Patents by Inventor Hermann Ruckerbauer

Hermann Ruckerbauer has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20060202328
    Abstract: In a memory module for a memory configuration having a bus system made up of a plurality of signal lines, each signal line has respectively been produced essentially without any stub continuously from a supplying contact device to a discharging contact device, disposed close to the supplying contact device, in order to increase a maximum data transmission rate within the memory configuration. Between the supplying contact device and the discharging contact device, each of the signal lines is routed in succession at minimum distances via connection elements associated with the signal line on memory chips associated with the signal line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2006
    Publication date: September 14, 2006
    Inventors: Georg Braun, Hermann Ruckerbauer, Maksim Kuzmenka
  • Patent number: 7078793
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory module includes a wiring board in or on which at least a number of data line runs are conducted in a respective width of k bits and which exhibits a number of memory ranks which in each case have n memory chips, and at least one signal driver/control chip (hub), a k-bit-wide data line run in each case connecting a memory chip from each memory rank to the signal driver/control chip (hub) and four or eight memory ranks in each case being arranged distributed on the top and bottom of the wiring board along the associated data line run in such a manner that, in operation, the load is distributed along the respective data line run.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Hermann Ruckerbauer, Srdjan Djordjevic
  • Publication number: 20060155948
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory system is proposed, in which the transmission of memory data of a burst that follows command/address data of a write/read command is identified by means of a modified clock signal. The modified clock signal has identifying regions with masked-out clock edges, so that the transmission of memory data can be signalled with the clock edge following the identifying regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2005
    Publication date: July 13, 2006
    Inventor: Hermann Ruckerbauer
  • Publication number: 20060129740
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a memory device comprising a plurality of sets of memory banks, wherein each memory bank includes a memory array and is adapted to be read out in a data access; a plurality of internal data buses and a plurality of internal command and address buses connected to the plurality of sets of memory banks, respectively, such that each set of memory banks is associated with one of the internal data buses and one of the internal command and address buses; a command and address port for receiving command and address data from outside; and a command and address unit to direct the received command and address data to one of the sets of memory banks via the associated command and address bus, depending on the address data; and a data output unit for receiving data read out from one set of memory banks via the respective internal data bus in the data access and for serially outputting the received data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2004
    Publication date: June 15, 2006
    Inventors: Hermann Ruckerbauer, Christian Sichert, Dominique Savignac
  • Patent number: 7061784
    Abstract: The invention relates to a semiconductor memory module having at least one memory chip and a buffer chip, which drives clock, address and command signals to the memory chip and drives data signals to, and receives them from, the memory chip via a module-internal clock, address, command and data bus. The buffer chip forms an interface to an external memory main bus. The data bus lines and/or the clock, command and address bus lines are respectively connected to the buffer chip at their two ends and are capable of being driven by the buffer chip from these two ends. Control means are being provided and set up in such a manner that they respectively match the directions of propagation of the data signals and of the clock, command and address signals on the corresponding bus lines during writing and reading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Andreas Jakobs, Hermann Ruckerbauer, Maksim Kuzmenka
  • Publication number: 20060123265
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory module includes a plurality of semiconductor memory chips and bus signal lines that supply an incoming clock signal and incoming command and address signals to the semiconductor memory chips. A clock signal regeneration circuit and a register circuit are arranged on the semiconductor memory module in a common chip packing connected to the bus signal lines. The clock signal regeneration circuit and the register circuit respectively condition the incoming clock signal and temporarily store the incoming command and address signals, respectively multiply the conditioned clock signal and the temporarily stored command and address signals by a factor of 1:X, and respectively supply to the semiconductor memory chips the conditioned clock signal and the temporarily stored command and address signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Publication date: June 8, 2006
    Inventors: Hermann Ruckerbauer, Abdallah Bacha, Christian Sichert, Dominique Savignac, Peter Gregorius, Paul Wallner
