IP Library Granted Patent US 9,269,417
Granted Patent B2
US 9,269,417 · App. 13/761,385 · Granted Feb 23, 2016

Memory refresh management

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,269,417
App. No.
13/761,385
Granted
Feb 23, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

Apparatus, systems, and methods to manage memory refresh operations are described. In one embodiment, an electronic device comprises a processor and memory controller logic to determine a memory refresh frequency for a memory system and transmit refresh commands to a refresh control logic in at least one memory bank coupled to the memory controller according to the memory refresh frequency. Other embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.

Claims (73)

1. An electronic device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory control logic to:

determine a memory refresh frequency for a memory system;

transmit refresh commands to a refresh control logic in at least one memory bank coupled to the memory control logic according to the memory refresh frequency;

retrieve a memory refresh parameter from a register in the at least one memory bank; and

use the memory refresh parameter to determine the memory refresh frequency

retrieve a plurality of memory refresh parameters from a plurality of memory banks coupled to the memory controller;

determine a maximum memory refresh parameter; and

set the memory refresh frequency to the maximum refresh parameter.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the memory controller comprises logic to generate refresh commands at a first refresh frequency which is constant.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the memory controller comprises logic to generate additional refresh commands at a second refresh frequency which is different than the first refresh frequency.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the memory controller comprises logic to generate refresh commands at a refresh frequency which varies over time in response to changes in the memory system.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein refresh control logic in the memory bank comprises logic to:

determine a refresh requirement for one or more rows in the memory bank; and

store the refresh requirement in a memory register in association with a row address.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 wherein refresh control logic in the memory bank comprises logic to:

receive a refresh command from the memory controller;

select a row from the memory register; and

implement a refresh operation on the row.

7. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein refresh control logic in the memory bank comprises logic to reorder refresh operations in the memory bank according to refresh requirements of rows of memory in the memory bank.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the memory controller further comprises logic to:

identify one or more rows in the at least one memory bank which require more frequent refresh operations; and

update a refresh frequency parameter for this one or more rows.

9. A memory controller comprising logic to:

determine a memory refresh frequency for a memory system; and

transmit refresh commands to a refresh control logic in at least one memory bank coupled to the memory controller according to the memory refresh frequency;

retrieve a memory refresh parameter from a register in the at least one memory bank; and

use the memory refresh parameter to determine the memory refresh frequency

retrieve a plurality of memory refresh parameters from a plurality of memory banks coupled to the memory controller;

determine a maximum memory refresh parameter; and

set the memory refresh frequency to the maximum refresh parameter.

10. The memory controller of claim 9 , wherein the memory controller comprises logic to generate refresh commands at a first refresh frequency which is constant.

11. The memory controller of claim 9 , wherein the memory controller comprises logic to generate additional refresh commands at a second refresh frequency which is different than the first refresh frequency.

12. The memory controller of claim 9 , wherein the memory controller comprises logic to generate refresh commands at a refresh frequency which varies over time in response to changes in the memory system.

13. The memory controller of claim 9 , wherein the memory controller further comprises logic to:

identify one or more rows in the at least one memory bank which require more frequent refresh operations; and

update a refresh frequency parameter for this one or more rows.

14. A method comprising:

determining, in a memory controller, a memory refresh frequency for a memory system; and

transmitting refresh commands to a refresh control logic in at least one memory bank coupled to the memory controller according to the memory refresh frequency;

retrieving a memory refresh parameter from a register in the at least one memory bank; and

using the memory refresh parameter to determine the memory refresh frequency

retrieving a plurality of memory refresh parameters from a plurality of memory banks coupled to the memory controller;

determining a maximum memory refresh parameter; and

setting the memory refresh frequency to the maximum refresh parameter.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising generating refresh commands at a first refresh frequency which is constant.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising generating additional refresh commands at a second refresh frequency which is different than the first refresh frequency.

17. An electronic device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory control logic to:

determine a memory refresh frequency for a memory system; and

transmit refresh commands to a refresh control logic in at least one memory bank coupled to the memory controller according to the memory refresh frequency, wherein refresh control logic in the memory bank comprises logic to:

determine a refresh requirement for one or more rows in the memory bank; and

store the refresh requirement in a memory register in association with a row address.

18. The electronic device of claim 17 , further comprising logic to:

retrieve a memory refresh parameter from a register in the at least one memory bank; and

use the memory refresh parameter to determine the memory refresh frequency.

19. The electronic device of claim 18 , further comprising logic to:

retrieve a plurality of memory refresh parameters from a plurality of memory banks coupled to the memory controller;

determine a maximum memory refresh parameter; and

set the memory refresh frequency to the maximum refresh parameter.

20. The electronic device of claim 19 , wherein the memory controller comprises logic to generate refresh commands at a first refresh frequency which is constant.

21. The electronic device of claim 19 , wherein the memory controller comprises logic to generate additional refresh commands at a second refresh frequency which is different than the first refresh frequency.

22. The electronic device of claim 19 , wherein the memory controller comprises logic to generate refresh commands at a refresh frequency which varies over time in response to changes in the memory system.

23. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein refresh control logic in the memory bank comprises logic to:

receive a refresh command from the memory controller;

select a row from the memory register; and

implement a refresh operation on the row.

24. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein refresh control logic in the memory bank comprises logic to reorder refresh operations in the memory bank according to refresh requirements of rows of memory in the memory bank.

25. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the memory controller further comprises logic to:

identify one or more rows in the at least one memory bank which require more frequent refresh operations; and

update a refresh frequency parameter for this one or more rows.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 15, 2022
From: INTEL CORPORATION
To: TAHOE RESEARCH, LTD.
Reel/Frame 061175/0176 →