IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,933,972
Granted Patent B2
US 9,933,972 · App. 14/542,750 · Granted Apr 3, 2018

Methods of accessing memory cells, methods of distributing memory requests, systems, and memory controllers

Inventor: Robert Walker (Raleigh, NC)
Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
G06F3/0644G06F3/0604G06F3/0683G06F12/06G06F12/0653Y02B60/1225
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,933,972
App. No.
14/542,750
Granted
Apr 3, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods of accessing memory cells, methods of distributing memory requests, systems, and memory controllers are described. In one such method, where memory cells are divided into at least a first region of memory cells and a second region of memory cells, memory cells in the first region are accessed according to a first address definition and memory cells in the second region are accessed according to a second address definition that is different from the first address definition. Additional embodiments are described.

Claims (20)

1. A method of accessing memory cells, wherein the cells are divided into at least a first region and a second region, the method comprising:

accessing at least a first memory cell in the first region according to a first address definition, the first address definition including multiple bits identifying each of the bank, row, column, and channel depth of the at least first memory cell to be accessed; and

accessing at least a second memory cell in the second region according to a second address definition, the second address definition including multiple bits identifying each of the bank, row, column, and channel depth of the second memory cell to be accessed, the second address definition defining a second channel depth different from the first channel depth defined by the first address definition.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a memory request address; and

reading a region digit in the memory request address to determine which of the regions has the memory cells corresponding to the memory request address.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a memory request address; and

comparing the memory request address to a value in a register to determine which of the regions has the memory cell corresponding to the memory request address.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising reprogramming the register to change one of the address definitions.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

comparing a received memory request address to a value in a first register to determine whether the first region has the memory cell corresponding to the memory request address; and

comparing the received memory request address to a value in a second register to determine whether the second region has the memory cell corresponding to the memory request address.

6. A method comprising:

accessing memory cells in a first region of a memory system with multiple classes of address wherein a first selected one of the multiple classes of address has a first address definition; and

accessing memory cells in a second region of the memory system with the multiple classes of address, wherein a second selected one of the classes of address further includes a second address definition that is different from the first address definition, wherein accessing memory cells in the second region comprises accessing the memory cells with an address including channel address digits that are of a higher order than channel address digits in an address used to access memory cells in the first region.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the classes of address comprise a row address, a column address, a channel address and a bank address.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the selected class of address further comprises a region address.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein accessing memory cells in a second region further comprises accessing memory cells in the second region with channel address digits that are not contiguous in an address.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first selected class of address comprises a channel address.

Assignments (7)
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 →
Continuity (2)
Division 13042164 · Mar 7, 2011
Related Publication 20150074370A1 · Mar 12, 2015