Refresh Scheduling Patents (Class 711/106)
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Patent number: 9117542Abstract: A memory device includes a per bank refresh counter applicable to multiple banks in a group. The memory device increments a row address counter only when the per bank refresh counter is reset. The memory device receives a per bank refresh command from an associated memory controller, and performs a per bank refresh in response to receiving the per bank refresh command. The memory device refreshes a row identified by a row address counter for a bank identified by the per bank refresh command. The memory device increments the per bank refresh counter in response to receiving the per bank refresh command, and increments the row address counter when the per bank refresh counter is reset, either by rolling over or by a reset condition.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2013Date of Patent: August 25, 2015Assignee: Intel CorporationInventor: Kuljit S. Bains
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Patent number: 9117552Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for testing memory are disclosed, where memory errors are detected, and, in at least one embodiment, memory units containing errors are prevented from being accessed by applications on a computing system.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2013Date of Patent: August 25, 2015Assignee: KINGTIGER TECHNOLOGY(CANADA), INC.Inventors: Bosco Chun Sang Lai, Sunny Lai-Ming Chang, Eric Sin Kwok Chiu, Xiaoyi Cao, Shaodong Zhou, Lei Zhang
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Patent number: 9087569Abstract: An embodiment provides a method, including: determining current validity timing of a non-volatile memory device having changing validity timing via: writing information to a non-volatile memory device; waiting a time after the writing; and reading the information written to the non-volatile memory device following the time. Other aspects are described and claimed.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2013Date of Patent: July 21, 2015Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.Inventor: Mark Charles Davis
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Patent number: 9086882Abstract: An application program identifies a plurality of least recently accessed constructs of the application program that reside in DRAM memory. The application program causes the aggregation of at least a portion of the identified least recently accessed constructs onto one or more pages of the DRAM memory. The application program then causes the one or more memory pages of the DRAM memory to be put into self-refresh operation mode.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2012Date of Patent: July 21, 2015Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventor: Indrajit Poddar
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Patent number: 9087602Abstract: Provided is a refresh method of a volatile memory device. The method includes: detecting a number of disturbances that affect a second memory area as the number of accesses to a first memory area is increased; outputting an alert signal from the volatile memory device to an outside of the volatile memory device when the detected number of disturbances reach a reference value; and performing a refresh operation on the second memory area in response to the alert signal.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2014Date of Patent: July 21, 2015Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventors: Jae-Youn Youn, Su-A Kim, Chul-Woo Park, Young-Soo Sohn
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Publication number: 20150149718Abstract: A computer system encompasses a processor (11) including a control unit (111) and an ALU (112) configured to execute arithmetic and logic operations synchronized with the clock signal, and a marching main memory (31), which embraces an array of memory units, configured to store information in each of memory units and to transfer synchronously with the clock signal, providing the processor (11) with the stored information actively and sequentially so that the ALU (112) can execute the arithmetic and logic operations with the stored information. The results of the processing in the ALU (112) are sent out to the marching main memory (31), but there is only one way of instructions flow from the marching main memory (31) to the processor.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 25, 2014Publication date: May 28, 2015Inventors: Tadao NAKAMURA, Michael J. Flynn
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Publication number: 20150149717Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method to reduce the refresh power consumption by effectively extending the memory cell retention time. Conversion from 1 cell/bit to 2N cells/bit reduces the variation in the retention time among memory cells. Although active power increases by a factor of 2N, the refresh time increases by more than 2N as a consequence of the fact that the majority decision does better than averaging for the tail distribution of retention time. The conversion can be realized very simply from the structure of the DRAM array circuit, and it reduces the frequency of disturbance and power consumption by two orders of magnitude. On the basis of this conversion method, some embodiments provide a partial access mode to reduce power consumption dynamically when the full memory capacity is not required.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2014Publication date: May 28, 2015Applicant: Elpida Memory, Inc.Inventor: Yoshiro RIHO
