Abstract: 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.

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.

Abstract: A system has a plurality of memory devices arranged in a fly-by topology, each having on-die termination (ODT) circuitry for connecting to an address and control (RQ) bus. The ODT circuitry of each memory device includes a set of one or more control registers for controlling on-die termination of one or more signal lines of the RQ bus. A first memory device includes a first set of one or more control registers storing a first ODT value, for controlling termination of one or more signal lines of the RQ bus by the ODT circuitry of the first memory device, and a second memory device includes a second set of one or more control registers storing a second ODT value different from the first ODT value, for controlling termination of one or more signal lines of the RQ bus by the ODT circuitry of the second memory device.

Abstract: Described are memory modules that include a configurable signal buffer that manages communication between memory devices and a memory controller. The buffer can be configured to support threading to reduce access granularity, the frequency of row-activation, or both. The buffer can translate controller commands to access information of a specified granularity into subcommands seeking to access information of reduced granularity. The reduced-granularity information can then be combined, as by concatenation, and conveyed to the memory controller as information of the specified granularity.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for operation of a memory controller, memory device and system are described. During operation, the memory controller transmits a read command which specifies that a memory device output data accessed from a memory core. This read command contains information which specifies whether the memory device is to commence outputting of a timing reference signal prior to commencing outputting of the data. The memory controller receives the timing reference signal if the information specified that the memory device output the timing reference signal. The memory controller subsequently samples the data output from the memory device based on information provided by the timing reference signal output from the memory device.

Abstract: A memory module comprises a module interface having module data-group ports to communicate data as respective data groups, a command port to receive memory-access commands, a first memory device including a first device data-group port, a second memory device including a second device data-group port, and a signal buffer coupled between the module interface and each of the first and second devices. In a first mode, in response to the memory-access commands, the signal buffer communicates the data group associated with each of the first and second device data-group ports via a respective one of the module data-group ports. In a second mode, in response to the memory-access commands, the signal buffer alternatively communicates the data group associated with the first device data-group port or the data group associated with the second device data-group port via the same one of the module data-group ports.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: An expandable memory system that enables a fixed signaling bandwidth to be configurably re-allocated among dedicated memory channels. Memory channels having progressively reduced widths are dedicated to respective memory sockets, thus enabling point-to-point signaling with respect to each memory socket without signal-compromising traversal of unloaded sockets or costly replication of a full-width memory channel for each socket.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A system has a plurality of memory devices arranged in a fly-by topology, each having on-die termination (ODT) circuitry for connecting to an address and control (RQ) bus. The ODT circuitry of each memory device includes a set of one or more control registers for controlling on-die termination of one or more signal lines of the RQ bus. A first memory device includes a first set of one or more control registers storing a first ODT value, for controlling termination of one or more signal lines of the RQ bus by the ODT circuitry of the first memory device, and a second memory device includes a second set of one or more control registers storing a second ODT value different from the first ODT value, for controlling termination of one or more signal lines of the RQ bus by the ODT circuitry of the second memory device.

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.

Abstract: A memory module comprises a data interface including a plurality of data lines and a plurality of configurable switches coupled between the data interface and a data path to one or more memories. The effective width of the memory module can be configured by enabling or disabling different subsets of the configurable switches. The configurable switches may be controlled by manual switches, by a buffer on the memory module, by an external memory controller, or by the memories on the memory module.

Abstract: A system that calibrates timing relationships between signals involved in performing write operations is described. This system includes a memory controller which is coupled to a set of memory chips, wherein each memory chip includes a phase detector configured to calibrate a phase relationship between a data-strobe signal and a clock signal received at the memory chip from the memory controller during a write operation. Furthermore, the memory controller is configured to perform one or more write-read-validate operations to calibrate a clock-cycle relationship between the data-strobe signal and the clock signal, wherein the write-read-validate operations involve varying a delay on the data-strobe signal relative to the clock signal by a multiple of a clock period.

Abstract: A memory system includes a memory controller coupled to multiple memory devices. Each memory device includes an oscillator that generates an internal reference signal that oscillates at a frequency that is a function of physical device structures within the memory device. The frequencies of the internal reference signals are thus device specific. Each memory device develops a shared reference signal from its internal reference signal and communicates the shared reference signal to the common memory controller. The memory controller uses the shared reference signals to recover device-specific frequency information from each memory device, and then communicates with each memory device at a frequency compatible with the corresponding internal reference signal.

Abstract: Local on-die termination controllers for effecting termination of a high-speed signaling links simultaneously engage on-die termination structures within multiple integrated-circuit memory devices disposed on the same memory module, and/or within the same integrated-circuit package, and coupled to the high-speed signaling link. A termination control bus is coupled to memory devices on a module, and provides for peer-to-peer communication of termination control signals.

Abstract: A first timing reference signal and a second timing reference signal are sent to a memory device. The second timing reference signal has approximately a quadrature phase relationship with respect to the first timing reference signal. A plurality of serial data patterns are received from the memory device. The transitions of the first timing reference and the second timing reference determining when transitions occur between the bits of the plurality of data patterns. Timing indicators associated with when received transitions occur between the bits of the plurality of data patterns are received from the memory device. The timing indicators are each measured using a single sampler. Based on the timing indicators, a first duty cycle adjustment for the first timing reference signal, a second duty cycle adjustment for the second timing reference signal, and a quadrature phase adjustment are determined and applied.

Abstract: A memory module comprises a module interface having module data-group ports to communicate data as respective data groups, a command port to receive memory-access commands, a first memory device including a first device data-group port, a second memory device including a second device data-group port, and a signal buffer coupled between the module interface and each of the first and second devices. In a first mode, in response to the memory-access commands, the signal buffer communicates the data group associated with each of the first and second device data-group ports via a respective one of the module data-group ports. In a second mode, in response to the memory-access commands, the signal buffer alternatively communicates the data group associated with the first device data-group port or the data group associated with the second device data-group port via the same one of the module data-group ports.

Abstract: A memory module comprises a data interface including a plurality of data lines and a plurality of configurable switches coupled between the data interface and a data path to one or more memories. The effective width of the memory module can be configured by enabling or disabling different subsets of the configurable switches. The configurable switches may be controlled by manual switches, by a buffer on the memory module, by an external memory controller, or by the memories on the memory module.

Abstract: A system has a plurality of memory devices arranged in a fly-by topology, each having on-die termination (ODT) circuitry for connecting to an address and control (RQ) bus. The ODT circuitry of each memory device includes a set of one or more control registers for controlling on-die termination of one or more signal lines of the RQ bus. A first memory device includes a first set of one or more control registers storing a first ODT value, for controlling termination of one or more signal lines of the RQ bus by the ODT circuitry of the first memory device, and a second memory device includes a second set of one or more control registers storing a second ODT value different from the first ODT value, for controlling termination of one or more signal lines of the RQ bus by the ODT circuitry of the second memory device.

Abstract: 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.