Non-volatile memory with LPDRAM
View Patent ↗Low power DRAM (LPDRAM) memory devices for communication with a non-volatile memory coupled to the LPDRAM memory device, and systems containing such LPDRAM and non-volatile memory facilitate configuring the LPDRAM memory device using routines stored on the non-volatile memory.
1. A system comprising:
a non-volatile memory coupled to a bus through an interface configured to receive memory access addresses to the non-volatile memory from the bus and to output data from the non-volatile memory to the bus; and
a low power DRAM (LPDRAM) memory device coupled to the bus;
wherein the non-volatile memory is adapted to configure the LPDRAM memory device by,
configuring the LPDRAM memory device with a controller of the non-volatile memory;
wherein the controller is between a memory array of the non-volatile memory and its interface.
2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a host coupled to the bus, wherein the host is one of a processor and a memory controller.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the non-volatile memory is adapted to locate the LPDRAM by one of a configured bus address, a data token placed on the bus, a query/response protocol, and a dedicated chip select line.
4. A system comprising:
a non-volatile memory coupled to a first bus through a first interface configured to receive memory access addresses to the non-volatile memory from the first bus and to output data from the non-volatile memory to the first bus, and further coupled to a second bus separate from the first bus; and
a low power DRAM (LPDRAM) memory device coupled to the first bus through a second interface configured to receive memory access addresses to the LPDRAM memory device from the first bus and to output data from the LPDRAM memory device to the first bus, and coupled to the second bus;
wherein the non-volatile memory is adapted to configure the LPDRAM memory device by,
configuring the LPDRAM memory device with a controller of the non-volatile memory and through communication with the LPDRAM memory device through the second bus;
wherein the second bus is a dedicated LPDRAM configuration bus coupled between the LPDRAM memory device and the non-volatile memory.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the dedicated LPDRAM configuration bus is a serial bus.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is operable to configure self-refresh settings of the LPDRAM memory device.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the non-volatile memory is one of a non-volatile memory device and a non-volatile memory subsystem.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the bus is one of an asynchronous bus and a synchronous bus.
9. A low power DRAM (LPDRAM) memory device comprising:
a DRAM memory array;
an interface; and
a LPDRAM memory control state machine, wherein the LPDRAM memory control state machine is adapted to communicate with a non-volatile memory coupled to the LPDRAM memory device through the interface to read low power DRAM (LPDRAM) configuration routines stored in the non-volatile memory and configure the operational settings of the LPDRAM memory device using the read configuration routines;
wherein the LPDRAM memory control state machine is between the DRAM memory array and the interface.
10. The LPDRAM memory device of claim 9 , wherein the interface is a first interface, and further comprising a second interface for communication of the LPDRAM memory device with a system bus, wherein the LPDRAM memory control state machine is further adapted to communicate with the non-volatile memory coupled to the LPDRAM memory device through a dedicated configuration bus separate from the system bus using the first interface.
11. The LPDRAM memory device of claim 9 , wherein the LPDRAM memory device is configured with an address of the non-volatile memory or a specific chip select dedicated to the non-volatile memory.
12. The LPDRAM memory device of claim 9 , wherein the LPDRAM memory device is adapted to locate the non-volatile memory by placing a token on a bus that the non-volatile memory is programmed to recognize and respond to, or initiating a query/response protocol.
13. A system comprising:
a non-volatile memory coupled to a bus through an interface, and comprising a controller and a memory array, wherein the interface is configured to receive memory access addresses to the non-volatile memory from the bus and to output data from the non-volatile memory to the bus, and wherein the controller is between the interface and the memory array of the non-volatile memory; and
a low power DRAM (LPDRAM) memory device coupled to the bus;
wherein the controller is adapted to read a routine from the non-volatile memory and to configure the LPDRAM memory device by executing the routine.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the controller comprises either a control circuit or a state machine.
15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is further adapted to communicate with the LPDRAM memory device through the bus to configure at least one setting selected from a group consisting of low power mode operation, refresh style, voltage level selection, stand-by mode operation, and memory timing.
16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the refresh style is selected from a group consisting of interleaved, partial column, full array, and bank refresh.
17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the bus is a synchronous bus.
18. A system comprising:
a non-volatile memory coupled to a system bus through an interface, and comprising a controller and a memory array, wherein the interface is configured to receive memory access addresses to the non-volatile memory from the system bus and to output data from the non-volatile memory to the system bus, wherein the controller is between the interface and the memory array of the non-volatile memory, and wherein the non-volatile memory is further coupled to a second bus; and
a low power DRAM (LPDRAM) memory device coupled to the system bus and coupled to the second bus;
wherein the system bus is shared with a host of the system;
wherein the second bus is a dedicated configuration bus separate from the system bus; and
wherein the controller is adapted to read a routine from the non-volatile memory and to configure the LPDRAM memory device by executing the routine.
19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the dedicated configuration bus is a single conductor based serial bus.
20. A low power DRAM (LPDRAM) memory device comprising:
a DRAM memory array;
a controller;
a first interface for communication of the LPDRAM memory device with a system bus, the first interface configured to receive memory access addresses to the LPDRAM memory device and to output data from the DRAM memory array; and
a second interface for communication of the LPDRAM memory device with a configuration bus separate from the system bus, the second interface configured to receive LPDRAM configuration routines for the LPDRAM memory device;
wherein the controller is adapted to communicate with a non-volatile memory coupled to the LPDRAM memory device through the configuration bus to read LPDRAM configuration routines stored in the non-volatile memory and to configure operational settings of the LPDRAM memory device using the read LPDRAM configuration routines.