Micron Technology Incorporated

Lodestar Licensing Group LLC

Yogesh Sharma

Chan H Yoo

Gregory A King

Randon K Richards

Timothy Mowry Hollis

Thomas H Kinsley

George Edward Pax

Eric J Stave

Joo S Choi

Baekkyu Choi

George E Pax

Yoshihisa Fukushima

James S Rehmeyer

Brian W Huber

Matthew B Leslie

Dirgha Khatri

Miles S Wiscombe

Elancheren Durai

Scott Richard Cyr

Quincy R Holton

Atsushi Morishima

Boe L Holbrook

Apparatuses and methods for routing and transmitting signals in an electronic device are described. Various signal paths may be routed to avoid or limit reference transitions or transitions between layers of a structure of a device (e.g., printed circuit board (PCB)). In a memory module, for example, different data inputs/outputs (e.g., DQs) may be routed through different layers of a PCB according to their relative location to one another. For instance, DQs associated with even bits of a byte may be routed on one layer of a PCB near one ground plane, and DQs associated with odd bits of the byte may be routed on a different layer of the PCB near another ground plane.

Transmitting data signals on separate layers of a memory module, and related methods and apparatuses

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for operating a memory device or devices are described. A memory device or module may introduce latency in commands to coordinate operations at the device or to improve timing or power consumption at the device. For example, a host may issue a command to a memory module, and a component or feature of the memory module may receive the command and modify the command or the timing of its execution in manner that is invisible or non-disruptive to the host while facilitating operations at the memory module. In some examples, components or features of a memory module may be disabled to effect or introduce latency in operation without affecting timing or operation of a host device. A memory module may operate in different modes that allow for different latencies; the use or introduction of latencies may not affect other features or operability of the memory module.

Methods for memory power management and memory devices and systems employing the same

Memory devices, systems including memory devices, and methods of operating memory devices are described, in which clock trees can be separately optimized to provide a coarse alignment between a clock signal and a command/address signal (and/or a chip select signal or other control signal), and/or in which individual memory devices can be isolated for fine-tuning of device-specific alignment between a clock signal and a command/address signal (and/or a chip select signal or other control signal). Moreover, individual memory devices can be isolated for fine-tuning of device-specific equalization of a command/address signal (and/or a chip select signal or other control signal).

Methods for tuning command/address bus timing and memory devices and memory systems using the same

An apparatus is provided, comprising a plurality of memory devices and a buffering device that permits memory devices with a variety of physical dimensions and memory formats to be used in an industry-standard memory module format. The buffering device includes memory interface circuitry and at least one first-in first-out (FIFO) or multiplexer circuit. The apparatus further comprises a parallel bus connecting the buffering device to the plurality of memory devices. The parallel bus includes a plurality of independent control lines, each coupling the memory interface circuitry to a corresponding subset of a plurality of first subsets of the plurality of memory devices. The parallel bus further includes a plurality of independent data channels, each coupling the at least one FIFO circuit or multiplexer circuit to a corresponding subset of a plurality of second subsets of the plurality of memory devices.

Memory devices, modules and systems having memory devices with varying physical dimensions, memory formats, and operational capabilities

Systems, apparatuses, and methods relating to memory devices and packaging are described. A device, such as a dual inline memory module (DIMM) or other electronic device package, may include a substrate with a layer of graphene configured to conduct thermal energy (e.g., heat) away from components mounted or affixed to the substrate. In some examples, a DIMM includes an uppermost or top layer of graphene that is exposed to the air and configured to allow connection of memory devices (e.g., DRAMs) to be soldered to the conducting pads of the substrate. The graphene may be in contact with parts of the memory device other than the electrical connections with the conducting pads and may thus be configured as a heat sink for the device. Other thin, conductive layers of may be used in addition to or as an alternative to graphene. Graphene may be complementary to other heat sink mechanisms.

Memory modules and memory packages including graphene layers for thermal management

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for thermal dissipation on or from an electronic device are described. An apparatus may have a printed circuit board (PCB) having an edge connector. At least one integrated circuit device may be disposed on a surface of the PCB. A tubular heat spreader may be disposed along an edge of the PCB opposite the edge connector.

Tubular heat spreaders for memory modules and memory modules incorporating the same

Methods, systems, and devices for voltage adjustment based on, for example, pending refresh operations are described. A memory device may periodically perform refresh operations to refresh volatile memory cells and may at times postpone performing one or more refresh operations. A memory device may determine a quantity of pending (e.g., postponed) refresh operations, such as by determining a quantity of refresh intervals that have elapsed without receiving or executing a refresh command, among other methods. A memory device may pre-emptively adjust (or cause to be adjusted) a supply voltage associated with the memory device or memory device component based on the quantity of pending refresh operations to prepare for the current demand associated with the performing the one or more pending refresh operations. For example, the memory device may increase a supply voltage associated with one or more components to prepare for performing multiple pending refresh operations.

Voltage adjustment based on pending refresh operations

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for thermal dissipation on or from an electronic device are described. For example, a memory module may have a printed circuit board (PCB) having an edge connector, a plurality of memory devices disposed on a surface of the PCB, and a tubular heat spreader disposed along an edge of the PCB opposite the edge connector. The tubular heat spreader may comprise a tubular portion open at both ends thereof to permit the through flow of a cooling gas; and two planar elements extending in parallel away from the tubular portion and configured to provide a friction fit with the memory module. Each of the planar elements may be configured to convey thermal energy from the memory module to the tubular portion.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for routing and transmitting signals in an electronic device are described. Various signal paths may be routed to avoid or limit reference transitions or transitions between layers of a structure of a device (e.g., printed circuit board (PCB)). In a memory module, for example, different data inputs/outputs (e.g., DQs) may be routed through different layers of a PCB according to their relative location to one another. For instance, DQs associated with even bits of a byte may be routed on one layer of a PCB near one ground plane, and DQs associated with odd bits of the byte may be routed on a different layer of the PCB near another ground plane. Each of the DQs may be subject to a single reference layer change, which may occur at or near a DRAM of a memory module (e.g., in the DRAM ball grid array (BGA) area).

Transmitting data signals on separate layers of a memory module, and related methods, systems and apparatuses

Some embodiments of the invention include a memory device having a number of data terminals for transferring data signals and a number of strobe terminals for transferring strobe signals representing timing information of the data. The strobe terminals have a fixed signal level in an inactive mode of the memory device. The memory further includes a controller for reducing signal instability of the strobe signals when the memory device switches from the inactive mode to a data transfer mode. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Pre-emphasis for strobe signals in memory device

A memory device has a number of data terminals for transferring data signals and a number of strobe terminals for transferring strobe signals representing timing information of the data. The strobe terminals have a fixed signal level in an inactive mode of the memory device. The memory further includes a controller for reducing any signal instability of the strobe signals when the memory device switches from the inactive mode to a data transfer mode.

Growing community of inventors

Boise, ID, United States of America

Yogesh Sharma