Implementing DRAM row hammer avoidance

• US 10,453,503 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2015
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kilmer, Charles A., Lingambudi, Anil B., Maule, Warren E., Vidyapoornachary, Diyanesh Babu C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dudek, Jr., Edward J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Verderamo, III, Ralph A
• Application Number:
  US14/696,192
• Publication Number:
  US 20160180900A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,642 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/1668 Details of memory controller
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/408 Address circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/103 using serially addressed read-write data registers G11C7/1036 takes precedence

Abstract

A method and apparatus for implementing row hammer avoidance in a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) in a computer system. Hammer detection logic identifies a hit count of repeated activations at a specific row in the DRAM. Monitor and control logic receiving an output of the hammer detection logic compares the identified hit count with a programmable threshold value. Responsive to a specific count as determined by the programmable threshold value, the monitor and control logic captures the address where a selected row hammer avoidance action is provided.

Claims

1. A method for implementing row hammer avoidance in a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) in a computer system comprising:

providing hammer detection logic identifying a hit count value of repeated activations at a specific row in the DRAM;

providing monitor and control logic including a threshold register storing a programmable threshold value, receiving an output of the hammer detection logic for comparing the identified hit count value with said programmable threshold value, capturing an address responsive to the compared values and providing a selected row hammer avoidance action for the captured address, said selected row hammer avoidance action including responsive to the compared values providing a command stream control for the captured address holding mainline activates to ensure that a row hammer limit is not reached, wherein providing the selected row hammer avoidance action for the captured address includes holding mainline activates over an address range of the captured address, generating dummy read cycles for the captured address, said command stream control holding mainline read and write activates until at least one dummy read cycle is generated, eliminating row hammering effect and then allowing mainline read and write to activate.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein providing the selected row hammer avoidance action for the captured address includes triggering scrub operations over an address range of the captured address based on the programmable threshold value.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein providing said monitor and control logic includes providing an address capture register for storing an address range of the captured address.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein providing said monitor and control logic includes providing a hold register for holding and releasing mainline read and write operations.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein providing said monitor and control logic includes providing a read cycle generator for generating one or more dummy read cycles for the captured address to eliminate hammering effect.