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Patent number: 9043539Abstract: A semiconductor device having a circuit that selectively adjusts an impedance of an output buffer. A calibration operation can be performed automatically without issuing a calibration command from a controller. Because a calibration operation to a memory is performed in response to an auto refresh command having been issued for a predetermined number of times, a periodic calibration operation can be secured, and a read operation or a write operation is not requested from a controller during a calibration operation. A start-up circuit activates the calibration circuit when a refresh counter indicates a predetermined value, and prohibits a refresh operation in response to the auto refresh command when the calibration circuit is activated. A temperature detecting circuit may be used to change the frequency of performing a calibration operation.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2010Date of Patent: May 26, 2015Assignee: PS4 Luxco S.a.r.l.Inventors: Nakaba Kaiwa, Yutaka Ikeda, Hiroki Fujisawa, Tetsuaki Okahiro
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Patent number: 9037789Abstract: A sensing device and an electronic apparatus in which impairment of performance due to destruction of parameters can be reduced are to be provided. Parameters (sensor parameters 1 to n (n?1)) associated with sensors 1 to N (N?1) are stored in a ROM. A memory control unit reads out the sensor parameters 1 to n from the ROM and writes the sensor parameters into the RAM, and after that, carries out refresh processing to read out the sensor parameters from the ROM and overwrite the RAM with the sensor parameters in predetermined timing. A processing unit carries out signal processing of the sensors 1 to N based on the sensor parameters 1 to n written in the RAM.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2011Date of Patent: May 19, 2015Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventor: Taketo Chino
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Patent number: 9037930Abstract: This disclosure includes a method for preventing errors in a DRAM (dynamic random access memory) due to weak cells that includes determining the location of a weak cell in a DRAM row, receiving data to write to the DRAM, and encoding the data into a bit vector to be written to memory. For each weak cell location, the corresponding bit from the bit vector is equal to the reliable logic state of the weak cell and the bit vector is longer than the data.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2013Date of Patent: May 19, 2015Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Michele M. Franceschini, Hillery C. Hunter, Ashish Jagmohan, Charles A. Kilmer, Kyu-hyoun Kim, Luis A. Lastras-Montano, Moinuddin K. Qureshi
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Publication number: 20150134897Abstract: A method includes sending a first signal from a memory device to a memory controller. The first signal indicates to the memory controller that particular memory cells of the memory device are to be refreshed by the memory device.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 3, 2014Publication date: May 14, 2015Applicant: QUALCOMM IncorporatedInventors: Deepti Vijayalakshmi Sriramagiri, Jung Pill Kim, Jungwon Suh, Xiangyu Dong
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Patent number: 9032141Abstract: Detection logic of a memory subsystem obtains a threshold for a memory device that indicates a number of accesses within a time window that causes risk of data corruption on a physically adjacent row. The detection logic obtains the threshold from a register that stores configuration information for the memory device, and can be a register on the memory device itself and/or can be an entry of a configuration storage device of a memory module to which the memory device belongs. The detection logic determines whether a number of accesses to a row of the memory device exceeds the threshold. In response to detecting the number of accesses exceeds the threshold, the detection logic can generate a trigger to cause the memory device to perform a refresh targeted to a physically adjacent victim row.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2012Date of Patent: May 12, 2015Inventors: Kuljit S. Bains, John B. Halbert
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Publication number: 20150127898Abstract: A refresh command is communicated to a memory device to initiate an interruptible refresh which contains multiple segment refreshes separated by interrupt boundaries. A command is communicated to the memory device before execution of a segment refresh and the segment refresh is delayed at an interrupt boundary. Alternatively, a first number of commands in a queue is determined. A first number of segment refreshes to execute is determined based on the first number of commands. The first number of segment refreshes to execute is communicated to the memory device to cause execution of the first number of segment refreshes. A second number of commands in the queue is determined. A second number of segment refreshes to execute is determined based on the second number of commands. The second number of segment refreshes to execute is communicated to the memory device to cause execution of the second number of segment refreshes.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 7, 2013Publication date: May 7, 2015Applicant: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Edgar R. Cordero, Carlos A. Fernandez, Joab D. Henderson, William P. Hovis, Jeffrey A. Sabrowski, Anuwat Saetow, Saravanan Sethuraman
