Memory IC with data loopback
Granted: January 17, 2023
Patent Number:
11556164
A memory controller component of a memory system stores memory access requests within a transaction queue until serviced so that, over time, the transaction queue alternates between occupied and empty states. The memory controller transitions the memory system to a low power mode in response to detecting the transaction queue is has remained in the empty state for a predetermined time. In the transition to the low power mode, the memory controller disables oscillation of one or more…
Communication channel calibration for drift conditions
Granted: January 10, 2023
Patent Number:
11552748
A method and system provides for execution of calibration cycles from time to time during normal operation of the communication channel. A calibration cycle includes de-coupling the normal data source from the transmitter and supplying a calibration pattern in its place. The calibration pattern is received from the communication link using the receiver on the second component. A calibrated value of a parameter of the communication channel is determined in response to the received…
Strobe-offset control circuit
Granted: January 10, 2023
Patent Number:
11551743
A method of operation in a memory controller is disclosed. The method includes receiving a strobe signal having a first phase relationship with respect to first data propagating on a first data line, and a second phase relationship with respect to second data propagating on a second data line. A first sample signal is generated based on the first phase relationship and a second sample signal is generated based on the second phase relationship. The first data signal is received using a…
Protocol for refresh between a memory controller and a memory device
Granted: January 10, 2023
Patent Number:
11551741
The present embodiments provide a system that supports self-refreshing operations in a memory device. During operation, the system transitions the memory device from an auto-refresh state, wherein a memory controller controls refreshing operations for the memory device, to a self-refresh state, wherein the memory device controls the refreshing operations. While the memory device is in the self-refresh state, the system sends progress information for the refreshing operations from the…
High performance, non-volatile memory module
Granted: January 10, 2023
Patent Number:
11551735
Memory controllers, devices, modules, systems and associated methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, a memory module includes a pin interface for coupling to a memory controller via a bus. The module includes at least two non-volatile memory devices, and a buffer disposed between the pin interface and the at least two non-volatile memory devices. The buffer receives non-volatile memory access commands from the memory controller that are interleaved with DRAM memory module access…
Error coalescing
Granted: January 3, 2023
Patent Number:
11544145
A programmable crossbar matrix or an array of steering multiplexors (MUXs) coalesces (i.e., routes) the data values from multiple known “bad” bit positions within multiple symbols of a codeword, to bit positions within a single codeword symbol. The single codeword symbol receiving the known “bad” bit positions may correspond to a check symbol (vs. a data symbol). Configuration of the routing logic may occur at boot or initialization time. The configuration of the routing logic…
Cache memory that supports tagless addressing
Granted: December 27, 2022
Patent Number:
11537531
The disclosed embodiments relate to a computer system with a cache memory that supports tagless addressing. During operation, the system receives a request to perform a memory access, wherein the request includes a virtual address. In response to the request, the system performs an address-translation operation, which translates the virtual address into both a physical address and a cache address. Next, the system uses the physical address to access one or more levels of physically…
Methods and circuits for asymmetric distribution of channel equalization between devices
Granted: December 27, 2022
Patent Number:
11539556
A transceiver architecture supports high-speed communication over a signal lane that extends between a high-performance integrated circuit (IC) and one or more relatively low-performance ICs employing less sophisticated transmitters and receivers. The architecture compensates for performance asymmetry between ICs communicating over a bidirectional lane by instantiating relatively complex transmit and receive equalization circuitry on the higher-performance side of the lane. Both the…
Matched digital-to-analog converters
Granted: December 27, 2022
Patent Number:
11539374
A voltage ladder is used to generate reference voltages. The voltage ladder is used by multiple digital-to-analog converters (DACs). In particular, the voltage ladder is used by multiple pulse-width modulation (PWM) DACs. Having multiple DACs utilize a common voltage ladder for their reference voltages reduces mismatched output voltages between DACs. Having multiple DACs utilize the common voltage ladder helps ensure that the reference voltages used by different DACs are not affected by…
Memory system design using buffer(s) on a mother board
Granted: December 27, 2022
Patent Number:
11537540
A mother board topology including a processor operable to be coupled to one or more communication channels for communicating commands. The topology includes a first communication channel electrically coupling a first set of two or more dual in-line memory modules (DIMMs) and a first primary data buffer on a mother board. The topology includes a second communication channel electrically coupling a second set of two or more DIMMs and a second primary data buffer on the mother board. The…
Pseudo-differential signaling for modified single-ended interface
Granted: December 20, 2022
Patent Number:
11533077
Disclosed is a signaling circuit. A switch circuit generates an internal reference supply voltage and an internal lower supply voltage, from first and second power supply voltages. A transmit circuit drives a high bit from the first power supply voltage, and drives a low bit from the internal lower supply voltage. The second terminal of the data output is connected to the internal reference supply voltage.
