Memory device and method for dynamic random access memory having serial interface and integral instruction buffer
View Patent ↗A dynamic random access memory integrated circuit includes an interface to a serial interconnect, where the interface is configured to receive a plurality of memory access instructions over the serial interconnect, and a buffer configured to store the plurality of memory access instructions prior to execution of the buffered memory access instructions by the dynamic random access memory integrated circuit. The memory access instructions are received over at least one serial link that forms the serial interconnect, and the at least one serial link may be a shared bi-directional serial link or a uni-directional serial link.
1. A method, comprising:
receiving a plurality of memory access instructions over a serial interconnect at a dynamic random access memory integrated circuit;
buffering the plurality of memory access instructions in the dynamic random access memory integrated circuit; and
executing the buffered memory access instructions;
wherein the plurality of memory access instructions comprise at least one command; and
wherein, in response to a first memory access instruction of the buffered plurality of memory access instructions and a second memory access instruction of the buffered plurality of memory access instructions both referencing a same page of the dynamic random access memory integrated circuit, and the first memory access instruction being non-sequential with respect to the second memory access instruction, the dynamic random access memory integrated circuit executing the buffered plurality of memory access instructions in a different order than the order in which they are received.
2. The method of claim 1 , where the memory access instructions are received over at least one serial link that forms the serial interconnect, and where the at least one serial link is one of a shared bi-directional serial link, a uni-directional serial link, a full-duplex serial link, or a half-duplex serial link.
3. The method of claim 1 , where the memory access instructions comprise a priority indicator for indicating, for a particular memory access instruction, its priority relative to other memory access instructions.
4. The method of claim 3 , where buffered memory access instructions are executed in an order of priority such that a memory access instruction having a higher priority is executed before a memory access instruction having a lower priority.
5. The method of claim 3 , where a memory access instruction having a high priority interrupts the execution of a memory access instruction having a lower priority.
6. The method of claim 1 , where the buffered memory access instructions are executed in the order that they are received.
7. The method of claim 1 , where a memory access instruction comprises for a memory read access at least a memory address and a read command, and where a memory access instruction comprises for a memory write access at least a memory address, data to be written and a write command.
8. The method of claim 7 , where a memory access instruction further comprises an identifier to enable a recipient of information returned from the memory to associate the returned information with the corresponding memory access instruction.
9. The method of claim 1 , where receiving and buffering occur a plurality of times in succession until the reception of another memory access instruction is prevented by an occurrence of at least one condition comprising information being returned over the serial interconnect in response to execution of one or more buffered memory access instructions, or a memory instruction buffer of the dynamic random access memory integrated circuit being full or nearly full.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising deleting an already buffered memory access instruction.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising changing the priority indicator of an already buffered memory access instruction.
12. A dynamic random access memory integrated circuit, comprising:
an interface to a serial interconnect, said interface configured to receive a plurality of memory access instructions over the serial interconnect; and
a buffer configured to store the plurality of memory access instructions prior to execution of the buffered memory access instructions by the dynamic random access memory integrated circuit;
wherein the plurality of memory access instructions comprise at least one command; and
wherein, in response to a first memory access instruction of the buffered plurality of memory access instructions and a second memory access instruction of the buffered plurality of memory access instructions both referencing a same page of the dynamic random access memory integrated circuit and the first memo access instruction being non-sequential with respect to the second memory access instruction, the dynamic random access memo integrated circuit executing the buffered plurality of memory access instructions in a different order than the order in which they are received.
13. The dynamic random access memory integrated circuit of claim 12 , where the memory access instructions are received over at least one serial link that forms the serial interconnect, and where the at least one serial link is one of a shared bi-directional serial link, a uni-directional serial link, a full-duplex serial link, or a half-duplex serial link.
14. The dynamic random access memory integrated circuit of claim 12 , where the memory access instructions comprise a priority indicator for indicating, for a particular memory access instruction, its priority relative to other memory access instructions.
15. The dynamic random access memory integrated circuit of claim 14 , where the where buffered memory access instructions are executed in an order of priority such that a memory access instruction having a higher priority is executed before a memory access instruction having a lower priority.
16. The dynamic random access memory integrated circuit of claim 14 , where a memory access instruction having a high priority interrupts the execution of a memory access instruction having a lower priority.
17. The dynamic random access memory integrated circuit of claim 12 , where a memory access instruction comprises for a memory read access at least a memory address and a read command, and where a memory access instruction comprises for a memory write access at least a memory address, data to be written and a write command.
18. The dynamic random access memory integrated circuit of claim 17 , where a memory access instruction further comprises an identifier to enable a recipient of information returned from the memory integrated circuit to associate the returned information with the corresponding memory access instruction.
19. The dynamic random access memory integrated circuit of claim 12 , where reception of another memory access instruction is prevented by an occurrence of at least one condition comprising information being returned over the serial interconnect in response to execution of one or more buffered memory access instructions, or said buffer being full or nearly full.
20. The dynamic random access memory integrated circuit of claim 12 , where said dynamic random access memory integrated circuit is responsive to receipt of a stall instruction to terminate sending information on the serial interconnect to enable the reception of at least one memory access instruction.
21. The dynamic random access memory integrated circuit of claim 12 , further comprising circuitry to delete an already buffered memory access instruction.
22. The dynamic random access memory integrated circuit of claim 12 , further comprising circuitry to change the priority indicator of an already buffered memory access instruction.
23. The dynamic random access memory integrated circuit of claim 12 , embodied in a device in combination with at least one data processor and at least one memory controller, where the serial interconnect connects the memory controller and the dynamic random access memory integrated circuit.