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Publication number: 20150127899Abstract: A refresh command is received from a memory controller. An interruptible refresh containing multiple segment refreshes is initiated. The segment refreshes are separated by interrupt boundaries. A command is received before execution of a segment refresh. The first command is executed and execution of the first segment refresh is delayed at a first interrupt boundary. Alternatively, a first number of segment refreshes to execute is received from a memory controller. The received first number of segment refreshes is executed. A second number of segment refreshes to execute is received from a memory controller. The received second number of segment refreshes is executed. No segment refreshes are executed between the execution of the first number of segment refreshes and the execution of the second number of segment refreshes.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 7, 2013Publication date: May 7, 2015Applicant: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Edgar R. Cordero, Carlos A. Fernandez, Joab D. Henderson, William P. Hovis, Jeffrey A. Sabrowski, Anuwat Saetow, Saravanan Sethuraman
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Publication number: 20150120998Abstract: In an embodiment, a first portion of a cache memory is associated with a first core. This first cache memory portion is of a distributed cache memory, and may be dynamically controlled to be one of a private cache memory for the first core and a shared cache memory shared by a plurality of cores (including the first core) according to an addressing mode, which itself is dynamically controllable. Other embodiments are described and claimed.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2013Publication date: April 30, 2015Inventors: Kebing Wang, Zhaojuan Bian, Wei Zhou, Zhihong Wang
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Publication number: 20150120999Abstract: A memory system may include a memory including a cell array having a plurality of word lines and an address storage unit that stores an address in response to a capture command, wherein the memory sequentially refreshes the word lines in response to a refresh command at a set cycle, and refreshes a word line corresponding to the stored address in response to the refresh command when the address is stored in the address storage unit; and a memory controller transmitting the refresh command to the memory at the set cycle when a word line satisfying one or more of conditions that the number of activation times is equal to or more than a reference number and an activation frequency is equal to or more than a reference frequency is detected, and transmitting the capture command and an address of the detected word line to the memory.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2013Publication date: April 30, 2015Applicant: SK hynix Inc.Inventors: Jung-Hyun KIM, Ki-Chang KWEAN
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Publication number: 20150113214Abstract: A data access system including a processor and a final level cache module. The processor is configured to generate a request to access a first physical address. The final level cache module includes a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), a final level cache controller, and a DRAM controller. The final level cache controller is configured to (i) receive the request from the processor, and (ii) convert the first physical address to a first virtual address. The DRAM controller is configured to (i) convert the first virtual address to a second physical address, and (ii) access the DRAM based on the second physical address.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2014Publication date: April 23, 2015Inventor: Sehat Sutardja
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Publication number: 20150113213Abstract: A resistive memory device includes a memory cell array including a plurality of resistive memory cells, an address decoder suitable for decoding an address signal and selecting the resistive memory cells, a read/write control circuit suitable for programming data to the memory cell array or reading data from the memory cell array, a voltage generator suitable for generating operation voltages and providing the operation voltages to the address decoder and a controller suitable for controlling the address decoder, the read/write control circuit, and the voltage generator to perform a write operation in response to a write command and a plurality of write data.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2014Publication date: April 23, 2015Applicant: SK hynix Inc.Inventor: Jun Ho CHEON
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Patent number: 9015389Abstract: A volatile memory device includes a memory cell array, a command decoder, a self-refresh circuit, and a register. The command decoder is configured to decode a self-refresh entry command, a self-refresh exit command, and a register read command based on external command signals received from outside the volatile memory device. The self-refresh circuit is configured to automatically refresh the memory cell array during a self-refresh mode which be entered in response to the self-refresh entry command and be exited in response to the self-refresh exit command. The register is configured to store an accessible state in response to the self-refresh exit command, and output the stored accessible state in response to the register read command. The accessible state indicates whether or not the memory cell array is ready to be read or written.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2013Date of Patent: April 21, 2015Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Jae-Woong Lee, Hyong-Ryol Hwang
