Apparatus for power management

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an array of memory cells;

a controller to perform access operations on the array of memory cells;

a clock signal node;

a clock generator; and

a counter having an input;

wherein the controller is configured to selectively activate circuitry of the apparatus to provide either a signal from the clock signal node or a signal from an output of the clock generator to the input of the counter;

wherein the controller, when performing an access operation on the array of memory cells that is deemed to comprise a period of high current demand, is further configured to provide an indication that it has entered the period of high current demand; and

wherein the controller is further configured to provide the indication for a particular number of cycles of the signal received by the counter.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the input of the counter is connected to receive a signal from the clock signal node when an input buffer between the clock signal node and the input of the counter is activated, and to receive a signal from the output of the clock generator when the clock generator is activated.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the clock signal node is connected to receive a signal from the clock generator when the clock generator and an output buffer between the clock signal node and the clock generator are both activated.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to resume a paused access operation in response to, at least in part, a value of the counter.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the clock signal node is configured for connection to an external device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is a first apparatus, and wherein the clock signal node of the first apparatus is connected to a clock signal node of a second apparatus, the second apparatus further comprising:

an array of memory cells;

a controller to perform access operations on the array of memory cells of the second apparatus;

a clock generator; and

a counter having an input connected to selectively receive a signal from the clock signal node of the second apparatus and from an output of the clock generator of the second apparatus.

7. An apparatus, comprising:

an array of memory cells;

a controller to perform access operations on the array of memory cells;

a clock signal node;

a counter comprising a clock divider;

a clock generator; and

an input buffer connected between the clock signal node and the counter;

an output buffer connected between the clock generator and the clock signal node;

wherein the counter is connected to receive a signal at its clock divider from the clock signal node when the input buffer is activated, and to receive a signal at its clock divider from the clock generator when the clock generator is activated;

wherein the counter is configured to count cycles of a divided signal output from the clock divider;

wherein the controller is configured to activate the output buffer and to deactivate the input buffer when the clock generator is activated; and

wherein the controller is further configured to activate the input buffer and to deactivate the output buffer when the clock generator is deactivated.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein a signal received by the clock signal node from the clock generator when the output buffer is activated and the clock generator is activated, and the signal received by the counter at its clock divider from the clock generator when the clock generator is activated, are a same clock signal.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

an array of memory cells;

a controller to perform access operations on the array of memory cells;

a clock signal node;

a second signal node;

a counter;

a clock generator;

an input buffer connected between the clock signal node and the counter; and

an output buffer connected between the clock generator and the clock signal node;

wherein the counter is connected to receive a signal from the clock signal node when the input buffer is activated, and to receive a signal from the clock generator when the clock generator is activated;

wherein the controller is configured to activate the output buffer and to deactivate the input buffer when the clock generator is activated;

wherein the controller is further configured to activate the input buffer and to deactivate the output buffer when the clock generator is deactivated;

wherein the signal received by the counter from the clock signal node or the clock generator is an input clock signal;

wherein the counter is configured to count one cycle of every N cycles of the input clock signal, with N having an integer value greater than or equal to two; and

wherein the controller is further configured to determine when the second signal node has a particular logic level during remaining cycles of the N cycles of the input clock signal for each of at least one value of the counter.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the at least one value of the counter comprises each value of the counter other than a particular value of the counter.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether to resume a paused access operation in response to at least a number of cycles of the input clock signal for which the second signal node was determined to have the particular logic level.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the counter is a wrap-around counter having M possible values with M having an integer value greater than or equal to two, wherein the controller is further configured to count a number of the remaining cycles of the N cycles of the input clock signal when the second signal node has the particular logic level for each of the at least one value of the counter, and wherein the controller is further configured to generate a tallied value responsive to at least the count for each of the at least one value of the counter for a cycle of the M possible values of the counter.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to generate the tallied value further responsive to the value of the counter for each of the respective counts.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein each of the at least one value of the counter is associated with a respective multiplier, and wherein the controller is configured to generate the tallied value responsive to the count for each of the at least one value of the counter for the cycle of the M possible values of the counter times the respective multiplier associated with each of the at least one value of the counter for the cycle of the M possible values of the counter.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of memory devices, each memory device of the plurality of memory devices comprising:

an array of memory cells;

a controller to perform access operations on the array of memory cells;

a clock signal node;

a second signal node;

a counter; and

a clock generator;

wherein the counter is connected to receive a clock signal from the clock signal node or from the clock generator;

wherein the controller is configured to determine when the second signal node has a particular logic level, to pause one or more of the access operations at designated points, and to resume a paused access operation of the one or more of the access operations in response to, at least in part, a value of the counter and a number of cycles of the received clock signal when the second signal node was determined to have the particular logic level;

wherein the clock signal nodes of the plurality of memory devices are commonly connected; and

wherein the second signal nodes of the plurality of memory devices are commonly connected.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein, for at least one memory device of the plurality of memory devices, its counter is connected to receive the clock signal from its clock signal node when an input buffer between its counter and its clock signal node is activated, and to receive the clock signal from its clock generator when its clock generator is activated.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein, for at least one memory device of the plurality of memory devices, when its clock generator is activated, its clock signal node is connected to receive the clock signal from its clock generator when an output buffer between its clock signal node and its clock generator is activated.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein, for at least one memory device of the plurality of memory devices, its controller is further configured to determine whether a clock signal is active on its clock signal node, and to activate its clock generator if a clock signal is determined not to be active.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the respective controller for each memory device of the plurality of memory devices is configured to cause its second signal node to pull to the particular logic state when that memory device is resuming an access operation of the one or more of the access operations paused at a designated point of that paused access operation.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein, for each memory device of the plurality of memory devices, its counter is further configured to divide its received clock signal, and to count cycles of the divided clock signal.

21. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the particular number of cycles is indicative of an expected level of current consumption of the period of high current demand.