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US 8,509,021 B2Granted
Methods, circuits, and systems to select memory regions
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorScott Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments for selecting regions of memory are described. For example, in one embodiment a memory device having an array of memory cells includes an array selection block. The array selection block receives an input signal indicative of a region in the array of memory cells. The array selection block generates a selection signal to map the region to at least one physical location in the array of memory cells, based on the detection of the number of defects in that location.
Claims23
A processor-based system comprising:
- a processing apparatus operable to process data and to provide memory requests and addresses;
- a plurality of memory devices;
- a system controller in communication with the processing apparatus, the system controller operable to receive and transmit memory commands, addresses and data, and to receive memory requests corresponding to a first region of one or more of the plurality of memory devices, the system controller operable to communicate the memory requests to the one or more of the plurality of memory devices and transmit memory data from the one or more of the plurality of memory devices in response to at least one of the memory requests;
- and
- a selection block configured to receive the memory requests corresponding to the first region of the one or more of the plurality of memory devices and to receive an input signal indicating a number of defective cells that are replaced by redundant cells in at least one region of the one or more of the plurality of memory devices selectable by the selection block relative to that of at least another region of the one or more of the plurality of memory devices selectable by the selection block, the selection block operable to map the memory requests to a second region of the one or more of the plurality of memory devices based on the input signal;
- wherein the processing apparatus is configured to:
- access a first memory device of the plurality of memory devices in response to a first memory request;
- and
- access a second memory device of the plurality of memory devices in response to a second memory request, the first memory request preceding the second memory request;
- and
- wherein:
- the access of the second memory device occurs substantially contemporaneously with the access of the first memory device;
- and
- the input signal is associated with at least one of the first and the second memory requests.
11 more elements
A processor-based apparatus comprising:
- a first processing apparatus operable to process data and to provide memory requests and addresses;
- a user interface apparatus in communication with the first processing apparatus and configured to receive a user request;
- a system controller in communication with the first processing apparatus, the system controller operable to receive and transmit memory requests, addresses and data;
- a plurality of memory devices operably coupled to the system controller;
- a selection block configured to receive an address signal generated based at least in part on the user request, the address signal indicative of a region of the one or more of the plurality of memory devices, the selection block being operable to generate a selection signal to map the address signal indicative of the region of the one or more of the plurality of memory devices to a physical location of the one or more of the plurality of memory devices, the selection block further being operable to generate the selection signal on the basis of a number of defective cells that are replaced by redundant cells in the physical location of the one or more of the plurality of memory devices relative to that of at least one other region selectable by the selection block;
- a second processing apparatus in communication with the first processing apparatus;
- and
- a display apparatus in communication with the a second processing apparatus;
- wherein the second processing apparatus is configured to:
- receive a first plurality of bytes from associated with a first memory request of the memory requests;
- and
- output the first plurality of bytes to the display apparatus in response to the user request.
9 more elements
A processor-based apparatus comprising:
- a first processing apparatus operable to process data and to provide memory commands and addresses;
- a user interface apparatus in communication with the first processing apparatus and configured to generate a first user interface request;
- a plurality of memory devices;
- a system controller in communication with the first processing apparatus, the system controller operable to receive and transmit memory commands, addresses and data, and to receive memory requests corresponding to a first region of one or more of the plurality of memory devices, the system controller operable to communicate the memory requests to the one or more of the plurality of memory devices and transmit memory data from the one or more of the plurality of memory devices in response to at least one of the memory requests;
- a selection block configured to receive the memory requests corresponding to the first region of the one or more of the plurality of memory devices and to receive an input signal indicating a number of defective cells that are replaced by redundant cells in at least one region of the one or more of the plurality of memory devices selectable by the selection block relative to that of at least another region of the one or more of the plurality of memory devices selectable by the selection block, the selection block operable to map the memory requests to a second region of the one or more of the plurality of memory devices based on the input signal;
- and
- a data storage device in communication with the first processing apparatus, the data storage device configured to provide a first plurality of bytes associated with a first memory request of the memory requests, based at least in part on the first user interface request.
4 more elements
A processor-based apparatus comprising:
- a processing apparatus operable to process data and to provide memory commands and addresses;
- a user interface apparatus in communication with the processing apparatus and configured to generate a plurality of user interface requests;
- and
- a system controller in communication with the processing apparatus, the system controller operable to receive and transmit memory commands, addresses and data;
- a plurality of memory devices in communication with the system controller;
- a selection block configured to receive an address signal indicative of a region of the one or more of the plurality of memory devices, the selection block being operable to generate a selection signal to map the address signal indicative of the region of the one or more of the plurality of memory devices to a physical location of the one or more of the plurality of memory devices, the selection block further being operable to generate the selection signal on the basis of a number of defective cells that are replaced by redundant cells in the physical location of the one or more of the plurality of memory devices relative to that of at least one other region selectable by the selection block;
- and
- an output device in communication with the processing apparatus and configured to receive a first plurality of bytes from a first memory device of the plurality of memory devices responsive to a first request of the plurality of user interface requests and to generate a user-readable output corresponding to the first plurality of bytes in response to a second request of the plurality of user interface requests.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.