductor in the first set of interdigitated conductors may be maintained at a first voltage, and at least one conductor in the first set of interdigitated…

ALWAYS-ON FINFET WITH CAMOUFLAGED PUNCH STOP IMPLANTS FOR PROTECTING INTEGRATED CIRCUITS FROM REVERSE ENGINEERING

Granted: August 12, 2021
Application Number: 20210249364
A camouflaged application specific integrated circuit is disclosed. The camouflaged ASIC includes at least one camouflaged FinFET, which includes a substrate of a first conductivity type, a fin, disposed on the substrate, the fin including a source region of a second conductivity type, a drain region of the second conductivity type, and a channel region of the first conductivity type. The camouflaged application specific integrated circuit also includes a gate disposed over and…

ELECTRICALLY ISOLATED GATE CONTACT IN FINFET TECHNOLOGY FOR CAMOUFLAGING INTEGRATED CIRCUITS FROM REVERSE ENGINEERING

Granted: August 12, 2021
Application Number: 20210249363
A system and method for adding a source contact, a drain contact, and an apparent gate contact to a FinFET having a fin including a source region, a drain region, and a gate disposed over the fin forming one or more transistor junctions with the fin. The method comprises producing a source contact opening extending downward to a first region electrically coupled to the source region, a drain contact opening extending downward to a second region electrically coupled to the drain region,…

MEMORY DEVICE HAVING NON-UNIFORM REFRESH

Granted: August 5, 2021
Application Number: 20210241822
An integrated circuit memory device includes an array of storage cells configured into multiple banks. Each bank includes multiple segments. Register storage stores per-segment values representing per-segment refresh parameters. Refresh logic refreshes each segment in accordance with the corresponding per-segment value.

USING DYNAMIC BURSTS TO SUPPORT FREQUENCY-AGILE MEMORY INTERFACES

Granted: March 4, 2021
Application Number: 20210064116
The disclosed embodiments relate to a system that supports dynamic bursts to facilitate frequency-agile communication between a memory controller and a memory device. During operation, the system monitors a reference clock signal received at an interface between the memory device and the memory controller. Upon detecting a frequency change in the reference clock signal from a fullrate to a subrate, the interface operates in a burst mode, wherein data is communicated through bursts…

MEMORY DEVICE COMPRISING PROGRAMMABLE COMMAND-AND-ADDRESS AND/OR DATA INTERFACES

Granted: February 18, 2021
Application Number: 20210050043
A memory device comprising a programmable command-and-address (CA) interface and/or a programmable data interface is described. In an operational mode, two or more CA interfaces may be active. In another operational mode, at least one, but not all, CA interfaces may be active. In an operational mode, all of the data interfaces may be active. In another operational mode, at least one, but not all, data interfaces may be active. The memory device can include circuitry to select: an…

SECURE LOGIC LOCKING AND CONFIGURATION WITH CAMOUFLAGED PROGRAMMABLE MICRO NETLISTS

Granted: January 7, 2021
Application Number: 20210004515
The camouflage technique described herein introduces programmed configuration inputs to Micro Netlists, creating Programmable Micro Netlists (PMNLs). PMNLs are a group of camouflaged and non-camouflaged cells that may be configured to perform one of several possible logic functions. They retain all the protective properties of non-programmable MNLs, but also allow for secure post-manufacture configuration of their aggregate logic function.

STRUCTURE FOR DELIVERING POWER

Granted: October 15, 2020
Application Number: 20200329553
A structure for delivering power is described. In some embodiments, the structure can include conductors disposed on two or more layers. Specifically, the structure can include a first set of interdigitated conductors disposed on a first layer and oriented substantially along an expected direction of current flow. At least one conductor in the first set of interdigitated conductors may be maintained at a first voltage, and at least one conductor in the first set of interdigitated…

PHYSICALLY UNCLONABLE CAMOUFLAGE STRUCTURE AND METHODS FOR FABRICATING SAME

Granted: September 17, 2020
Application Number: 20200295763
An application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and a method for its design and fabrication is disclosed. In one embodiment, the camouflaged application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), comprises a plurality of interconnected functional logic cells that together perform one or more ASIC logical functions, wherein the functional logic cells comprise a camouflage cell including: a source region of a first conductivity type, a drain region of the first conductivity type, and a…

