Dram core refresh with reduced spike current
AssigneeRambus Inc.
InventorsEly K. Tsern, Richard M. Barth, Paul G. Davis, Craig E. Hampel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for reducing the communication overhead over the interface bus to the memory devices for refresh operations. This is done by refreshing multiple banks in response to a single command. Multibank refresh is made possible by varying the current profile for the row sense and row precharge currents during a refresh operation, as compared to normal memory access. Unlike normal memory accesses, data is not needed, and a fast access time is not required. This allows the current to be spread using different circuitry for driving the current to lessen current spikes. The spread current is still maintained within the timing of a normal memory access.
Claims11
A method of refreshing a memory device, comprising the steps of:
- at one of a plurality of clock rates, selected in accordance with a device configuration signal:
- internally generating a sequence of row addresses for refreshing the memory device;
- and
- refreshing a row of the memory device associated with a currently generated row address.
A method of refreshing a memory device, comprising the steps of:
- providing a sequence of row addresses for refreshing the memory device;
- for each row, refreshing the row in a sequence of banks before refreshing a subsequent row;
- providing row sense and row precharge currents to the memory device using first current profiles during normal memory accesses;
- and
- providing a second current profile for at least one of the row sense and row precharge currents during memory refresh, the second current profile having less of a current spike than the first profiles.
A method of refreshing a memory device, comprising the steps of:
- providing a sequence of row addresses for refreshing the memory device;
- for each row, refreshing the row in a sequence of banks before refreshing a subsequent row;
- providing a row sense current to the memory device using a first current profile during normal memory accesses;
- and
- providing a second current profile for the row sense current during memory refresh, the second current profile having less of a current spike than the first profile.
A method of refreshing a memory device, comprising the steps of:
- providing a sequence of row addresses for refreshing the memory device;
- for each row, refreshing the row in a sequence of banks before refreshing a subsequent row;
- providing a row precharge current to the memory device using a first current profile during normal memory accesses;
- and
- providing a second current profile for the row precharge current during a memory refresh, the second current profile having less of a current spike than the first profile.
A memory device comprising:
- a memory array, including a plurality of banks;
- an internal sequencer configured to provide sequencing of row addresses for each of the plurality of banks in the memory device;
- an interface circuit configured to receive over an interface a sequence of bank addresses for refreshing, and provide enabling control signals to the internal sequencer;
- a plurality of sense amplifiers connected to the memory array;
- and
- a control circuit connected to the sense amplifiers, the control circuit being configured to control the sense amplifiers to:
- provide first current profiles for row sense currents during normal memory accesses;
- and
- provide second current profiles for the row sense currents during a memory refresh, the second current profiles having less of a current spike than the first profiles.
A memory device comprising:
- a memory array;
- a plurality of sense amplifiers connected to the memory array;
- an internal sequencer configured to provide sequencing of row addresses for each of a plurality of banks in the memory array;
- an interface circuit configured to receive over an interface a sequence of bank addresses for refreshing, and provide enabling control signals to the internal sequencer;
- and
- a control circuit connected to the sense amplifiers, the control circuit being configured to control the sense amplifiers to refresh memory cells in the memory array, one row at a time, at one of a plurality of clock rates, selected in accordance with a device configuration signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.