Patents Assigned to Rambus Inc.
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Patent number: 11967364Abstract: Described are memory modules that support different error detection and correction (EDC) schemes in both single- and multiple-module memory systems. The memory modules are width configurable and support the different EDC schemes for relatively wide and narrow module data widths. Data buffers on the modules support the half-width and full-width modes, and also support time-division-multiplexing to access additional memory components on each module in support of enhanced EDC.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2023Date of Patent: April 23, 2024Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, John Eric Linstadt, Kenneth L. Wright
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Patent number: 11960418Abstract: A semiconductor memory system includes a first semiconductor memory die and a second semiconductor memory die. The first semiconductor memory die includes a primary data interface to receive an input data stream during write operations and to deserialize the input data stream into a first plurality of data streams, and also includes a secondary data interface, coupled to the primary data interface, to transmit the first plurality of data streams. The second semiconductor memory die includes a secondary data interface, coupled to the secondary data interface of the first semiconductor memory die, to receive the first plurality of data streams.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2022Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, Amir Amirkhany, Suresh Rajan, Mohammad Hekmat, Dinesh Patil
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Patent number: 11963299Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2022Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, Suresh Rajan
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Patent number: 11960438Abstract: A stacked processor-plus-memory device includes a processing die with an array of processing elements of an artificial neural network. Each processing element multiplies a first operand—e.g. a weight—by a second operand to produce a partial result to a subsequent processing element. To prepare for these computations, a sequencer loads the weights into the processing elements as a sequence of operands that step through the processing elements, each operand stored in the corresponding processing element. The operands can be sequenced directly from memory to the processing elements or can be stored first in cache. The processing elements include streaming logic that disregards interruptions in the stream of operands.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2021Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Steven C. Woo, Michael Raymond Miller
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Patent number: 11960344Abstract: 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 timing signals required to time data signaling operations within synchronous communication circuits of one or more attached memory devices and also disables one or more power consuming circuits within the synchronous communication circuits of the one or more memory devices.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 2022Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, Robert E. Palmer, John W. Poulton, Andrew M. Fuller
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Patent number: 11955165Abstract: A memory system includes dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) components that include interconnected and redundant component data interfaces. The redundant interfaces facilitate memory interconnect topologies that accommodate considerably more DRAM components per memory channel than do traditional memory systems, and thus offer considerably more memory capacity per channel, without concomitant reductions in signaling speeds. Each DRAM component includes multiplexers that allow either of the data interfaces to write data to or read data from a common set of memory banks, and to selectively relay write and read data to and from other components, bypassing the local banks. Delay elements can impose selected read/write delays to align read and write transactions from and to disparate DRAM components.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2021Date of Patent: April 9, 2024Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, Ely K. Tsern, John E. Linstadt, Thomas A. Giovannini, Scott C. Best, Kenneth L Wright
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Patent number: 11953934Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to a memory system that generates a multiplied timing signal from a reference timing signal. During operation, the system receives a reference timing signal. Next, the system produces a multiplied timing signal from the reference timing signal by generating a burst comprising multiple timing events for each timing event in the reference timing signal, wherein consecutive timing events in each burst of timing events are separated by a bit time. Then, as the reference clock frequency changes, the interval between bursts of timing events changes while the bit time remains substantially constant.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2021Date of Patent: April 9, 2024Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventor: Frederick A. Ware
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Patent number: 11955198Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2023Date of Patent: April 9, 2024Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventor: Frederick A. Ware
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Patent number: 11953981Abstract: During system initialization, each data buffer device and/or memory device on a memory module is configured with a unique (at least to the module) device identification number. In order to access a single device (rather than multiple buffers and/or memory devices), a target identification number is written to all of the devices using a command bus connected to all of the data buffer devices or memory devices, respectively. The devices whose respective device identification numbers do not match the target identification number are configured to ignore future command bus transactions (at least until the debug mode is turned off.) The selected device that is configured with a device identification number matching the target identification number is configured to respond to command bus transactions.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2023Date of Patent: April 9, 2024Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Thomas J. Giovannini, Catherine Chen, Scott C. Best, John Eric Linstadt, Frederick A. Ware
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Patent number: 11955161Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a physical layer interface having a control timing domain and a data timing domain, and circuits that enable the control timing domain during a change in power conservation mode in response to a first event, and that enable the data timing domain in response to a second event. The control timing domain can include interface circuits coupled to a command and address path, and the data timing domain can include interface circuits coupled to a data path.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2023Date of Patent: April 9, 2024Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Ian Shaeffer, Lei Luo, Liji Gopalakrishnan
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Patent number: 11955200Abstract: Memory controllers, devices, modules, systems and associated methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, an integrated circuit (IC) memory controller is disclosed. The IC memory controller includes a first controller command/address (C/A) interface to transmit first and second read commands for first and second read data to a first memory C/A interface of a first bank group of memory. A second command/address (C/A) interface transmits third and fourth read commands for third and fourth read data to a second memory C/A interface of a second bank group of memory. Receiver circuitry receives the first and second read data via a first data link interface and the third and fourth read data via the second data link interface. For a first operating mode, the first and second read data are received after respective first delays following transmission of the first and second read commands and at a first serialization ratio.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2022Date of Patent: April 9, 2024Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventor: Frederick A. Ware
