Rambus Patent Grants

Memory component with efficient write operations

Granted: October 17, 2023
Patent Number: 11790973
A memory component includes a first memory bank. The first memory bank has a plurality of sub-arrays having sub-rows of memory elements. The memory component includes a write driver, coupled to the first memory bank, to perform a write operation of an entire sub-row of a sub-array. To perform the write operation, the write driver is to load a burst of write data to the memory bank. The memory bank may then activate a plurality of sense amplifiers associated with a plurality of memory…

Phase modulated data link for low-swing wireline applications

Granted: October 17, 2023
Patent Number: 11792057
A communication system comprises a transmitter and a receiver that communicate differential phase modulated data over a wireline channel pair. The transmitter encodes data symbols by generating first and second data signals with differentially phase shifted signal transitions with respect to one another. The receiver receives the first data signal and the second data signal and samples the first data signal based on a signal transition timing of the second data signal to generate a first…

Circuits and methods for sample timing in correlated and uncorrelated signaling environments

Granted: October 10, 2023
Patent Number: 11782476
A memory controller conveys a clock signal with command and address signals to a registered clock driver (RCD) on a memory module. A controller-side chip interface on the RCD supports both source-synchronous and filtered clocking for receipt of the command and address signals, the selection between the two clocking schemes dependent upon the noise environment impacting the clock and command/address signals. If the noise is predominantly correlated, then the chip interface is placed in a…

Error-correction-detection coding for hybrid memory module

Granted: October 10, 2023
Patent Number: 11782788
A hybrid volatile/non-volatile memory 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). The memory supports error-detection and correction (EDC) techniques by allocating a fraction of DRAM storage to information calculated for each unit of stored data that can be used to detect and correct errors. An interface between the DRAM cache and…

Memory module with dedicated repair devices

Granted: October 10, 2023
Patent Number: 11782807
A memory module includes a substrate, and respective first, second and third memory devices. The first memory device is of a first type disposed on the substrate and has addressable storage locations. The second memory device is also of the first type, and includes storage cells dedicated to store failure address information associated with defective storage locations in the first memory device. The third memory device is of the first type and includes storage cells dedicated to…

Memory module with configurable command buffer

Granted: October 10, 2023
Patent Number: 11782863
A memory module includes memory devices and a configurable command buffer that selects between alternative command ports for controlling different groupings of the memory devices. Memory systems with memory modules incorporating such a command buffer and 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.

Memory device comprising programmable command-and-address and/or data interfaces

Granted: October 10, 2023
Patent Number: 11783879
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…

Controller to detect malfunctioning address of memory device

Granted: October 10, 2023
Patent Number: 11783910
A dynamic random access memory (DRAM) comprises a plurality of primary data storage elements, a plurality of redundant data storage elements, and circuitry to receive a first register setting command and initiate a repair mode in the DRAM in response to the first register setting command. The circuitry is further to receive an activation command, repair a malfunctioning row address in the DRAM, receive a precharge command, receive a second register setting command, terminate the repair…

Receiver with improved noise immunity

Granted: October 3, 2023
Patent Number: 11777546
A binary receiver combines a fast amplifier with a relatively slow amplifier for noise rejection. Both the fast and slow amplifiers employ hysteresis. The fast amplifier has relatively lower hysteresis, meaning that its sensitivity is a less effected by prior data values but more susceptible to glitch-induced errors. Conversely, the slow amplifier has relatively higher hysteresis and rejects glitches but introduces undesirable signal-propagation delays. A state machine taking input from…

Stacked memory device with paired channels

Granted: October 3, 2023
Patent Number: 11775213
A stacked memory device includes memory dies over a base die. The base die includes separate memory channels to the different dies and external channels that allow an external processor access to the memory channels. The base die allows the external processor to access multiple memory channels using more than one external channel. The base die also allows the external processor to communicate through the memory device via the external channels, bypassing the memory channels internal to…

Memory controller with error detection and retry modes of operation

Granted: October 3, 2023
Patent Number: 11775369
A memory system includes a link having at least one signal line and a controller. The controller includes at least one transmitter coupled to the link to transmit first data, and a first error protection generator coupled to the transmitter. The first error protection generator dynamically adds an error detection code to at least a portion of the first data. At least one receiver is coupled to the link to receive second data. A first error detection logic determines if the second data…

