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US 2019/0172521 A1Published application
Apparatuses and methods for detection refresh starvation of a memory
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorDonald M. Morgan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatuses and methods for detecting refresh starvation at a memory. An example apparatus, may include a plurality of memory cells, and a control circuit configured to monitor refresh request commands and to perform an action that prevents unauthorized access to data stored at the plurality of memory cells in response to detection that timing of the refresh request commands has failed to meet a refresh timing limit.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising
- a refresh control circuit configured to perform a first refresh operation responsive to a first signal when a control signal is disabled and a second refresh operation responsive to a second signal when the control signal is enabled, the first signal being produced by a refresh counter and the second signal being not produced by the refresh counter;
- a refresh starve detection circuit configured to:
- receive refresh signals in series, each of the refresh signals being generated responsive to a refresh command;
- enable the control signal when none of the refresh signals have been received during a predetermined period of time defined by a first one of the refresh signals and a second one of the refresh signals consecutively following the first one of the refresh signals.
1 more element
An apparatus comprising:
- a refresh control circuit configured to perform a first refresh operation based on a refresh counter value when a control signal is enabled;
- and
- a refresh starve detection circuit configured to enable the control signal when a time period between consecutive refresh signals exceeds a refresh timing limit.
A method comprising:
- determining whether a time period between consecutive refresh signals exceeds a refresh timing limit;
- and
- in response to a determination that the time period between consecutive refresh signals exceeds the refresh timing, limit, performing, a first refresh operation based on a refresh counter value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.