Multi-element memory device with power control for individual elements
Granted: December 20, 2022
Patent Number:
11531386
A multi-element device includes a plurality of memory elements, each of which includes a memory array, access circuitry to control access to the memory array, and power control circuitry. The power control circuitry, which includes one or more control registers for storing first and second control values, controls distribution of power to the access circuitry in accordance with the first control value, and controls distribution of power to the memory array in accordance with the second…
Buffer circuit with adaptive repair capability
Granted: December 13, 2022
Patent Number:
11527302
A buffer circuit is disclosed. The buffer circuit includes a command address (C/A) interface to receive an incoming activate (ACT) command and an incoming column address strobe (CAS) command. A first match circuit includes first storage to store failure row address information associated with the memory, and first compare logic. The first compare logic is responsive to the ACT command, to compare incoming row address information to the stored failure row address information. A second…
Securing address information in a memory controller
Granted: December 13, 2022
Patent Number:
11526632
Methods and systems for enabling secure memory transactions in a memory controller are disclosed. Responsive to determining that an incoming request is for a secure memory transaction, the incoming request is placed in a secure request container. The memory container then enters a state where re-ordering between requests for secure memory transactions placed in the secure request container and requests for non-secure memory transactions from other containers is prevented in a scheduling…
Managing memory maintenance operations in a memory system having backing storage media
Granted: December 13, 2022
Patent Number:
11526445
Memory controllers, devices, modules, systems and associated methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, a memory system is disclosed. The memory system includes volatile memory configured as a cache. The cache stores first data at first storage locations. Backing storage media couples to the cache. The backing storage media stores second data in second storage locations corresponding to the first data. Logic uses a presence or status of first data in the first storage locations to cease…
Integrated circuit having receiver jitter tolerance (“JTOL”) measurement
Granted: December 13, 2022
Patent Number:
11525854
An integrated circuit capable of on-chip jitter tolerance measurement includes a jitter generator circuit to produce a controlled amount of jitter that is injected into at least one clock signal, and a receive circuit to sample an input signal according to the at least one clock signal. The sampled data values output from the receiver are used to evaluate the integrated circuit's jitter tolerance.
Calibration methods and circuits to calibrate drive current and termination impedance
Granted: December 6, 2022
Patent Number:
11522544
Described are on-die termination (ODT) systems and methods that facilitate high-speed communication between a driver die and a receiver die interconnected via one or more signal transmission lines. An ODT control system in accordance with one embodiment calibrates and maintains termination resistances and drive currents to produce optimal output swing voltages. Comparison circuitry employed to calibrate the reference resistance is also used to calibrate the drive current. Termination…
Thread associated memory allocation and memory architecture aware allocation
Granted: December 6, 2022
Patent Number:
11520633
A method and system for thread aware, class aware, and topology aware memory allocations. Embodiments include a compiler configured to generate compiled code (e.g., for a runtime) that when executed allocates memory on a per class per thread basis that is system topology (e.g., for non-uniform memory architecture (NUMA)) aware. Embodiments can further include an executable configured to allocate a respective memory pool during runtime for each instance of a class for each thread. The…
High performance, high capacity memory modules and systems
Granted: December 6, 2022
Patent Number:
11520508
Described are memory modules that include address-buffer components and data-buffer components that together support wide- and narrow-data modes. The address-buffer component manages communication between a memory controller and two sets of memory components. In the wide-data mode, the address-buffer enables memory components in each set and instructs the data-buffer components to communicate full-width read and write data by combining data from or to from both sets for each memory…
Data processing system having cache memory debugging support and method therefor
Granted: November 22, 2022
Patent Number:
RE49305
A data processing system having debugging circuitry and a method for operating the data processing system is provided. In the system, a processor has a cache memory and is coupled to a system bus. An instruction is received which indicates an effective address. The instruction is executed and it is determined if the effective address results in a hit or a miss in the cache. If the effective address results in a hit, data associated with the effective address is provided from the cache to…
