Granularity memory column access
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Abstract
A memory device includes multiple data I/O lanes and corresponding lane or column decoders. Instead of providing the same address to each column decoder, decoder logic calculates potentially different column addresses depending on the needs of the device utilizing the memory. For example, the column addresses might be based on a received CAS address and an accompanying offset. This allows data access at alignments that do not necessarily correspond to CAS alignments. The technique is utilized in conjunction with graphics systems in which tiling is used. In systems such as this, memory offsets are specified in terms of pixel columns and rows. The technique is also used in conjunction with a router such as a TCP/IP router, in which individual packets are aligned at CAS boundaries. In this situation, the decoder logic is alternatively configurable to allow access of either an information packet or a plurality of packet headers during a single memory access cycle.
116 Citations
29 Claims
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1-2. -2. (canceled)
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3. An integrated circuit memory device comprising:
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first and second memory arrays;
a first column decoder, coupled to the first memory array, to select first data in response to a first column address received during a column operation; and
a second column decoder, coupled to the second memory array, to select second data in response to a second column access received during the column operation. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A graphics system comprising:
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a dynamic random access memory device including;
a first memory array having storage cells and a second memory array having storage cells;
a first column decoder coupled to the first memory array, the first column decoder to access first data from a column of storage units in the first memory array based on a first column address; and
a second column decoder coupled to the second memory array, the second column decoder to access second data from a column of storage units in the second memory array based on a second column address; and
a graphics controller, coupled to the dynamic random access memory device, to access in parallel, the first data from the column of storage units in the first memory array, and the second data from the column of storage units in the second memory array. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of operation in a system having a memory device and a controller device coupled to one another, wherein the memory device includes a first memory array and a second memory array, the method comprising:
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selecting a column of storage units in the first memory array based on a first column address;
selecting a column of storage units in the second memory array based on a second column address; and
the controller device accessing, in parallel, data from the column of storage units in the first memory array and data from the column of storage units in the second memory array. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A memory device comprising:
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a first memory array having storage units and a second memory array having storage units;
a first column decoder coupled to the first memory array, the first column decoder to select during a column operation, a column of storage units in the first memory array based on a first column address; and
a second column decoder coupled to the second memory array, the second column decoder to select, during the column operation, a column of storage units in the second memory array based on a second column address, a row decoder circuit to select, based on a row address, a first row in the first memory array and a second row in the second memory array, wherein the column of storage units in the first memory array is located in the first row and the column of storage units in the second memory array is located in the second row;
first sense amplifiers, coupled to the first memory array, to sense data stored in the first row;
second sense amplifiers, coupled to the second memory array, to sense data stored in the second row;
a first plurality of internal lines to transfer first data corresponding to the column of storage units in the first memory array with the first sense amplifiers during the column operation;
a second plurality of internal lines to transfer second data corresponding to the column of storage units in the second memory array with the second sense amplifiers during the column operation; and
an external interface to provide access to the first data and the second data during the column operation.
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Specification