IP Library Granted Patent US 9,224,430
Granted Patent B2
US 9,224,430 · App. 13/192,125 · Granted Dec 29, 2015

Devices, methods, and systems supporting on unit termination

Inventor: Terry M. Grunzke (Boise, ID)
Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
G11C5/04G11C29/025G11C29/028
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,224,430
App. No.
13/192,125
Granted
Dec 29, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure includes devices, methods, and systems supporting on unit termination. A number of embodiments include a number of memory units, wherein a memory unit includes termination circuitry, and a memory unit does not include termination circuitry.

Claims (82)

1. A method of operating a system, comprising:

adjusting, by a controller of the system, a timing mode associated with a number of memory devices of the system, wherein:

each of the number of memory devices includes a number of memory units;

a memory unit of each respective memory device includes a termination circuitry and a termination matrix, wherein the termination circuitry includes a number of different selectable resistors and the termination matrix includes a number of resistance values associated with the termination circuitry for a number of different timing modes associated with the memory devices, and wherein each of the number of resistance values in the termination matrix represents a different timing mode;

a memory unit of each respective memory device does not include termination circuitry;

adjusting, by the memory unit in at least one of the memory devices that includes the termination circuitry and the termination matrix, the termination circuitry based, at least partially, on the adjustment of the timing mode associated with the memory device, the adjustment of the timing mode including an adjustment of at least one of an input/output speed associated with the number of memory devices, a clock frequency associated with the number of memory devices, and a bus speed associated with a bus of the number of memory devices, wherein adjusting the termination circuitry includes adjusting the resistance value associated with the resistors of the termination circuitry, such that the adjusted resistance value is a minimum resistance value that permits the number of devices to operate at an input/output speed of the adjusted timing mode;

monitoring, by the termination circuitry, commands provided across the bus;

activating, by the termination circuitry, upon detection of a particular command to perform a termination function;

de-activating, by the termination circuitry, upon performing the termination function; and

controlling, by the controller, access across a number of memory channels coupled to the respective number of memory devices via the bus.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

adjusting the timing mode associated with the number of memory devices includes adjusting the input/output speed associated with the number of memory devices.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein:

adjusting the input/output speed associated with the number of memory devices includes increasing the input/output speed associated with the number of memory devices; and

adjusting the resistance value associated with the resistors of the termination circuitry includes increasing the resistance value associated with the resistors of the termination circuitry.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein:

adjusting the input/output speed associated with the number of memory devices includes decreasing the input/output speed associated with the number of memory devices; and

adjusting the resistance value associated with the resistors of the termination circuitry includes decreasing the resistance value associated with the resistors of the termination circuitry.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the termination circuitry includes disabling the termination circuitry.

6. An apparatus, comprising:

a number of memory devices, wherein each of the number of memory devices includes a number of memory units, wherein:

a memory unit of each respective memory device includes a termination circuitry and a termination matrix, wherein the termination circuitry includes a number of different selectable resistors and the termination matrix includes a number of resistance values associated with the termination circuitry for a number of different timing modes associated with the memory devices, and wherein each of the number of resistance values in the termination matrix represents a different timing mode;

a memory unit of each respective memory device does not include termination circuitry;

the memory unit that includes the termination circuitry and the termination matrix is configured to adjust the termination circuitry by adjusting the resistance value associated with the resistors of the termination circuitry based on an adjustment of the timing mode associated with the number of devices, the adjustment of the timing mode including an adjustment of at least one of an input/output speed associated with the number of devices, a clock frequency associated with the number of devices, and a bus speed associated with a bus of the number of devices, such that the adjusted resistance value is a minimum resistance value that permits the number of devices to operate at an input/output speed of the adjusted timing mode; and

the termination circuitry is configured to monitor commands provided across the bus, activate upon detection of a particular command to perform a termination function, and de-activate upon performing the termination function; and

a controller coupled to the memory devices and configured to control access across a number of memory channels coupled to the respective number of memory devices via the bus.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the memory unit of each respective memory device that includes the termination circuitry and the termination matrix is the only memory unit of the number of memory units of that memory device that includes termination circuitry.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the memory unit of each respective memory device that includes the termination circuitry and the termination matrix is configured to perform non-target termination.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the memory unit of each respective memory device that includes the termination circuitry and the termination matrix is configured to perform target termination and non-target termination.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein only two of the number of memory units of each respective memory device include the termination circuitry and the termination matrix.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein:

a first of the only two memory units of each respective memory device that include the termination circuitry and the termination matrix is configured to perform non-target termination; and

a second of the only two memory units of each respective memory device that include the termination circuitry and the termination matrix is configured to perform target termination.

12. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the memory unit of each respective memory device that does not include termination circuitry has a lower input/output capacitance than the memory unit of each respective memory device that includes the termination circuitry and the termination matrix.

13. A system, comprising:

a number of memory devices, wherein:

each of the number of memory devices includes a number of memory units;

a memory unit of the respective number of memory units in each of the number of memory devices includes a termination circuitry and a termination matrix, wherein the termination circuitry includes a number of different selectable resistors and the termination matrix includes a number of resistance values associated with the termination circuitry for a number of different timing modes associated with the memory devices, and wherein each of the number of resistance values in the termination matrix represents a different timing mode;

a memory unit of the respective number of memory units in each of the number of memory devices does not include termination circuitry;

the memory unit in at least one of the number of memory devices that includes the termination circuitry and the termination matrix is configured to adjust the termination circuitry by adjusting the resistance value associated with the resistors of the termination circuitry based on an adjustment of the timing mode associated with the number of memory devices, the adjustment of the timing mode including an adjustment of at least one of an input/output speed associated with the number of memory devices, a clock frequency associated with the number of memory devices, and a bus speed associated with a bus of the number of memory devices, such that the adjusted resistance value is a minimum resistance value that permits the number of memory devices to operate at an input/output speed of the adjusted timing mode; and

the termination circuitry is configured to monitor commands provided across the bus, activate upon detection of a particular command to perform a termination function, and de-activate upon performing the termination function; and

a controller coupled to the memory devices and configured to control access across a number of memory channels coupled to the respective number of memory devices via the bus.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the number of memory units are logical units.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the termination circuitry is configured to perform the termination function upon detection of a particular address.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the memory unit in at least one of the number of memory devices that includes the termination circuitry and the termination matrix is configured to provide electrostatic discharge protection for the memory unit in that memory device that does not include termination circuitry.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the memory unit in that memory device that does not include termination circuitry is configured to provide electrostatic discharge protection for the memory unit in that memory device that does not include termination circuitry.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the memory unit in that memory device that does not include termination circuitry includes at least reduced on unit electrostatic discharge protection as compared to the memory unit of that memory device that does include the termination circuitry and the termination matrix.

19. A system, comprising:

a number of memory devices, wherein:

each of the number of memory devices includes a number of memory units;

each of the respective number of memory units in a memory device of the number of memory devices includes a termination circuitry and a termination matrix, wherein the termination circuitry includes a number of different selectable resistors and the termination matrix includes a number of resistance values associated with the termination circuitry for a number of different timing modes associated with the memory devices, and wherein each of the number of resistance values in the termination matrix represents a different timing mode;

each of the respective number of memory units in another one of the number of memory devices does not include termination circuitry;

the number of memory units that include the termination circuitry and the termination matrix are configured to adjust the termination circuitry of the number of memory units by adjusting the resistance value associated with the resistors of the termination circuitry based on an adjustment of the timing mode associated with the device, the adjustment of the timing mode including an adjustment of an input/output speed associated with the number of memory devices, a clock frequency associated with the number of memory devices, and a bus speed associated with a bus of the number of memory devices, such that the adjusted resistance value is a minimum resistance value that permits the number of memory devices to operate at an input/output speed of the adjusted timing mode; and

the termination circuitry is configured to monitor commands provided across the bus, activate upon detection of a particular command to perform a termination function, and de-activate upon performing the termination function; and

a controller coupled to the memory devices and configured to control access across a number of memory channels coupled to the respective number of memory devices via the bus.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the number of memory devices are multi-chip packages.

21. The system of claim 19 , wherein each of the number of memory devices includes at least four memory units.

22. The system of claim 19 , wherein:

the controller is configured to adjust the timing mode associated with the number of memory devices.

