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US 10,825,505 B2Granted
Apparatuses and methods for staggered timing of targeted refresh operations
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorJames S. Rehmeyer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of the disclosure are drawn to apparatuses and methods for staggering the timing of targeted refresh operations. Memory dies may need to periodically perform refresh operations, which may be auto-refresh operations or targeted refresh operations. Targeted refresh operations may draw less current than auto-refresh operations. When dies are collected into a group (e.g., a memory stack, a memory module) the timing of targeted refresh operations may be staggered between the different dies to help reduce the peak current drawn. The targeted refresh operations may be staggered such that, when a maximum number of the dies are performing a refresh operation, at least one of the dies performs a targeted refresh operation instead of an auto-refresh operation.
Claims18
An apparatus comprising:
- a first memory die configured to perform a targeted refresh operation responsive to a first activation of a refresh signal;
- and
- a second memory die, the second memory die configured to perform a targeted refresh operation responsive to a second activation of the refresh signal, but not the first activation of the refresh signal, wherein the first memory die is further configured to perform an auto-refresh operation responsive to the second activation of the refresh signal, and wherein the second memory die is further configured to perform an auto-refresh operation responsive to the first activation of the refresh signal.
An apparatus comprising:
- a first memory die configured to perform a targeted refresh operation responsive to a first activation of a refresh signal;
- and
- a second memory die, the second memory die configured to perform a targeted refresh operation responsive to a second activation of the refresh signal, but not the first activation of the refresh signal, wherein the first memory die is further configured to perform a next targeted refresh operation after a number of activations of the refresh signal after the first activation of the refresh signal, and wherein the second memory die is further configured to perform a next targeted refresh operation after a same number of activations of the refresh signal after the second activation of the refresh signal.
An apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of memory dies wherein, responsive to a refresh command, each of the plurality of memory dies is configured to perform one or more refresh operations, wherein each of the refresh operations may be a first type of refresh operation or a second type of refresh operation,
- wherein when a maximum number of the plurality of memory dies simultaneously perform a refresh operation, at least one of the plurality of memory dies performs the first type of refresh operation and at least one other of the plurality of memory dies performs the second type of refresh operation, and
- wherein each of the plurality of memory dies comprises a plurality of wordlines, wherein during the first type of refresh operation, a first number of the plurality of wordlines are refreshed, during the second type of refresh operation a second number of the plurality of wordlines are refreshed, and wherein the first number of the plurality of wordlines is greater than the second number of the plurality of wordlines.
An apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of memory dies wherein, responsive to a refresh command, each of the plurality of memory dies is configured to perform one or more refresh operations, wherein each of the refresh operations may be a first type of refresh operation or a second type of refresh operation, and wherein when a maximum number of the plurality of memory dies simultaneously perform a refresh operation, at least one of the plurality of memory dies performs the first type of refresh operation and at least one other of the plurality of memory dies performs the second type of refresh operation;
- and
- an interface configured to receive the refresh command and periodically activate a refresh signal responsive to the refresh command, wherein the plurality of memory dies perform the one or more refresh operations responsive to each activation of the refresh signal, wherein, responsive to an activation of the refresh signal, each of the plurality of memory dies begins performing the one or more refresh operations at a different time.
An apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of memory dies wherein, responsive to a refresh command, each of the plurality of memory dies is configured to perform one or more refresh operations, wherein each of the refresh operations may be a first type of refresh operation or a second type of refresh operation, and wherein when a maximum number of the plurality of memory dies simultaneously perform a refresh operation, at least one of the plurality of memory dies performs the first type of refresh operation and at least one other of the plurality of memory dies performs the second type of refresh operation;
- and
- an interface configured to receive the refresh command and periodically activate a refresh signal responsive to the refresh command, wherein the plurality of memory dies perform the one or more refresh operations responsive to each activation of the refresh signal, wherein responsive each activation of the refresh command, each of the plurality of memory dies provides a plurality of respective refresh pumps, and performs a refresh operation responsive to each of the plurality of refresh pumps.
An apparatus comprising:
- an interface configured to provide a refresh signal;
- a first memory die configured to provide activations of a first refresh pump signal responsive to the refresh signal, wherein the first memory die is further configured to perform a targeted refresh operation after a first number of activations of the first refresh pump signal;
- a second memory die configured to provide activations of a second refresh pump signal responsive to the refresh signal, wherein the second memory die is further configured to perform a targeted refresh operation after a second number of activations of the second refresh pump signal, wherein the second number is different than the first number.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.