IP Library Granted Patent US 10,956,066
Granted Patent B2
US 10,956,066 · App. 16/040,715 · Granted Mar 23, 2021

Non-volatile memory adapted to configure low power dynamic random access memory

Inventor: Frankie F. Roohparvar (Monte Sereno, CA)
Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
G06F3/0634G06F3/0625G06F3/0685G06F12/023G06F13/4068G11C11/406G11C11/40615Y02D10/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,956,066
App. No.
16/040,715
Granted
Mar 23, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Non-volatile memory having a non-volatile memory array adapted to store a configuration routine for a low power dynamic random access memory (LPDRAM), a memory interface for receiving addresses from an external device for access of data stored in the non-volatile memory array, and an internal controller adapted to communicate with a LPDRAM coupled to the non-volatile memory and configure operational settings of the LPDRAM using the configuration routine, as well as systems containing similar non-volatile memory.

Claims (42)

1. A non-volatile memory, comprising:

an array of non-volatile memory cells internal to the non-volatile memory;

a memory interface having a first side facing external to the non-volatile memory for receiving addresses from an external device for access of data stored in the array of non-volatile memory cells and having a second side facing a internal to the non-volatile memory for receiving accessed data from the array of non-volatile memory cells for transfer to the external device; and

a controller internal to the non-volatile memory;

wherein the controller is adapted to communicate with a low power dynamic random access memory (LPDRAM) coupled to, and external to, the non-volatile memory and to configure operational settings of the LPDRAM by executing a configuration routine stored in the array of non-volatile memory cells.

2. The non-volatile memory of claim 1 , wherein the array of non-volatile memory cells is one of a NOR architecture array of non-volatile memory cells and a NAND architecture array of non-volatile memory cells.

3. The non-volatile memory of claim 1 , wherein the non-volatile memory is a non-volatile memory subsystem, and wherein the controller is a non-volatile memory controller.

4. The non-volatile memory of claim 1 , wherein the memory interface is one of an asynchronous memory interface and a synchronous memory interface.

5. The non-volatile memory of claim 1 , further comprising a dedicated LPDRAM configuration bus interface separate from the memory interface for communication with the LPDRAM.

6. A system comprising:

a non-volatile memory coupled to a bus and having an array of memory cells; and

a low power dynamic random access memory (LPDRAM), external to the non-volatile memory, coupled to the bus and having an array of memory cells;

wherein the LPDRAM is configured to receive addresses from the bus for access of data stored in the array of memory cells of the LPDRAM; and

wherein the non-volatile memory is configured to receive addresses from the bus for access of data stored in the array of memory cells of the non-volatile memory; and

wherein the non-volatile memory is adapted to configure the LPDRAM using a controller internal to the non-volatile memory in response to a configuration routine stored in the array of memory cells of the non-volatile memory.

7. The system of claim 6 , further comprising:

a host coupled to the bus for communication with both the LPDRAM and the non-volatile memory, wherein the host is one of a processor and a memory controller.

8. The system of claim 6 , 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.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the bus is a first bus, the system further comprising:

a second bus independent of the first bus;

wherein the non-volatile memory is further adapted to configure the LPDRAM using the second bus; and

wherein the second bus is a dedicated bus coupled solely between the LPDRAM and the non-volatile memory.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the second bus is a single conductor serial bus.

11. The system of claim 6 , wherein the controller is operable to configure self-refresh settings of the LPDRAM.

12. The system of claim 6 , wherein the non-volatile memory is one of a non-volatile memory device and a non-volatile memory subsystem.

13. The system of claim 6 , wherein the LPDRAM is a low power synchronous dynamic random access memory.

14. A system comprising:

a non-volatile memory coupled to a bus and comprising an array of memory cells and a controller internal to the non-volatile memory; and

a low power dynamic random access memory (LPDRAM), external to the non-volatile memory, coupled to the bus and comprising an array of memory cells;

wherein the LPDRAM is configured to receive addresses from the bus for access of data stored in the array of memory cells of the LPDRAM;

wherein the non-volatile memory is configured to receive addresses from the bus for access of data stored in the array of memory cells of the non-volatile memory; and

wherein the controller is adapted to read a configuration routine from the array of memory cells of the non-volatile memory and to configure the LPDRAM by executing the routine.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the controller comprises either a control circuit or a state machine.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the controller is further adapted to communicate with the LPDRAM 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.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the refresh style is selected from a group consisting of interleaved, partial column, full array, and bank refresh.

18. The system of claim 14 , wherein the bus is a synchronous bus.

19. The system of claim 14 , wherein the bus is a configuration bus, the system further comprising:

a system bus separate from the configuration bus; and

a host coupled to the system bus, but not coupled to the configuration bus;

wherein the non-volatile memory is further coupled to the system bus separate from the configuration bus; and

wherein the LPDRAM is further coupled to the system bus separate from the configuration bus.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the configuration bus is a single conductor serial bus.

Assignments (4)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 14, 2019
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 051028/0835 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 14, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 050719/0550 →
SUPPLEMENT NO. 1 TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 13, 2018
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047630/0756 →
SUPPLEMENT NO. 10 TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 13, 2018
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 048102/0420 →
Cited By (1)
US 12,619,527