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Publication number: 20150106561Abstract: A memory component includes a memory bank comprising a plurality of storage cells and a data interface block configured to transfer data between the memory component and a component external to the memory component. The memory component further includes a plurality of column interface buses coupled between the memory bank and the data interface block, wherein a first column interface bus of the plurality of column interface buses is configured to transfer data between a first storage cell of the plurality of storage cells and the data interface block during a first access operation and wherein a second column interface bus of the plurality of column interface buses is configured to transfer the data between the first storage cell and the data interface block during a second access operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2014Publication date: April 16, 2015Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, Ely K. Tsern
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Publication number: 20150100723Abstract: A data processor includes a memory accessing agent and a memory controller. The memory accessing agent generates a plurality of accesses to a memory. The memory controller is coupled to the memory accessing agent and schedules the plurality of memory accesses in an order based on characteristics of the memory. The characteristics of the memory include a row cycle page time (tRCPAGE) indicative of an acceptable number of activate commands to a row in the memory within a predetermined time window.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 8, 2013Publication date: April 9, 2015Applicant: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.Inventor: Kevin M. Brandl
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Publication number: 20150095552Abstract: A memory system is disclosed, which may include a memory unit of a first type, susceptible to loss of data from corrupting events, and a memory unit of a second type, less susceptible to loss of data from corrupting events than the memory unit of the first type, and a mirrored memory interface (MMI). The MMI may be coupled to a memory controller, the memory unit of the first type, and the memory unit of the second type. The MMI may, in response to a memory controller write command, receive data from the memory controller and write the data to the memory unit of the first type and to the memory unit of the second type. The MMI may also, in response to a memory controller read command, read data from the memory unit of the first type and send the data to the memory controller.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 1, 2013Publication date: April 2, 2015Applicant: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Diyanesh B. Chinnakkonda Vidyapoornachary, Kyu-hyoun Kim, Gary A. Tressler
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Patent number: 8996824Abstract: A method for controlling memory refresh operations in dynamic random access memories. The method includes determining a count of deferred memory refresh operations for a first memory rank. Responsive to the count approaching a high priority threshold, issuing an early high priority refresh notification for the first memory rank, which indicates the pre-determined time for performing a high priority memory refresh operation at the first memory rank. Responsive to the early high priority refresh notification, the behavior of a read reorder queue is dynamically modified to give priority scheduling to at least one read command targeting the first memory rank, and one or more of the at least one read command is executed on the first memory rank according to the priority scheduling. Priority scheduling removes these commands from the re-order queue before the refresh operation is initiated at the first memory rank.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2013Date of Patent: March 31, 2015Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Mark A. Brittain, John S. Dodson, Stephen Powell, Eric E. Retter, Jeffrey A. Stuecheli
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Publication number: 20150089127Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods to broadcast a memory command are described. In one embodiment, a memory controller comprising logic to insert a first predetermined value into an all ranks parameter in a memory command, and transmit the memory command to a memory device. Other embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 23, 2013Publication date: March 26, 2015Inventors: KULJIT S. BAINS, PETE D. VOGT
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Patent number: 8988963Abstract: An intermediate circuit and method for hiding refresh confliction. The intermediate circuit includes: a first control circuit configured to generate a Command Output Enable signal CON, a Data Read Enable signal DRN and a Refresh Enable signal REFN based on the second clock, wherein a ration of duration the signal CON is in a first state to duration in a second state equals to CLK2/(CLK1-CLK2), the signal REFN has a state that is reverse to that of the signal CON and is used to refresh the DRAM; a command buffer configured to store the access commands received from the user interface and output the stored access commands to the DRAM in response to the first state of the signal CON; a data buffer configured to read data from the DRAM in response to the first state of the signal CON and output the read data.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2013Date of Patent: March 24, 2015Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Qian Hu, Yu fei Li, Hao Yang, Wei Wei
