IP Library Granted Patent US 7,486,105
Granted Patent B2
US 7,486,105 · App. 11/625,368 · Granted Feb 3, 2009

Memory systems and memory access methods

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,486,105
App. No.
11/625,368
Granted
Feb 3, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

A memory system includes a first memory unit, a transmission bus having an impedance, and a memory controller having a first on-die termination circuit, coupled to the first memory unit through the transmission bus. The first on-die termination circuit matches the impedance of the transmission bus in response to the memory controller writing data to the first memory unit.

Claims (49)

1. A memory system, comprising:

a first memory unit;

a transmission bus having an impedance;

a memory controller having a first on-die termination circuit, coupled to the first memory unit through the transmission bus, wherein the first on-die termination circuit matches the impedance of the transmission bus in response to the memory controller writing data to the first memory unit; and

a second memory unit coupled to the memory controller through the transmission bus;

wherein the first memory unit further comprises a third on-die termination circuit damping signals reflected from the second memory unit to the first memory unit in response to the memory controller writing data to the first memory unit.

2. The memory system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first on-die termination circuit damps signals reflected from the second memory unit in response to the memory controller accessing the first memory unit.

3. The memory system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first on-die termination circuit damps signals reflected to the first memory unit in response to the memory controller accessing the first memory unit.

4. The memory system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first on-die termination circuit comprises:

a termination resistor coupled to the transmission bus; and

a switch coupled between the termination resistor and a bias voltage, wherein the switch is turned on in response to the memory controller accessing the first memory unit to activate the termination resistor, and the bias voltage is determined according to the type of the first memory unit.

5. The memory system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first memory unit is a dynamic random access memory.

6. The memory system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first memory unit is a synchronous dynamic random access memory.

7. The memory system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first memory unit is a double-date-rate synchronous dynamic random access memory or a double-data-rate two synchronous dynamic random access memory.

8. A memory system, comprising:

a first memory unit;

a transmission bus having an impedance;

a memory controller having a first on-die termination circuit, coupled to the first memory unit through the transmission bus, wherein the first on-die termination circuit matches the impedance of the transmission bus in response to the memory controller writing data to the first memory unit; and

a second memory unit coupled to the memory controller through the transmission bus, having a second on-die termination circuit damping signals reflected from the second memory unit to the first memory unit in response to the memory controller writing data to the first memory unit.

9. The memory system as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the first on-die termination circuit damps signals reflected from the second memory unit in response to the memory controller writing data to the first memory unit.

10. The memory system as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the first on-die termination circuit damps signals reflected to the first memory unit in response to the memory controller reading data from the first memory unit.

11. The memory system as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the first memory unit further comprises a third on-die termination circuit damping signals reflected from the second memory unit to the first memory unit in response to the memory controller writing data to the first memory unit.

12. The memory system as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the first on-die termination circuit comprises:

a termination resistor coupled to the transmission bus; and

a switch coupled between the termination resistor and a bias voltage, wherein the switch is turned on in response to the memory controller accessing the first memory unit to activate the termination resistor.

13. The memory system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the bias voltage is determined according to the type of the first memory unit.

14. The memory system as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the first memory unit is a dynamic random access memory.

15. The memory system as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the first memory unit is a synchronous dynamic random access memory.

16. The memory system as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the first memory unit is a double-date-rate synchronous dynamic random access memory.

17. The memory system as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the first memory unit is a double-data-rate two synchronous dynamic random access memory.

18. A memory access method, comprising:

obtaining a type of a first memory unit;

determining a bias voltage applied to a first on-die termination circuit in a memory controller according to the type of the first memory unit;

the memory controller writing data to the first memory unit through a transmission bus having an impedance, wherein the first on-die termination circuit matches the impedance of the transmission bus in response to the memory controller writing data to the first memory unit; and

coupling a second memory unit to the memory controller through the transmission bus, wherein the second memory unit further comprises a second on-die termination circuit damping signals reflected from the second memory unit to the first memory unit in response to the memory controller writing data to the first memory unit.

19. The memory access method as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the first on-die termination circuit damps signals reflected from the second memory unit in response to the memory controller writing data to the first memory unit.

20. The memory access method as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the first on-die termination circuit damps signals reflected to the first memory unit in response to the memory controller reading data from the first memory unit.

21. A memory access method, comprising:

obtaining a type of a first memory unit:

determining a bias voltage applied to a first on-die termination circuit in a memory controller according to the type of the first memory unit;

the memory controller writing data to the first memory unit through a transmission bus having an impedance, wherein the first on-die termination circuit matches the impedance of the transmission bus in response to the memory controller writing data to the first memory unit; and coupling a second memory unit to the memory controller through the transmission bus;

wherein the first memory unit further comprises a third on-die termination circuit damping signals reflected from the second memory unit to the first memory unit in response to the memory controller writing data to the first memory unit.

22. The memory access method as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the first on-die termination circuit comprises:

a termination resistor coupled to the transmission bus; and

a switch coupled between the termination resistor and the bias voltage, wherein the switch is turned on to activate the termination resistor in response to the memory controller accessing the first memory unit.

23. The memory access method as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the first memory unit is a dynamic random access memory.

24. The memory access method as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the first memory unit is a synchronous dynamic random access memory.

25. The memory access method as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the first memory unit is a double-date-rate synchronous dynamic random access memory.

26. The memory access method as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the first memory unit is a double-data-rate two synchronous dynamic random access memory.

Assignments (4)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 060646 FRAME: 0916. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Aug 23, 2022
From: FORTIETH FLOOR, LLC
To: HAMILCAR BARCA IP LLC
Reel/Frame 061301/0567 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 27, 2022
From: FORTIETH FLOOR, LLC
To: HANNIBAL BARCA IP LLC
Reel/Frame 060646/0916 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 9, 2021
From: MEDIATEK INC.
To: FORTIETH FLOOR LLC
Reel/Frame 058342/0953 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 22, 2007
From: LI, CHING-CHIH
To: MEDIATEK INC.
Reel/Frame 018784/0263 →