  • Publication number: 20060112230
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an integrated memory device including: memory cells arranged at wordlines and bitlines, wherein the memory cells are addressable in sets of 2n bit, wherein n is an integer, a pre-fetch read unit to pre-fetch an addressed set of 2n data bit in parallel from the addressed memory area, buffer memory to buffer the number of pre-fetched data bits; a number m of output ports to output the data bits buffered in the buffer memory; an output controller for controlling the outputting of the data bits buffered in the buffer memory to the number m of output ports in groups of m bits in one or a plurality of successive cycles, characterized in that the number m of output ports is different to any of the possible numbers 2n of the sets of addressable memory cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2004
    Publication date: May 25, 2006
    Inventors: Christian Sichert, Hermann Ruckerbauer, Dominique Savignac, Peter Gregorius, Paul Wallner
  • Publication number: 20060112239
    Abstract: A memory device for use in a memory module and method for operating the memory device are provided. In one embodiment, the memory device comprises a memory array, a memory access logic for controlling access to the memory array depending on a command data, a command interface for establishing a point to point interconnect to a memory controller and comprising a first and a second command port for receiving first and second command signals indicating the command data and, a repeater unit for receiving the first command signal via the first command port and for forwarding the first command signal to a forwarding port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2004
    Publication date: May 25, 2006
    Inventor: Hermann Ruckerbauer
  • Patent number: 7050340
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory system for the transfer of write and read data signals among interface circuits includes at least one memory device, a memory controller unit and, optionally, a register unit of a semiconductor memory system, wherein the data signals are each transferred in signal bursts of a specific burst length. The system is characterized in that a number of additional bits extending the burst length are transferred together with at least every nth signal burst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies, AG
    Inventors: Hermann Ruckerbauer, Dominique Savignac, Christian Sichert, Peter Gregorius, Paul Wallner
  • Publication number: 20060104132
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory system for the transfer of write and read data signals among interface circuits includes at least one memory device, a memory controller unit and, optionally, a register unit of a semiconductor memory system, wherein the data signals are each transferred in signal bursts of a specific burst length. The system is characterized in that a number of additional bits extending the burst length are transferred together with at least every nth signal burst.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2004
    Publication date: May 18, 2006
    Inventors: Hermann Ruckerbauer, Dominique Savignac, Christian Sichert, Peter Gregorius, Paul Wallner
  • Patent number: 7043653
    Abstract: An internal clock signal of a logic/memory component that receives signals is transmitted as a reference clock to a transmitting logic/memory component. With the aid of the reference clock, the transmission clock of the output unit of the transmitting logic/memory component is generated, such that transmitted signals arrive in a receiving unit of the receiving component synchronously with the internal clock signal of that component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Justus Kuhn, Hermann Ruckerbauer, Frank Thiele
  • Patent number: 7042206
    Abstract: An integrated circuit has connecting pads for outputting digital signals, a connection for a time reference signal, and an assessment circuit to measure and assess a phase shift between one of the digital signals and the time reference signal. A receiver circuit is connected to a respective junction between one of the connecting pads and an associated output driver. A device for matching propagation times of signals applied to the receiver circuit is provided. The assessment circuit is connected to the receiver circuit and has an output to output a measured result. In each case, the phase shift of the signals to be output in relation to the time reference signal is measured and assessed separately. An offset of the switching edges of the signals to be output can be determined relatively accurately and corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Oliver Kiehl, Hermann Ruckerbauer
  • Publication number: 20060092715
    Abstract: A circuit exhibits a signal input, means for determining a reference level on the basis of properties of a signal received at the signal input. In addition, the circuit further exhibits means for evaluating the signal on the basis of the reference level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2005
    Publication date: May 4, 2006
    Inventors: Georg Braun, Maksim Kuzmenka, Hermann Ruckerbauer
  • Publication number: 20060095652