Memory module for platform with non-volatile storage

Granted: October 3, 2023
Patent Number: 11776627
A system that includes a non-volatile memory subsystem having non-volatile memory. The system also includes a plurality of memory modules that are separate from the non-volatile memory subsystem. Each memory module can include a plurality of random access memory packages where each first random access memory package includes a primary data port and a backup data port. Each memory module can include a storage interface circuit coupled to the backup data ports of the random access memory…

Methods and circuits for decision-feedback equalization with early high-order-symbol detection

Granted: September 26, 2023
Patent Number: 11770275
A PAM-4 DFE receives an input signal distorted by inter-symbol interference (ISI) and expressing a series of symbols each representing one of four pulse amplitudes to convey two binary bits of data per symbol. High-order circuitry resolves the most-significant bit (MSB) of each two-bit symbol, whereas low-order circuitry 115 resolves the immediate least-significant bit (LSB). An immediate value of the MSB is used to select a set of ISI offsets used to resolve the LSB. Resolved values of…

Training and operations with a double buffered memory topology

Granted: September 26, 2023
Patent Number: 11768780
System and method for training and performing operations (e.g., read and write operations) on a double buffered memory topology. In some embodiments, eight DIMMs are coupled to a single channel. The training and operations schemes are configured with timing and signaling to allow training and operations with the double buffered memory topology. In some embodiments, the double buffered memory topology includes one or more buffers on a system board (e.g., motherboard).

Memory component with error-detect-correct code interface

Granted: September 19, 2023
Patent Number: 11762737
A memory component internally generates and stores the check bits of error detect and correct code (EDC). In a first mode, during a read transaction, the check bits are sent to the memory controller along with the data on the data mask (DM) signal lines. In a second mode, an unmasked write transaction is defined where the check bits are sent to the memory component on the data mask signal lines. In a third mode, a masked write transaction is defined where at least a portion of the check…

Quad-channel DRAM

Granted: September 19, 2023
Patent Number: 11762787
A DRAM includes at least four groups of memory cores and at least four memory access channel interfaces that, in a first mode, each respectively are to receive memory access commands, directed to a corresponding one of the groups of memory cores. One-half of the memory access channel interfaces are to, in a second mode, each respectively receive memory access commands, directed to a corresponding two of four of the groups of memory cores. The memory access channel interfaces to have…

Signal receiver with skew-tolerant strobe gating

Granted: September 19, 2023
Patent Number: 11763865
A first-in-first-out (FIFO) storage structure within an integrated-circuit component is loaded with qualification values corresponding to respective pairs of edges expected within a timing strobe signal transmitted to the integrated-circuit component. The qualification values are sequentially output from the FIFO storage structure during respective cycles of the timing strobe signal and a gate signal is either asserted or deasserted during the respective cycles of the timing strobe…

Configurable, power supply voltage referenced single-ended signaling with ESD protection

Granted: June 27, 2023
Patent Number: 11689246
A single-ended data transmission system transmits a signal having a signal voltage that is referenced to a power supply voltage and that swings above and below the power supply voltage. The power supply voltage is coupled to a power supply rail that also serves as a signal return path. The signal voltage is derived from two signal supply voltages generated by a pair of charge pumps that draw substantially same amount of current from a power supply.

On-die termination of address and command signals

Granted: June 27, 2023
Patent Number: 11688441
A memory device includes a set of inputs, and a first register that includes a first register field to store a value for enabling application of one of a plurality of command/address (CA) on-die termination (ODT) impedance values to first inputs that receive the CA signals; a second register field to store a value for enabling application of one of a plurality of chip select (CS) ODT impedance values to a second input that receives the CS signal; and a third register field to store a…

High-throughput low-latency hybrid memory module

Granted: June 27, 2023
Patent Number: 11687247
Disclosed herein are techniques for implementing high-throughput low-latency hybrid memory modules with improved data backup and restore throughput, enhanced non-volatile memory controller (NVC) resource access, and enhanced mode register setting programmability. Embodiments comprise a command replicator to generate sequences of one or more DRAM read and/or write and/or other commands to be executed in response to certain local commands from a non-volatile memory controller (NVC) during…