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Patent number: 8981932Abstract: An apparatus includes a pair of an alarm condition generator and an associated alarm circuit and a test circuit. The alarm circuit is configured to generate an alarm signal in response to a detection of an associated alarm condition. The alarm condition generator is configured to generate the associated alarm condition for its associated alarm circuit in response to a reception of a first reset of a first type of reset. The test circuit is configured to receive the alarm signal and the first reset and to generate in response to a reception of both the first reset and the alarm signal a second reset of a second type of reset.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2013Date of Patent: March 17, 2015Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Steffen Sonnekalb, Stefan Mangard
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Publication number: 20150067249Abstract: In a memory scheduling method, a memory controller writes a first group of first row strobe commands (ACTs) into a first memory. The first group of first ACTs includes multiple first ACTs and a periodic interval exists between two adjacent first ACTs written by the memory controller into the first memory. The memory controller writes operation commands that correspond to the first group of first ACTs into the first memory after writing the first group of first ACTs into the first memory. The memory controller writes second ACTs into a second memory in periodic intervals for writing the first group of first ACTs into the first memory and/or in periodic intervals for writing the operation commands that correspond to the first group of first ACTs. The memory controller writes operation commands that correspond to the second ACTs into the second memory.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 11, 2014Publication date: March 5, 2015Inventors: Xinyuan Wang, Haoyu Song
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Patent number: 8972652Abstract: A method of reducing read errors in a non-volatile memory device that result from bit-line or word-line disturb conditions generated by erase operations includes selecting a subset of a memory array for refresh after each erase operation. A pointer to the refresh target section is updated as part of the method to direct the refresh operation to the appropriate subset of the memory array. Refresh may be performed subsequent to an erase operation or concurrently therewith. By distributing the time consumed by refresh operations over many erase operations so the relative refresh time for any one erase becomes small.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2012Date of Patent: March 3, 2015Assignee: Spansion LLCInventors: Yong K. Kim, Keith H. Wong, Mark A. McClain
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Publication number: 20150058549Abstract: Embodiments of a row address cache circuit are disclosed that may allow the determination the number of times a row address is used to access a dynamic memory. The row address cache circuit may include a memory, first and second pluralities of counters, and a control circuit. The control circuit may be configured to receive a row address and store the row address in an entry of the memory when the row address has not been previously stored. When the row address has been previously stored in an entry of the memory, the control circuit may be configured to change a value of a counter of the first plurality of counters corresponding the entry. The control circuit may be further configured to change a value of each counter of the second plurality of counters after a pre-determined time interval has elapsed, and initiate a refresh of the dynamic memory.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 20, 2013Publication date: February 26, 2015Applicant: Oracle International CorporationInventors: David Jeffrey, Clement Fang, Neil Duncan, Heechoul Park, Lik Cheng, Gregory F. Grohoski
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Publication number: 20150058550Abstract: An information recording apparatus which is capable of preventing data loss due to a decrease in a time period for which data is retained in a memory, and performing refresh of the memory mounted on a main body of the information recording apparatus. When the number of times of data erasure in the memory is updated, a table showing data retention time periods corresponding to the number of times of data erasure in the memory is referred to, and a date and time at which refresh of the memory should be performed within a data retention time period corresponding to the number of times of data erasure is set. Whether it is possible to perform refresh of the memory at the set date and time is judged, and when it is possible to perform refresh of the memory at the set date and time, refresh of the memory is performed.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 12, 2014Publication date: February 26, 2015Inventor: Fumio MIKAMI
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Publication number: 20150046732Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for providing memory channel interleaving with selective power or performance optimization. One such method involves configuring a memory address map for two or more memory devices accessed via two or more respective memory channels with an interleaved region and a linear region. The interleaved region comprises an interleaved address space for relatively higher performance use cases. The linear region comprises a linear address space for relatively lower power use cases. Memory requests are received from one or more clients. The memory requests comprise a preference for power savings or performance. Received memory requests are assigned to the linear region or the interleaved region according to the preference for power savings or performance.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2013Publication date: February 12, 2015Applicant: QUALCOMM INCORPORATEDInventors: DEXTER CHUN, YANRU LI, ALEX TU, MICHAEL LO
