IP Library Granted Patent US 9,734,887
Granted Patent B1
US 9,734,887 · App. 15/075,230 · Granted Aug 15, 2017

Per-die based memory refresh control based on a master controller

Inventor: Venkata K. Tavva (Telangana, IN)
Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
G11C11/406
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,734,887
App. No.
15/075,230
Granted
Aug 15, 2017
Kind
B1
Abstract

An aspect includes reading a plurality of sensor values from a plurality of sensors located on a plurality of memory dies in the HMC. It is determined that one of the plurality of sensor values from a sensor located on one of the plurality of memory dies has exceeded a threshold value. Based on the determining and on the one of the plurality of sensor values, calculating a refresh rate for the memory locations on the one of the plurality of memory dies. The vault controller is reconfigured to apply the calculated die refresh rate to the memory locations in the vault that are located on the one of the plurality of memory dies. The calculated die refresh rate is different than an other refresh rate being applied to memory locations in the vault that are located on an other one of the plurality of memory dies.

Claims (33)

1. A method of per-die based memory refresh control in a hybrid memory cube (HMC) of a computer system, the method comprising:

reading a plurality of sensor values from a plurality of sensors located on a plurality of memory dies in the HMC, each of the plurality of sensors located on one of the plurality of memory dies, the HMC comprising a memory vault that includes memory locations that span the plurality of memory dies and a vault controller that is configured to apply a common refresh rate to all of the memory locations in the vault;

determining that one of the plurality of sensor values from a sensor located on one of the plurality of memory dies has exceeded a threshold value;

based on the determining and on the one of the plurality of sensor values, calculating a die refresh rate for the memory locations on the one of the plurality of memory dies; and

reconfiguring the vault controller to apply the calculated die refresh rate to the memory locations in the vault that are located on the one of the plurality of memory dies, wherein the calculated die refresh rate is different than an other refresh rate being applied to memory locations in the vault that are located on an other one of the plurality of memory dies.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a temperature sensor.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the HMC comprises at least one additional memory vault comprising at least one additional vault controller and the reconfiguring further includes reconfiguring the at least one additional vault controller to apply the calculated die refresh rate to memory locations in the at least one additional memory vault that are located on the one of the plurality of memory dies.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the calculated die refresh rate is applied by the vault controller to the memory locations in the vault that are located on the one of the plurality of memory dies.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the calculated die refresh rate is applied by a master controller in the HMC to the memory locations in the vault that are located on the one of the plurality of memory dies.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, at the HMC, a per die refresh rate enable signal, wherein the reconfiguring is responsive to the determining and to the receiving.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein there are multiple sensors located on at least one of the plurality of memory dies.

8. A memory system comprising:

a hybrid memory cube (HMC), the memory system configured to perform:

reading a plurality of sensor values from a plurality of sensors located on a plurality of memory dies in the HMC, each of the plurality of sensors located on one of the plurality of memory dies, the HMC comprising a memory vault that includes memory locations that span the plurality of memory dies and a vault controller that is configured to apply a common refresh rate to all of the memory locations in the vault;

determining that one of the plurality of sensor values from a sensor located on one of the plurality of memory dies has exceeded a threshold value;

based on the determining and on the one of the plurality of sensor values, calculating a die refresh rate for the memory locations on the one of the plurality of memory dies; and

reconfiguring the vault controller to apply the calculated die refresh rate to the memory locations in the vault that are located on the one of the plurality of memory dies, wherein the calculated die refresh rate is different than an other refresh rate being applied to memory locations in the vault that are located on an other one of the plurality of memory dies.

9. The memory system of claim 8 , wherein the sensor is a temperature sensor.

10. The memory system of claim 8 , wherein the HMC comprises at least one additional memory vault comprising at least one additional vault controller and the reconfiguring further includes reconfiguring the at least one additional vault controller to apply the calculated die refresh rate to memory locations in the at least one additional memory vault that are located on the one of the plurality of memory dies.

11. The memory system of claim 8 , wherein the calculated die refresh rate is applied by the value controller to the memory locations in the vault that are located on the one of the plurality of memory dies.

12. The memory system of claim 8 , wherein the calculated die refresh rate is applied by a master controller in the HMC to the memory locations in the vault that are located on the one of the plurality of memory dies.

13. The memory system of claim 8 , wherein the memory system is further configured to perform receiving, at the HMC, a per die refresh rate enable signal, wherein the reconfiguring is responsive to the determining and to the receiving.

14. The memory system of claim 8 , wherein there are multiple sensors located on at least one of the plurality of memory dies.

15. A computer program product for per-die based memory refresh control in a hybrid memory cube (HMC), the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by processing circuitry to cause the processing circuitry to:

read a plurality of sensor values from a plurality of sensors located on a plurality of memory dies in the HMC, each of the plurality of sensors located on one of the plurality of memory dies, the HMC comprising a memory vault that includes memory locations that span the plurality of memory dies and a vault controller that is configured to apply a common refresh rate to all of the memory locations in the vault;

determine that one of the plurality of sensor values from a sensor located on one of the plurality of memory dies has exceeded a threshold value;

based on the determining and on the one of the plurality of sensor values, calculate a die refresh rate for the memory locations on the one of the plurality of memory dies; and

reconfigure the vault controller to apply the calculated die refresh rate to the memory locations in the vault that are located on the one of the plurality of memory dies, wherein the calculated die refresh rate is different than an other refresh rate being applied to memory locations in the vault that are located on an other one of the plurality of memory dies.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the sensor is a temperature sensor.

17. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the HMC comprises at least one additional memory vault comprising at least one additional vault controller and the reconfiguring further includes reconfiguring the at least one additional vault controller to apply the calculated die refresh rate to memory locations in the at least one additional memory vault that are located on the one of the plurality of memory dies.

18. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the calculated die refresh rate is applied by the value controller to the memory locations in the vault that are located on the one of the plurality of memory dies.

19. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the calculated die refresh rate is applied by a master controller in the HMC to the memory locations in the vault that are located on the one of the plurality of memory dies.

20. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the program instructions are further executable by the processing circuitry to cause the processing circuitry to receive, at the HMC, a per die refresh rate enable signal, wherein the reconfiguring is responsive to the determining and to the receiving.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 21, 2016
From: TAVVA, VENKATA K.
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 038044/0253 →