Patents Assigned to Rambus
  • Patent number: 11728835
    Abstract: An apparatus including a signal generation circuitry to provide a stream of digital signals carrying data. The apparatus includes a storage circuitry to provide a plurality of transmit levels corresponding to respective predetermined equalization levels; selection circuitry to select a transmit level from among the plurality of transmit levels based on the digital signals carrying data. Each of the plurality of transmit levels is a respective input signal to the selection circuitry. The apparatus includes a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) circuitry configured to receive the selected transmit level and convert the selected transmit level to an analog signal of the selected transmit level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Rambus, Inc.
    Inventor: Kamran Farzan
  • Patent number: 11726920
    Abstract: A device includes a cache memory and a memory controller coupled to the cache memory. The memory controller is configured to receive a first read request from a cache controller over an interconnect, the first read request comprising first tag data identifying a first cache line in the cache memory, and determine that the first read request comprises a tag read request. The memory controller is further configured to read second tag data corresponding to the tag read request from the cache memory, compare the second tag data read from the cache memory to the first tag data received from the cache controller with the first read request, and if the second tag data matches the first tag data, initiate an action with respect to the first cache line in the cache memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Miller, Dennis Doidge, Collins Williams
  • Patent number: 11727982
    Abstract: Systems, among other embodiments, include topologies (data and/or control/address information) between an integrated circuit buffer device (that may be coupled to a master, such as a memory controller) and a plurality of integrated circuit memory devices. For example, data may be provided between the plurality of integrated circuit memory devices and the integrated circuit buffer device using separate segmented (or point-to-point link) signal paths in response to control/address information provided from the integrated circuit buffer device to the plurality of integrated circuit buffer devices using a single fly-by (or bus) signal path. An integrated circuit buffer device enables configurable effective memory organization of the plurality of integrated circuit memory devices. The memory organization represented by the integrated circuit buffer device to a memory controller may be different than the actual memory organization behind or coupled to the integrated circuit buffer device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Ian Shaeffer, Ely Tsern, Craig Hampel
  • Patent number: 11727966
    Abstract: A memory system includes a memory controller with a plurality N of memory-controller blocks, each of which conveys independent transaction requests over external request ports. The request ports are coupled, via point-to-point connections, to from one to N memory devices, each of which includes N independently addressable memory blocks. All of the external request ports are connected to respective external request ports on the memory device or devices used in a given configuration. The number of request ports per memory device and the data width of each memory device changes with the number of memory devices such that the ratio of the request-access granularity to the data granularity remains constant irrespective of the number of memory devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Richard E. Perego, Frederick A. Ware
  • Patent number: 11720485
    Abstract: A memory device having a DRAM core and a register stores first data in the register before receiving first and second memory access commands via a command interface and before receiving second data via a data interface. The memory device responds to the first memory access command by writing the first data from the register to the DRAM core and responds to the second memory access command by writing the second data from the data interface to the DRAM core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas J. Sheffler, Lawrence Lai, Liang Peng, Bohuslav Rychlik
  • Patent number: 11714752
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, John Eric Linstadt, Christopher Haywood
  • Patent number: 11709525
    Abstract: A memory system in which a timing drift that would occur in distribution of a first timing signal for data transport in a memory device is determined by measuring the actual phase delays occurring in a second timing signal that has a frequency lower than that of the first timing signal and is distributed in one or more circuits mimicking the drift characteristics of at least a portion of distribution of the first timing signal. The actual phase delays are determined in the memory device and provided to a memory controller so that the phases of the timing signals used for data transport may be adjusted based on the determined timing drift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Jun Kim, Pak Shing Chau, Wayne S. Richardson
  • Patent number: 11709736
    Abstract: 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. The memory components can be configured to route data around defective data connections to maintain full capacity and continue to support memory transactions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth L. Wright, Frederick A. Ware
  • Patent number: 11710520
    Abstract: A memory module with multiple memory devices includes a buffer system that manages communication between a memory controller and the memory devices. Each memory device supports an access mode and a low-power mode, the latter used to save power for devices that are not immediately needed. The module provides granular power management using a chip-select decoder that decodes chip-select signals from the memory controller into power-state signals that determine which of the memory devices are in which of the modes. Devices can thus be brought out of the low-power mode in relatively small numbers, as needed, to limit power consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, James E. Harris
  • Patent number: 11711246
