Method of allowing random access to rambus DRAM for short burst of data

A method of selecting a write address for a write memory access operation to avoid possible memory bank contention between successive memory access operation, the method comprising selecting a write address based on the following criteria:

• a) if a proximate read memory access operation is executed within a predetermined number of memory access operations from the write memory access operation, the write memory access operation accesses a group of memory banks different from a group of memory banks accessed by the proximate read memory access operation;
• b) the write address accesses a memory bank chosen from a pool of memory banks, the pool excluding any of the following:
• b1) memory banks accessed by an immediately preceding read memory access operation;
• b2) memory banks to be accessed by an immediately succeeding read memory access operation;
• b3) memory banks accessed by an immediately preceding write memory access operation;
• and
• b4) memory banks immediately adjacent memory banks referred to in b1), b2) and b3);
• c) the write memory access operation accesses a memory bank that is a least full memory bank in the pool of memory banks.

A method of increasing an efficiency of read memory access operations by avoiding possible memory bank contention between read memory access operations, the method comprising:

• a) arranging memory access operations to the memory banks such that the memory access operation follow a predetermined repeating pattern, the repeating pattern comprising a write memory access operation followed by a read memory access operation, each repetition of the repeating gap pattern being followed by a fixed predetermined time interval during which no memory access operation may be undertaken;
• b) defining a frame size of a predetermined fixed size, the frame size comprising a fixed number of repetitions of the repeating pattern;
• c) dividing all memory access operations into frames having the frame size defined in step b);
• d) dividing each frame into windows having a window size, each window having a first overlap of a least one instance of the repeating pattern with a preceding window and each window having a second overlap of at least one instance of the repeating pattern with a succeeding window;
• and
• e) rearranging read memory access operations within each window such that memory addresses involved in the read memory access operations do not have bank conflicts with each other.