Dynamically applying refresh overcharge voltage to extend refresh cycle time
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorAndre Schaefer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A refresh voltage control engine selectively applies different high voltages to use in refresh operations. The control engine can detect that a portion of a memory device needs to be refreshed, and determine that the refresh cycle time is too short for a state of the portion of the memory device. The memory device typically has an associated refresh cycle time or time between refreshes based on the device and system architecture. The control engine can generate one or more control signals to cause the system to apply an overcharge refresh to overcharge the portion of the memory device with a refresh operation to extend the refresh cycle time for the portion of the memory device.
Claims20
A method for managing memory device refresh, comprising:
- detecting that a portion of a memory device needs to be refreshed, the memory device having an associated time between refreshes;
- determining whether the time between refreshes is too short for a state of the portion of the memory device;
- and
- if the time between refreshes is too short for the state, applying an overcharge refresh with an overcharge voltage to the portion of the memory device with a refresh operation to selectively extend the time between refreshes for the portion of the memory device;
- otherwise,
- applying a refresh operation with a refresh voltage that does not extend the time between refreshes for the portion of the memory device.
An apparatus for dynamically applying a refresh voltage, comprising:
- control logic to detect that a portion of a memory device needs to be refreshed, determine whether a time between refreshes is too short for a state of the portion of the memory device, and if the time between refreshes is too short for the state, generate control signals to circuits that control refresh to cause the circuits to apply an overcharge refresh to overcharge the portion of the memory device with a refresh operation having an overcharge voltage to the portion of the memory device with a refresh operation to selectively extend the time between refreshes for the portion of the memory device;
- otherwise, to apply a refresh operation with a refresh voltage that does not extend the time between refreshes for the portion of the memory device;
- and
- a high voltage selection circuit to selectively provide an overcharge voltage to the portion of the memory device to overcharge the portion of the memory device in response to a control signal from the control logic.
A system comprising:
- a refresh voltage control circuit, including
- control logic to detect that a portion of a memory device needs to be refreshed, determine whether a time between refreshes is too short for a state of the portion of the memory device, and if the time between refreshes is too short for the state, generate control signals to circuits that control refresh to cause the circuits to apply an overcharge refresh to overcharge the portion of the memory device with a refresh operation having an overcharge voltage to the portion of the memory device with a refresh operation to selectively extend the time between refreshed for the portion of the memory device;
- otherwise, to apply a refresh operation with a refresh voltage that does not extend the time between refreshes for the portion of the memory device;
- and
- a high voltage selection circuit to selectively provide an overcharge voltage to the portion of the memory device to overcharge the portion of the memory device in response to a control signal from the control logic;
- and
- a high-definition display coupled to generate a display based on data stored in the memory device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.