23. A system, comprising:

a number of memory devices, each including a number of memory units, wherein a memory unit of the number of memory units in each respective memory device includes a termination circuitry and a termination matrix, wherein the termination circuitry includes a number of different selectable resistors and the termination matrix includes a number of resistance values associated with the termination circuitry for a number of different timing modes associated with the memory devices, and wherein each of the number of resistance values in the termination matrix represents a different timing mode; and

a controller coupled to the number of memory devices and configured to:

adjust a timing mode associated with the number of memory devices; and

control access across a number of memory channels coupled to the respective number of memory devices via a bus;

wherein the memory unit including the termination circuitry and the termination matrix is configured to adjust the termination circuitry based, at least partially, on the adjustment of the timing mode associated with the number of memory devices by adjusting the resistance value associated with the resistors of the termination circuitry, the adjustment of the timing mode including an adjustment of at least one of an input/output speed associated with the number of memory devices, a clock frequency associated with the number of memory devices, and a bus speed associated with the bus, such that the adjusted resistance value is a minimum resistance value that permits the number of memory devices to operate at an input/output speed of the adjusted timing mode; and

wherein the termination circuitry is configured to monitor commands provided across the bus, activate upon detection of a particular command to perform a termination function, and de-activate upon performing the termination function.

24. The system of claim 23 , wherein:

the memory unit in each respective memory device that includes the termination circuitry and the termination matrix is configured to adjust the termination circuitry using the termination matrix.

25. The system of claim 23 , wherein another memory unit of the number of memory units in each respective memory device does not include termination circuitry.

26. The system of claim 23 , wherein the memory unit of the number of memory units in each respective memory device that includes the termination circuitry comprises only one of the number of memory units in each respective memory device.

27. The system of claim 23 , wherein the memory unit of the number of memory units in each respective memory device that includes the termination circuitry comprises all of the number of memory units in each respective memory device.

28. The system of claim 23 , wherein the memory unit of the number of memory units in each respective memory device that includes the termination circuitry comprises a plurality of the number of memory units in each respective memory device.

29. A system, comprising:

a number of memory devices, each including a number of memory units, wherein a memory unit of the number of memory units in each respective memory device includes a termination circuitry and a termination matrix, wherein the termination circuitry includes a number of different selectable resistors and the termination matrix includes a number of resistance values associated with the termination circuitry for a number of different timing modes associated with the memory devices, and wherein each of the number of resistance values in the termination matrix represents a different timing mode; and

a controller coupled to the memory device and configured to:

adjust a timing mode associated with the number of memory; devices; and

control access across a number of memory channels coupled to the respective number of memory devices via a bus;

wherein the termination circuitry is configured to be adjusted using the termination matrix based, at least partially, on the adjustment of the timing mode associated with the number of memory devices, wherein the adjustment of the termination circuitry includes an adjustment of the resistance value associated with the resistors of the termination circuitry, the adjustment of the timing mode including an adjustment of at least one of an input/output speed associated with the number of memory devices, a clock frequency associated with the number of memory devices, and a bus speed associated with the bus, such that the adjusted resistance value is a minimum resistance value that permits the number of memory devices to operate at an input/output speed of the adjusted timing mode; and

wherein the termination circuitry is configured to monitor commands provided across the bus, activate upon detection of a particular command to perform a termination function, and de-activate upon performing the termination function.

30. The system of claim 29 , wherein the memory unit of the number of memory units in each respective memory device that includes the termination circuitry and the termination matrix comprises only one of the number of memory units.

31. The system of claim 29 , wherein the memory unit of the number of memory units in each respective memory device that includes the termination circuitry and the termination matrix comprises all of the number of memory units.

32. The system of claim 29 , wherein the memory unit of the number of memory units in each respective memory device that includes the termination circuitry and the termination matrix comprises a plurality of the number of memory units.

Assignments (8)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 12, 2019
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.; MICRON SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTS, INC.
Reel/Frame 051028/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 9, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 050937/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 23, 2018
From: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 047243/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 13, 2018
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.; MICRON SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047540/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE REPLACE ERRONEOUSLY FILED PATENT #7358718 WITH THE CORRECT PATENT #7358178 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 038669 FRAME 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Jun 8, 2017
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 043079/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 2, 2016
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 038954/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 12, 2016
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 038669/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 27, 2011
From: GRUNZKE, TERRY M.
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 026659/0586 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20130031326A1 · Jan 31, 2013