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Patent number: 8954672Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method and system for mapping cache lines to a row-based cache. In particular, a method includes, in response to a plurality of memory access requests each including an address associated with a cache line of a main memory, mapping sequentially addressed cache lines of the main memory to a row of the row-based cache. A disclosed system includes row index computation logic operative to map sequentially addressed cache lines of a main memory to a row of a row-based cache in response to a plurality of memory access requests each including an address associated with a cache line of the main memory.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2012Date of Patent: February 10, 2015Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.Inventors: Gabriel H. Loh, Mark D. Hill
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Publication number: 20150039822Abstract: A memory is disclosed comprising a first memory portion, a second memory portion, and an interface, wherein the memory portions are electrically isolated from each other and the interface is capable of receiving a row command and a column command in the time it takes to cycle the memory once. By interleaving access requests (comprising row commands and column commands) to the different portions of the memory, and by properly timing these access requests, it is possible to achieve full data bus utilization in the memory without increasing data granularity.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 3, 2014Publication date: February 5, 2015Inventor: Billy Garrett, JR.
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Patent number: 8949520Abstract: A system includes a memory controller and a memory device having a command interface and a plurality of memory banks, each with a plurality of rows of memory cells. The memory controller transmits an auto-refresh command to the memory device. Responsive to the auto-refresh command, during a first time interval, the memory device performs refresh operations to refresh the memory cells and the command interface of the memory device is placed into a calibration mode for the duration of the first time interval. Concurrently, during at least a portion of the first time interval, the memory controller performs a calibration of the command interface of the memory device. The auto-refresh command may specify an order in which memory banks of the memory device are to be refreshed, such that the memory device sequentially refreshes a respective row in the plurality of memory banks in the specified bank order.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2010Date of Patent: February 3, 2015Assignee: Rambus Inc.Inventors: Frederick A. Ware, Robert E. Palmer, John W. Poulton
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Patent number: 8943267Abstract: Embodiments include a system, an apparatus, a device, and a method. The apparatus includes a processor, a dynamic memory, and a hardware-implemented memory control circuit. The hardware-implemented control circuit includes a control circuit for establishing an extended refresh period of the dynamic memory based at least in part on a monitored result that indicates an occurrence of a memory loss in the dynamic memory. The hardware-implemented control circuit also includes a control circuit for causing a refresh of the dynamic memory during each of at least two extended refresh periods.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2013Date of Patent: January 27, 2015Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, LLCInventor: William Henry Mangione-Smith
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Publication number: 20150026399Abstract: Methods of configuring dynamic memory associated with a processing system, are described. The dynamic memory is configured in a plurality of blocks, the method comprises: a) receiving information relating to a utilisation status of the memory; b) processing the received information to determine at least one first block of the memory that is currently not in use for information storage; and c) configuring the at least one first block to be excluded from an information refresh process.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2013Publication date: January 22, 2015Inventors: Maxime Coquelin, Loic Pallardy
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Publication number: 20150026400Abstract: According to one embodiment, an apparatus comprises one or more memory devices and one or more processors coupled to a circuit board. The memory devices are configured according to a second memory technology. The processors are configured to receive messages conforming to a first memory technology, translate the messages from the first memory technology to the second memory technology, and send the translated messages to the memory devices.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 6, 2014Publication date: January 22, 2015Inventors: Viren Patel, Rajesh Edamula