MEMORY DEVICE COMPRISING PROGRAMMABLE COMMAND-AND-ADDRESS AND/OR DATA INTERFACES

Granted: July 4, 2019
Application Number: 20190206458
A memory device comprising a programmable command-and-address (CA) interface and/or a programmable data interface is described. In an operational mode, two or more CA interfaces may be active. In another operational mode, at least one, but not all, CA interfaces may be active. In an operational mode, all of the data interfaces may be active. In another operational mode, at least one, but not all, data interfaces may be active. The memory device can include circuitry to select: an…

USING DYNAMIC BURSTS TO SUPPORT FREQUENCY-AGILE MEMORY INTERFACES

Granted: March 21, 2019
Application Number: 20190086990
The disclosed embodiments relate to a system that supports dynamic bursts to facilitate frequency-agile communication between a memory controller and a memory device. During operation, the system monitors a reference clock signal received at an interface between the memory device and the memory controller. Upon detecting a frequency change in the reference clock signal from a fullrate to a subrate, the interface operates in a burst mode, wherein data is communicated through bursts…

CONFIGURABLE PIPELINE BASED ON ERROR DETECTION MODE IN A DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM

Granted: February 28, 2019
Application Number: 20190065207
A method includes providing a data processor having an instruction pipeline, where the instruction pipeline has a plurality of instruction pipeline stages, and where the plurality of instruction pipeline stages includes a first instruction pipeline stage and a second instruction pipeline stage. The method further includes providing a data processor instruction that causes the data processor to perform a first set of computational operations during execution of the data processor…

DIRECT SEQUENCE DETECTION AND EQUALIATION

Granted: February 14, 2019
Application Number: 20190052490
Methods and apparatuses for direct sequence detection can receive an input signal over a communication channel. Next, the input signal can be sampled based on a clock signal to obtain a sampled voltage. A set of reference voltages can be generated based on a main cursor, a set of pre-cursors, and a set of post-cursors associated with the communication channel. Each generated reference voltage in the set of reference voltages can correspond to a particular sequence of symbols. A sequence…

STRUCTURE FOR DELIVERING POWER

Granted: August 16, 2018
Application Number: 20180235077
A structure for delivering power is described. In some embodiments, the structure can include conductors disposed on two or more layers. Specifically, the structure can include a first set of interdigitated conductors disposed on a first layer and oriented substantially along an expected direction of current flow. At least one conductor in the first set of interdigitated conductors may be maintained at a first voltage, and at least one conductor in the first set of interdigitated…

INTEGRATED CIRCUIT DEVICE HAVING AN INJECTION-LOCKED OSCILLATOR

Granted: May 24, 2018
Application Number: 20180145693
A variable injection-strength injection-locked oscillator (ILO) is described. The variable injection-strength ILO can output an output clock signal based on an input clock signal. The variable injection-strength ILO can pause, restart, slow down, or speed up the output clock signal synchronously with respect to the input clock signal in response to receiving power mode information. Specifically, the variable injection-strength ILO can be operated under relatively strong injection when…

HIGH CAPACITY, HIGH PERFORMANCE MEMORY SYSTEM

Granted: March 15, 2018
Application Number: 20180074758
Memory devices and a memory controller that controls such memory devices. Multiple memory devices receive commands and addresses on a command/address (C/A) bus that is relayed point-to-point by each memory device. Data is received and sent from these devices to/from a memory controller in a point-to-point configuration by adjusting the width of each individual data bus coupled between the individual memory devices and the memory controller. Along with the C/A bus are clock signals that…

MEMORY DEVICE COMPRISING PROGRAMMABLE COMMAND-AND-ADDRESS AND/OR DATA INTERFACES

Granted: February 15, 2018
Application Number: 20180047436
A memory device comprising a programmable command-and-address (CA) interface and/or a programmable data interface is described. In an operational mode, two or more CA interfaces may be active. In another operational mode, at least one, but not all, CA interfaces may be active. In an operational mode, all of the data interfaces may be active. In another operational mode, at least one, but not all, data interfaces may be active. The memory device can include circuitry to select: an…