    Abstract: Memory device and method for receiving instruction data. One embodiment provides a memory device including a memory array, an instruction unit for receiving an instruction data and for performing a memory related operation depending on the instruction data, address and command inputs for receiving a set of instruction signals, a reception unit which is adapted to receive sets of instruction signals during successive cycles, and a command assembling unit which is adapted to generate a first type instruction data from the set of instruction signals received in a first cycle and to generate a second type instruction data from the sets of instruction signals received in the first and second cycles, depending on the set of instruction signals received in the first cycle, and to provide the first type instruction data and the second type instruction data to the instruction unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2004
    Publication date: May 4, 2006
    Inventor: Hermann Ruckerbauer
  • Publication number: 20060095826
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory module includes a plurality of semiconductor memory chips. Each semiconductor memory chip includes an interface circuit that is configured to detect a transmission error in a write datum and is further configured to output, via a separate signal path, a repeat request signal for the repeated transmission of the write datum detected as erroneous. This repeat request signal can be transmitted either as a single-bit signal or as a multibit signal (e.g., serially as an individual signal line to a superordinate memory controller).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2005
    Publication date: May 4, 2006
    Inventors: Hermann Ruckerbauer, Doninique Savignac, Peter Gregorius, Christian Sichert, Paul Wallner
  • Publication number: 20060067157
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a memory system having a memory device with two clock lines. One embodiment of the present invention provides a memory system comprising at least one memory device, a memory controller to control operation of the memory device, a first clock line which extends from a write clock output of the memory controller to a clock port of the memory device to provide a clock signal to the memory device, and a second clock line which extends from the clock port of the memory device to a read clock input of the memory controller to forward the clock signal applied to the clock port of the memory device back to a read clock input of the memory controller. The memory device may further comprise a synchronization circuit adapted to receive the clock signal from the memory controller and to, provide an output data synchronized to the forwarded clock signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Publication date: March 30, 2006
    Inventors: Hermann Ruckerbauer, Christian Sichert, Dominique Savignac, Peter Gregorius, Paul Wallner
  • Publication number: 20060067156
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides to a memory device adapted to receive data according to a write clock signal and to output data according to a read clock signal, comprising a clock port configured to output the read clock signal and to receive the write clock signal and a serial bidirectional driver configured to output the read clock signal via the clock port and to receive the write clock signal via the clock port simultaneously.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Publication date: March 30, 2006
    Inventors: Hermann Ruckerbauer, Christian Sichert, Dominique Savignac, Peter Gregorius, Paul Wallner
  • Publication number: 20060062039
    Abstract: A data transmission system, particularly as part of a DDR-III memory chip communication circuit, performs a data transmission operation without preamble. The data transmission system includes at least one data line with an on die termination that can be turned on and turned off, and the chip end of the data line is connected to a positive or to a less positive, grounded, or negative supply voltage line by a pull-up or pull-down resistor. Alternatively, a data transmission system is operated with a timing by which the termination circuits to be turned on for respective operating state are not turned on until the drivers to be activated for the respective operating state have been activated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2005
    Publication date: March 23, 2006
    Inventors: Hermann Ruckerbauer, Georg Braun, Amir Motamedi
  • Patent number: 7009848
    Abstract: Memory modules without signal-conditioning devices (unbuffered, unregistered) are provided in a system by using adapter cards that have signal-conditioning devices and are then operated in the manner of memory modules with signal-conditioning devices (buffered, registered). Systems can thereby be expanded in a very simple manner and can be flexibly adapted according to requirements, and for this purpose only one type (unbuffered, unregistered) of memory module is required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Hermann Ruckerbauer, Maksim Kuzmenka
  • Patent number: 6972981
    Abstract: The invention relates to a semiconductor memory module having a plurality of memory chips and at least one buffer chip, which drives clock signals and command and address signals to the memory chips and also drives data signals to, and receives them from, the memory chips via a module-internal clock, address, command and data signal bus. The buffer chip forms an interface to an external memory main bus and the memory chips are arranged in at least one row.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Hermann Ruckerbauer, Maksim Kuzmenka, Andreas Jakobs