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Patent number: 8938573Abstract: A system monitors data accesses to specific rows of memory to determine if a row hammer condition exists. The system can monitor accessed rows of memory to determine if the number of accesses to any of the rows exceeds a threshold associated with risk of data corruption on a row of memory physically adjacent to the row with high access. Based on the monitoring, a memory controller can determine if the number of accesses to a row exceeds the threshold, and indicate address information for the row whose access count reaches the threshold.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2012Date of Patent: January 20, 2015Assignee: Intel CorporationInventors: Zvika Greenfield, Kuljit S. Bains, Theodore Z. Schoenborn, Christopher P. Mozak, John B. Halbert
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Publication number: 20150019805Abstract: An information processing apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention acquires temperature information for each of a plurality of memories in a wide IO memory device, and when execution of a job is instructed, decides on a memory having a lower temperature as the memory to be used by a functional module that corresponds to a function, based on the memory size to be used by the functional module that corresponds to the function, and on the acquired temperature information for the memories.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2013Publication date: January 15, 2015Inventor: Masanori Ichikawa
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Patent number: 8935466Abstract: A method of operation of a data storage system includes: identifying a target block; configuring a command setting for maximizing a data retention period of the target block for refreshing the target block; writing a pre-archived memory block to the target block based on the command setting; and updating an archive status for sending to a host device.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2012Date of Patent: January 13, 2015Assignee: Smart Storage Systems, Inc.Inventor: Robert W. Ellis
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Patent number: 8935467Abstract: A memory system that includes a memory device and a memory controller. The memory device includes a plurality of memory cells, and a first storage unit configured to store information about a weak cell from among the plurality of memory cells. The memory controller is configured to transmit an operation command signal to the memory device, and control an operation of the memory device by using the information about the weak cell provided from the first storage unit. If the operation command signal is related to an operation to be performed using a first of the memory cells and the first memory cell is the weak cell, the memory device is configured to transmit the information about the weak cell to the memory controller.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2012Date of Patent: January 13, 2015Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hak Soo Yu, Joo Sun Choi, Hong Sun Hwang
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Patent number: 8930616Abstract: System refresh in a cache memory that includes generating a refresh time period (RTIM) pulse at a centralized refresh controller of the cache memory and activating a refresh request at the centralized refresh controller based on generating the RTIM pulse. The refresh request is associated with a single cache memory bank of the cache memory. A refresh grant is received and transmitted to a bank controller. The bank controller is associated with and localized at the single cache memory bank of the cache memory.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2012Date of Patent: January 6, 2015Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Michael A. Blake, Timothy C. Bronson, Hieu T. Huynh, Kenneth D. Klapproth
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Publication number: 20150006807Abstract: A dynamic memory signal phase tracking method is provided. The method, applied to a memory controller that accesses a memory module, includes: issuing a memory access command and an access request to an arbiter to request for an access right of the memory module; when the access right is obtained, forwarding the memory access command to the memory module and asserting a flag signal; during a period of asserting the flag signal, sequentially using a plurality of candidate delay phases to adjust a memory signal for latching test data from the memory module, determining a delay phase according to latching results corresponding to the candidate delay phases, and recording the determined delay phases; updating an optimal delay phase according to the determined delay phase; and accessing the memory module according to the updated optimal delay phase.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 1, 2014Publication date: January 1, 2015Inventors: Yung Chang, Chen-Nan Lin, Chung-Ching Chen
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Publication number: 20150006806Abstract: Disclosed are a double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory module and a configuring method thereof. The DDR SDRAM module in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes: a plurality of memory chips; and a serial transceiver portion configured to serially receive first serial data including a control signal and data transferred from outside for the plurality of memory chips and to provide the control signal and the data included in the serially received first serial data to the plurality of memory chips.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 3, 2014Publication date: January 1, 2015Applicant: Electronics and Telecommunications Research InstituteInventors: Hyuk-Je Kwon, Young-Seok Choi, Sung-Nam Kim, Gyung-Ock Kim