    Abstract: A driver circuit of a PAM-N transmitting device transmits a PAM-N signal via a communication channel, wherein N is greater than 2, and the PAM-N signal has N signal levels corresponding to N symbols. A PAM-N receiving device receives the PAM-N signal. The PAM-N receiving device generates distortion information indicative of a level of distortion corresponding to inequalities in voltage differences between the N signal levels. The PAM-N receiving device transmits to the PAM-N transmitting device the distortion information indicative of the level of the distortion. The PAM-N transmitting device receives the distortion information. The PAM-N transmitting device adjusts one or more drive strength parameters of the driver circuit of the PAM-N transmitting device based on the distortion information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventor: Reza Navid
  • Patent number: 11705187
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, John Eric Linstadt, Kenneth L. Wright
  • Patent number: 11705903
    Abstract: The embodiments herein describe technologies for back-gate biasing of clock trees using a reference generator. A circuit includes a set of clock buffers and a programmable voltage reference generator to apply a voltage to a back gate of a transistor of the set of clock buffers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Alain Rousson, Hui Song, Ravi Shivnaraine, Christopher Holdenried, Hector Villacorta
  • Patent number: 11706061
    Abstract: A high-speed signaling system with adaptive transmit pre-emphasis. A transmit circuit has a plurality of output drivers to output a first signal onto a signal path. A receive circuit is coupled to receive the first signal via the signal path and configured to generate an indication of whether the first signal exceeds a threshold level. A first threshold control circuit is coupled to receive the indication from the receive circuit and configured to adjust the threshold level according to whether the first signal exceeds the threshold level. A drive strength control circuit is coupled to receive the indication from the receive circuit and configured to adjust a drive strength of at least one output driver of the plurality of output drivers according to whether the first signal exceeds the threshold level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Vladimir M. Stojanovic, Andrew C. Ho, Anthony Bessios, Fred F. Chen, Elad Alon, Mark A. Horowitz
  • Patent number: 11706060
    Abstract: A serial receiver combines continuous-time equalization, analog interleaving, and discrete-time gain for rapid, efficient data reception and quantization of a serial, continuous-time signal. A continuous-time equalizer equalizes a received signal. A number N of time-interleaved analog samplers sample the equalized continuous-time signal to provide N streams of analog samples transitioning at rate reduced by 1/N relative to the received signal. A set of N discrete-time variable-gain amplifiers amplify respective streams of analog samples. A quantizer then quantizes the amplified streams of analog samples to produce a digital signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Haidang Lin, Charles Walter Boecker, Masum Hossain
  • Patent number: 11693447
    Abstract: A circuit and method are provided for setting a phase relationship between a first signal and a second signal having a known frequency relationship to a master signal but having an unknown phase relationship to each other. One or more phase signals is generated based on the master signal, the phase signals having different phases from each other. One of these phase signals is selected based on the phase of the first signal and a target phase delay between the first signal and second signal. The second signal is generated based on the phase and frequency of the selected phase signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: RAMBUS INC.
    Inventors: Robert Wang, Zhuobin Li, Navid Yaghini, Hemesh Yasotharan, Clifford Ting
  • Patent number: 11693801
    Abstract: This application is directed to a stacked semiconductor device assembly including a plurality of identical stacked integrated circuit (IC) devices. Each IC device further includes a master interface, a channel master circuit, a slave interface, a channel slave circuit, a memory core, and a modal pad configured to receive a selection signal for the IC device to communicate data using one of its channel master circuit or its channel slave circuit. In some implementations, the IC devices include a first IC device and one or more second IC devices. In accordance with the selection signal, the first IC device is configured to communicate read/write data via the channel master circuit of the first IC device, and each of the one or more second IC devices is configured to communicate respective read/write data via the channel slave circuit of the respective second IC device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: RAMBUS INC.
    Inventor: Scott C. Best
  • Patent number: 11687247
    Abstract: 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 data backup and data restore operations. Other embodiments comprise an access engine to enable an NVC in a host control mode to trigger entry into a special mode and issue commands to access a protected register space. Some embodiments comprise a mode register controller to capture and store the data comprising mode register setting commands issued during a host control mode, such that an NVC can program the DRAM mode registers in an NVC control mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Aws Shallal, Michael Miller, Stephen Horn
  • Patent number: 11688441
    Abstract: 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 value for enabling application of a clock (CK) ODT impedance value to third inputs that receive the CK signal. The memory device also includes second and third registers to store values for selecting one of the plurality of CA ODT impedance values and one of the plurality of CS ODT impedance values for application to the first inputs and second input, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: RAMBUS INC.
    Inventors: Ian Shaeffer, Kyung Suk Oh
  • Patent number: 11689246
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: John W. Poulton, Frederick A. Ware, Carl W. Werner
  • Patent number: 11683206
    Abstract: A multi-PAM equalizer 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). The MSB is used without the LSB for timing recovery and to calculate tap values for both MSB and LSB evaluation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Masum Hossain, Nhat Nguyen, Charles Walter Boecker