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US 12,001,356 B2Granted
Delay elements for command timing in a memory device
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorsJames S. Rehmeyer, Christopher G. Wieduwilt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A timing of an execution of a command in a memory device can be affected delay elements. The delay elements of a unit of delay elements can cause variable delays of the command paths. The delay elements can be activated based on settings stored in a fuse array of a memory device. The delay elements can be used to change a timing of current draw of the memory devices.
Claims21
A method, comprising:
- receiving, via a shared command bus, a command at each memory device of a plurality of memory devices, wherein each of the memory devices comprises:
- at least one delay element configured to alter a timing of a decoded command relative to other of a plurality of command paths corresponding to the plurality of memory devices,
- wherein each of the memory devices comprises a different at least one delay element,
- at least one memory array, and
- at least one decoder;
- decoding the command at each of the memory devices utilizing at least one decoder associated with each of the memory devices to generate the decoded command for each of the memory devices;
- receiving the decoded command at delay elements of each of the memory devices,
- wherein the delay elements of each of the memory devices receives a different instance of the decoded command,
- wherein the delay elements are implemented as part of the at least one decoder associated with each of the memory devices, and
- wherein each of the delay elements are programmed with different timing delays utilizing a different array of fuses of each of the memory devices;
- and
- receiving the decoded command at the memory arrays of each of the memory devices through respective command paths of each of the memory devices configured to have the different timing delays relative to the memory devices utilizing the respective delay elements of each of the memory devices, and
- wherein the different timing delays are provided by a programming module external to the memory devices based on settings read from the different arrays of fuses.
10 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- an array of fuses;
- an array of memory cells;
- delay elements implemented in a command/address circuitry;
- decoder coupled to the array of memory cells and the delay elements, wherein the decoder is configured to decode a command to generate a decoded command comprising at least one of an activate command and a precharge command for the array;
- wherein each of the delay elements are configured to:
- receive the command;
- and
- alter a timing of an implementation of the decoded command at the array as compared to different timings of an implementation of the decoded command by different apparatuses that share a command bus,
- wherein each of the delay elements receives a different instance of the command and provides the different instance of the command, and
- wherein the delay elements are programmed using the array of fuses;
- and
- wherein a timing delay of the implementation of the decoded command is provided by a programming module external to the apparatus based on settings read from the arrays of fuses.
9 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- a programming module configured to:
- receive an execution order corresponding to a plurality of memory devices of a memory system, wherein each of the memory devices comprises a different delay element and a memory array and wherein each of the memory devices shares a command bus from the memory system, wherein the execution order is read from the different arrays of fuses of the memory devices, and
- responsive to receipt of the execution order, program each of the different delay elements implemented in command decoders of the plurality of memory devices, differently such that a command path internal to the memory devices has a different delay for each of the memory devices, and
- wherein each of the different delay elements receives a different instance of a decoded command and provides the different instance of the decoded command to a corresponding memory array,
- wherein each of the different delay elements are programmed using the different arrays of fuses of the memory devices, and
- wherein the programming module is external to the memory system.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.