Redundant voltage regulator for memory devices
First Claim
1. A system comprising:
- at least one memory module including a plurality of dynamic random access memory devices mounted on the module, and a first voltage regulator mounted on the module, the first voltage regulator configured to supply at least one of a plurality of voltage levels to a plurality of voltage domains for supplying voltage to the plurality of memory devices, anda system board including a second voltage regulator not mounted on the memory module configured to supply voltage to the first voltage regulator, and a third redundant voltage regulator, the third redundant voltage regulator configured to supply at least one of the plurality of voltage levels to the plurality of voltage domains on the memory module, wherein the at least one of the plurality of voltage levels supplied by the third redundant voltage regulator is the same voltage level as the at least one voltage level supplied by the first voltage regulator,wherein the third voltage regulator is configured to be always actively on and supplying power to at least one of the voltage domains on the memory module along with the first voltage regulator.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A memory subsystem is disclosed comprising at least one memory module, the memory module having a substrate to which a plurality of memory chips is mounted and a voltage regulator, the voltage regulator receiving a power supply signal from a system power supply and outputting two or more power signals, each power signal providing a different, regulated voltage, which regulated voltages are each routed to each of the memory chips; and a redundant voltage regulator external to and not mounted on the memory module and configured to output two or more power signals, providing external different, regulated voltages which are the same voltages as the voltages output by the voltage regulator on the memory module, and supplying the two or more signals to the memory module.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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at least one memory module including a plurality of dynamic random access memory devices mounted on the module, and a first voltage regulator mounted on the module, the first voltage regulator configured to supply at least one of a plurality of voltage levels to a plurality of voltage domains for supplying voltage to the plurality of memory devices, and a system board including a second voltage regulator not mounted on the memory module configured to supply voltage to the first voltage regulator, and a third redundant voltage regulator, the third redundant voltage regulator configured to supply at least one of the plurality of voltage levels to the plurality of voltage domains on the memory module, wherein the at least one of the plurality of voltage levels supplied by the third redundant voltage regulator is the same voltage level as the at least one voltage level supplied by the first voltage regulator, wherein the third voltage regulator is configured to be always actively on and supplying power to at least one of the voltage domains on the memory module along with the first voltage regulator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A memory subsystem comprising:
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at least one memory module, the memory module having a substrate to which a plurality of memory chips is mounted and a voltage regulator, the voltage regulator configured to supply a power supply signal from a system power supply and to output two or more power signals, each power signal providing a different, regulated voltage level, which regulated voltage levels are each configured to be routed to each of the plurality of memory chips; and a redundant voltage regulator external to and not mounted on the memory module and configured to output two or more power signals, providing external different, regulated voltage levels which are the same voltage levels as the voltage levels output by the voltage regulator on the memory module, and configured to supply the two or more power signals to the memory module, wherein the at least one memory module is configured and adapted so that the plurality of voltage levels supplied by the redundant voltage regulator are parallel to the two or more power signals output by the memory voltage regulator. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A method of powering memory devices comprising:
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supplying at least two different, regulated voltage levels from a voltage regulator mounted on a memory module to two separate voltage domains; and supplying at least two different, regulated voltage levels from a redundant voltage regulator to the memory module, the at least two different regulated voltage levels supplied by the redundant voltage regulator being the same voltage levels supplied by the voltage regulator mounted on the memory module, wherein the redundant voltage regulator supplies power to the memory module through a larger blade pin to handle the increased current of supplying power at lower voltage. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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Specification