Memory devices and systems configured to communicate a delay signal and methods for operating the same

Abstract

Memory devices, systems including memory devices, and methods of operating memory devices are described in which waterfall attacks can be prevented from degrading data by alerting a memory controller that the memory device requests time to perform internal management operations, and should not be sent any further commands (e.g., activate commands) for a predetermined amount of time. In one embodiment, a memory device includes an external pin, a mode register, a memory array including a plurality of rows of memory cells, and circuitry configured to: determine that a criterion to perform an internal management operation on a subset of the plurality of rows has been met, transmit, in response to determining the criterion has been met, a signal to the external pin, determine a duration corresponding to the internal management operation, and write a bit value indicative of the determined duration to the mode register.