Dynamic termination scheme for memory communication
AssigneeRambus Inc.
InventorsChi-Ming Yeung, David Secker, Ravindranath Kollipara, Shajith Musaliar Sirajudeen, Yoshie Nakabayashi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
System and method for dynamic termination control to enable use of an increased number of memory modules on a single channel. In some embodiments, six or eight DIMMs are coupled to a single channel. The dynamic termination scheme can include configurations for input bus termination (IBT) on each of the memory modules for the address bus/command bus and configurations for on-die termination (ODT) one each of the memory modules for the data bus.
Claims18
A memory system comprising:
- a memory controller coupled to a data bus, wherein the data bus comprises a first subchannel and a second subchannel;
- a first plurality of memory modules of the first subchannel;
- and
- a second plurality of memory modules of the second subchannel, wherein, for a read operation of a first memory module of the first plurality of memory modules of the first subchannel, the memory controller is dynamically configured to apply a first on die termination (ODT) configuration to a plurality of inactive memory modules of the first subchannel, dynamically configured to apply a second ODT configuration to the second plurality of memory modules of the second subchannel, and dynamically configured to apply a third ODT configuration to the first memory module, wherein the third ODT configuration is an off configuration.
A memory system comprising:
- a memory controller coupled to an address bus, wherein the address bus comprises a first subchannel and a second subchannel;
- a first plurality of memory modules of the first subchannel;
- and
- a second plurality of memory modules of the second subchannel, wherein for sending an address to a first memory module of the first plurality of memory modules of the first subchannel, the memory controller is dynamically configured to apply a first input bus termination (IBT) configuration to inactive memory modules of the first subchannel, dynamically configured to apply a second IBT configuration to the plurality of memory modules of the second subchannel, and dynamically configured to apply a third IBT configuration to the first memory module, wherein the third IBT configuration is an off configuration.
A method for configuring a plurality of memory modules, the method comprising:
- receiving a memory request, wherein the memory request comprises an address;
- responsive to the memory request, sending a plurality of address bus termination signals, wherein a first address bus termination signal is associated with a first termination configuration of a first memory module of the plurality of memory modules associated with the address of the memory request, wherein the first termination configuration comprises an open termination configuration, and wherein a second address bus termination signal is associated with a second termination configuration for a second memory module of the plurality of memory modules;
- and
- sending the address to the first memory module associated with the address of the memory request.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.