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Patent number: 11955971Abstract: An integrated circuit comprises a signal transmitter and a sampling circuit coupled to the signal transmitter, wherein the sampling circuit is to sample output voltage levels of an output of the signal transmitter at different respective times. The integrated circuit further comprises a measurement circuit coupled to the sampling circuit, wherein the measurement circuit is to compare the output voltage levels of the output of the signal transmitter to corresponding reference voltages to identify a first time when a first output voltage level equals a first reference voltage and a second time when a second output voltage level equals a second reference voltage. A time difference between the first time and the second time is used to configure a slew rate adjustment control of the signal transmitter.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2022Date of Patent: April 9, 2024Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Robert E. Palmer, Andrew Fuller, Hsuan-Jung Su
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Patent number: 11947468Abstract: A multi-rank memory system in which calibration operations are performed between a memory controller and one rank of memory while data is transferred between the controller and other ranks of memory. A memory controller performs a calibration operation that calibrates parameters pertaining to transmission of data via a first data bus between the memory controller and a memory device in a first rank of memory. While the controller performs the calibration operation, the controller also transfers data with a memory device in a second rank of memory via a second data bus.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2022Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Ian Shaeffer, Frederick A. Ware
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Patent number: 11947474Abstract: A memory module comprises an address buffer circuit, a command/address channel, and a plurality of memory components controlled by the address buffer circuit via the command/address channel. At least one memory component comprises a plurality of data ports, a memory core to store data, and a data interface. The data interface is capable of transferring data between the memory core and the data ports. The data interface supports a first data width mode in which the data interface transfers data at a first bit width and a first burst length via the data ports. The data interface also supports a second data width mode in which the data interface transfers data at a second bit width and second burst length via the data ports. The first bit width is greater than the second bit width and the first burst length is shorter than the second burst length.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2022Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, John Eric Linstadt, Kenneth Lee Wright
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Patent number: 11949539Abstract: A first sequence of data bits is shifted into storage elements of a signal receiver during a first sequence of bit-time intervals, and a memory access command indicates that a second sequence of data bits is to be received within the signal receiver during a second sequence of bit-time intervals. Contents of the shift-register storage elements are conditionally overwritten with a predetermined set of seed bits, depending on whether one or more bit-time intervals will transpire between the first and second sequences of bit-time intervals. Equalization signals generated based, at least in part, on contents of the shift-register storage elements are used to adjust respective signal levels representative of one or more bits of the second sequence of data bits.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2021Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Thomas J. Giovannini, Abhijit Abhyankar
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Patent number: 11948619Abstract: In one embodiment, a memory device includes a memory core and input receivers to receive commands and data. The memory device also includes a register to store a value that indicates whether a subset of the input receivers are powered down in response to a control signal. A memory controller transmits commands and data to the memory device. The memory controller also transmits the value to indicate whether a subset of the input receivers of the memory device are powered down in response to the control signal. In addition, in response to a self-fresh command, the memory device defers entry into a self-refresh operation until receipt of the control signal that is received after receiving the self-refresh command.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2023Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Wayne F. Ellis, Wayne S. Richardson, Akash Bansal, Frederick A. Ware, Lawrence Lai, Kishore Ven Kasamsetty
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Patent number: 11947471Abstract: A memory module includes at least two memory devices. Each of the memory devices perform verify operations after attempted writes to their respective memory cores. When a write is unsuccessful, each memory device stores information about the unsuccessful write in an internal write retry buffer. The write operations may have only been unsuccessful for one memory device and not any other memory devices on the memory module. When the memory module is instructed, both memory devices on the memory module can retry the unsuccessful memory write operations concurrently. Both devices can retry these write operations concurrently even though the unsuccessful memory write operations were to different addresses.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2022Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Hongzhong Zheng, Brent Haukness
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Patent number: 11941369Abstract: A combinational logic circuit includes input circuitry to receive a first and second input signals that transition between supply voltages of first and second voltage domain, respectively. The input circuitry generates, based on the first and second input signals, a first internal signal that transitions between one of the supply voltages of the first voltage domain and one of the supply voltages of the second voltage domain. Output circuitry within the combinational logic circuit generates an output signal that transitions between the upper and lower supply voltages of the first voltage domain in response to transition of the first internal signal.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2022Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, John Eric Linstadt
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Patent number: 11942182Abstract: A memory module can be programmed to deliver relatively wide, low-latency data in a first access mode, or to sacrifice some latency in return for a narrower data width, a narrower command width, or both, in a second access mode. The narrow, higher-latency mode requires fewer connections and traces. A controller can therefore support more modules, and thus increased system capacity. Programmable modules thus allow computer manufacturers to strike a desired balance between memory latency, capacity, and cost.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2022Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Scott C. Best, Frederick A. Ware, William N. Ng
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Patent number: 11941256Abstract: A system includes a memory controller and a memory device having a command interface, refresh circuitry, control logic, and a plurality of memory banks, each with a plurality of rows of memory cells. The command interface is operable to receive a refresh command from a memory controller and the refresh circuitry is configured to perform one or more refresh operations to refresh data stored in at least one bank of the plurality of memory banks during a refresh time interval in response to the refresh command from the memory controller. The control logic is to configure the command interface to enter a calibration mode during the refresh time interval, and the command interface is configured to perform a calibration operation in the calibration mode during the refresh time interval.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2022Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: RAMBUS INC.Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, Robert E. Palmer, John W. Poulton