IP Library Granted Patent US 12,165,691
Granted Patent B2
US 12,165,691 · App. 18/202,659 · Granted Dec 10, 2024

Apparatuses and methods for operations in a self-refresh state

Inventors: Perry V. Lea (Eagle, ID); Glen E. Hush (Boise, ID)
G11C11/40615G06F3/061G06F3/0616G06F3/0629G06F3/0673G11C5/025G11C7/1006G11C7/1036G11C8/12G11C11/4082G11C11/4087G11C11/4091G11C11/4093G11C11/4096G11C11/4094G11C2211/4013
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,165,691
App. No.
18/202,659
Granted
Dec 10, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods for performing operations by a memory device in a self-refresh state. An example includes an array of memory cells and a controller coupled to the array of memory cells. The controller is configured to direct performance of compute operations on data stored in the array when the array is in a self-refresh state.

Claims (37)

1. A memory device, comprising:

an array of memory cells; and

control circuitry coupled to the array and configured to:

enter a self-refresh state; and

while in the self-refresh state, operate in a selected one of a plurality of modes, wherein the plurality of modes includes:

a first mode in which the memory device is configured to perform operations in addition to refresh operations on the array; and

a second mode in which the memory device is configured to not perform operations in addition to refresh operations on the array.

2. The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to enter the self-refresh state responsive to a command received from a host.

3. The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the self-refresh state is a state in which the array is not refreshed via signals from a host.

4. The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to enter the self-refresh state responsive to a host entering a low power mode.

5. The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the operations the memory device is configured to perform while in the first mode includes compute operations performed on data stored in the array.

6. The memory device of claim 5 , wherein the compute operations are performed in association with performing facial detection in image data stored in the array, or feature extraction from image data stored in the array, or both.

7. The memory device of claim 5 , wherein the compute operations are performed in association with performing a security scan of in-memory threats.

8. The memory device of claim 5 , wherein the compute operations are performed in association with performing neural network processing.

9. The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to, while operating in the first mode, read data from rows of the array at a frequency of a refresh cycle interval corresponding to the self-refresh state.

10. The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the memory device includes a mode register operable to select from among the plurality of modes.

11. The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the memory device is a processing in memory device.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

an array of memory cells; and

control circuitry coupled to the array and configured to:

receive commands from a host when the host is operating in a first power mode;

operate in a self-refresh state in association with the host entering a second power mode; and

while operating in the self-refresh state, operate in a selected one of a plurality of modes, wherein the plurality of modes includes:

a first mode in which the control circuitry is configured to perform background operations in addition to self-refresh operations; and

a second mode in which the control circuitry is configured to perform self-refresh operations without performing background operations in addition to self-refresh operations.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to not execute host commands while operating in the self-refresh state.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of modes includes a third mode in which the control circuitry is configured to perform background operations in addition to self-refresh operations, and wherein a rate at which the background operations are performed while in the third mode is different than a rate at which the background operations are performed while in the second mode.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the background operations include neural network processing operations.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the background operations include facial detection in images, or feature extraction from images, or both.

17. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the second power mode is a reduced power mode.

18. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the apparatus comprises a battery-powered mobile device.

19. A processing in memory device, comprising:

a mode register configured to provide a number of selectable operation modes associated with a self-refresh state of the processing in memory device, wherein the number of selectable modes comprises:

a first mode in which the processing in memory device is configured to perform processing in memory operations in addition to self-refresh operations; and

a second mode in which the processing in memory device is prevented from performing processing in memory operations in addition to the self-refresh operations; and

control circuitry configured to, while in the self-refresh state, operate the processing in memory device in accordance with the selectable operation mode indicated by the mode register.

20. The processing in memory device of claim 19 , wherein the number of selectable modes comprises a third mode in which the processing in memory device is configured to perform processing in memory operations at a rate corresponding to a default self-refresh rate.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 10, 2024
From: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
To: LODESTAR LICENSING GROUP LLC
Reel/Frame 067374/0486 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 26, 2023
From: LEA, PERRY V.; HUSH, GLEN E.
To: MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 063776/0148 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 17698073 · Mar 18, 2022
Continuation 16665648 · Oct 28, 2019
Division 15222514 · Jul 28, 2016
Related Publication 20230386550A1 · Nov 30, 2023