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Publication number: 20140379979Abstract: Memory access alignment in a double data rate (‘DDR’) system, including: executing, by a memory controller, one or more write operations to a predetermined address of a DDR memory module, including sending to the DDR memory module a predetermined amount of data of a predetermined pattern along with a data strobe signal; executing, by the memory controller, a plurality of read operations from the predetermined address of the DDR memory module, including capturing data transmitted from the DDR memory module; and determining, by the memory controller, a read adjust value and a write adjust value in dependence upon the data captured in response to the read operations.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2014Publication date: December 25, 2014Inventors: STEVEN K. JENKINS, ROBERT B. LIKOVICH, JR., MICHAEL R. TROMBLEY
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Publication number: 20140379978Abstract: A memory refresh method within a memory controller includes checking a first retention state corresponding to a first memory address and a second retention state corresponding to a second memory address. The memory refresh method also includes performing a refresh operation on a row corresponding to the second memory address when the second retention state indicates a weak retention state. The first memory address corresponds to a refresh counter address, and the second memory address corresponds to a complementary address of the refresh counter address.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 1, 2014Publication date: December 25, 2014Applicant: QUALCOMM IncorporatedInventors: Jung Pill KIM, Xiangyu DONG, Jungwon SUH
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Patent number: 8918584Abstract: A method and apparatus for refreshing data in a flash memory device is disclosed. A counter is maintained for each memory block. When a memory block is erased, the counter for that erase block is set to a predetermined value while the remaining counters for other erase blocks are changed. When a memory block counter reaches a predetermined threshold value, the associated memory block is refreshed.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2014Date of Patent: December 23, 2014Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventor: Shuba Swaminathan
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Patent number: 8914573Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for mitigating adjacent track erasures in hard disks, includes: determining input/output (I/O) characteristics for a plurality of blocks on a hard disk; assigning the plurality of blocks to a plurality of categories of I/O characteristics by the processor; and clustering content of the blocks assigned to the same category in one or more continuous tracks on the hard disk. Each block is assigned to one category. Blocks with similar I/O characteristics are clustered on one or more continuous tracks. By performing this clustering, blocks with a high number of I/O operations are grouped and stored on fewer tracks than if they were scattered across numerous tracks. This reduces the number of tracks experiencing a high number of I/O operations, and in turn, the amount of refreshing of adjacent tracks is reduced.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2013Date of Patent: December 16, 2014Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Bhooshan P. Kelkar, Abhinay R. Nagpal, Sandeep R. Patil
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Patent number: 8909874Abstract: A memory system and data processing system for controlling memory refresh operations in dynamic random access memories. The memory controller comprises logic that: tracks a time remaining before a scheduled time for performing a high priority, high latency operation a first memory rank of the memory system; responsive to the time remaining reaching a pre-established early notification time before the schedule time for performing the high priority, high latency operation, biases the re-order queue containing memory access operations targeting the plurality of ranks to prioritize scheduling of any first memory access operations that target the first memory rank. The logic further: schedules the first memory access operations to the first memory rank for early completion relative to other memory access operations in the re-order queue that target other memory ranks; and performs the high priority, high latency operation at the first memory rank at the scheduled time.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2012Date of Patent: December 9, 2014Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Mark A. Brittain, John S. Dodson, Stephen J. Powell, Eric E. Retter, Jeffrey A. Stuecheli
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Patent number: 8909856Abstract: A system provides for a signal to indicate when a memory device exits from self-refresh. Thus, substantially at the same time (before or after) the memory device exits self-refresh, an indicator signal can be triggered to indicate normal operation or standard refresh operation and normal memory access of the memory device. A memory controller can access the indicator signal to determine whether the memory device is in self-refresh. Thus, the memory controller can more carefully manage the timing of sending a command to the memory device while reducing the delay time typically associated with detecting a self-refresh condition.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2013Date of Patent: December 9, 2014Assignee: Intel CorporationInventor: Kuljit S. Bains