Memory system and method having uni-directional data buses
AssigneeRound Rock Research, LLC
InventorJoseph M. Jeddeloh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A memory system and method includes a unidirectional downstream bus coupling write data from a memory controller to several memory devices, and a unidirectional upstream bus coupling read data from the memory devices to the memory controller. The memory devices each include a write buffer for storing the write data until the respective memory device is no longer busy processing read memory requests. The downstream bus may also be used for coupling memory commands and/or row and column addresses from the memory controller to the memory devices.
Claims25
A method of coupling data between a memory controller and a memory device, comprising:
- coupling write data from the memory controller to the memory device through a first unidirectional data bus;
- coupling read data from the memory device to the memory controller through a second unidirectional data bus that is separate and isolated from the first unidirectional data bus;
- retaining the write data in the memory device for a plurality of write requests without coupling the write data to an array of memory cells;
- waiting until the memory device is not coupling read data from the array of memory cells;
- and
- when the memory device is not coupling read data from the array of memory cells, coupling the retained write data to the array of memory cells.
A method of coupling data between a memory requester and a memory device, comprising:
- coupling write data from the memory requester to the memory device through a first bus;
- coupling read data from the memory device to the memory requester through a second bus that is separate and isolated from the first bus;
- retaining the write data in the memory device for a plurality of write requests without coupling the write data to an array of memory cells;
- waiting until the memory device is not coupling read data from the array of memory cells;
- and
- when the memory device is not coupling read data from the array of memory cells, coupling the retained write data to the array of memory cells.
A method of coupling data to and from a memory device, comprising:
- coupling write data from the memory requester to the memory device through a first set of terminals of the memory device;
- coupling read data from the memory device through a second set of terminals that are separate and isolated from the first set of terminals;
- retaining the write data in the memory device for a plurality of write requests without coupling the write data to an array of memory cells;
- waiting until the memory device is not coupling read data from the array of memory cells;
- and
- when the memory device is not coupling read data from the array of memory cells, coupling the retained write data to the array of memory cells.
A method of coupling data between a memory controller and a memory device, comprising:
- coupling write data from the memory controller to the memory device through a first unidirectional data bus;
- coupling read data from the memory device to the memory controller through a second unidirectional data bus that is separate and isolated from the first unidirectional data bus;
- coupling memory commands from the memory controller to the memory device through the first unidirectional data bus;
- retaining the memory commands in the memory device for a plurality of memory requests without processing the memory commands;
- waiting until the memory device is not coupling read data from the memory device;
- and
- when the memory device is not coupling read data from the memory device, processing the retained memory commands.
A method of coupling data between a memory requester and a memory device, comprising:
- coupling write data from the memory requester to the memory device through a first bus;
- coupling read data from the memory device to the memory requester through a second bus that is separate and isolated from the first bus;
- coupling memory commands from the memory requester to the memory device through the first bus;
- retaining the memory commands in the memory device for a plurality of memory requests without processing the memory commands;
- waiting until the memory device is not coupling read data from memory device;
- and
- when the memory device is not coupling read data from the memory device, processing the retained memory commands.
A method of coupling data to and from a memory device, comprising:
- coupling write data to the memory device through a first set of terminals of the memory device;
- coupling read data from the memory device through a second set of terminals that are separate and isolated from the first set of terminals;
- coupling memory commands to the memory device through the first set of terminals;
- retaining the memory commands in the memory device for a plurality of memory requests without processing the memory commands;
- waiting until the memory device is not coupling read data from the memory device;
- and
- when the memory device is not coupling read data from the memory device, processing the retained memory commands.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.