Integral memory buffer and serial presence detect capability for fully-buffered memory modules
First Claim
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1. A memory module buffer comprising:
- a host-side memory channel interface and a downstream memory channel interface capable of communicating with other devices across memory channels;
a memory device interface coupled at least to the host-side memory channel interface, to communicate with memory devices on a memory module on behalf of a device communicating with the buffer over the host-side memory channel interface;
a serial bus port;
a nonvolatile memory area to store information relating to a memory module served by the buffer; and
a first serial bus controller to transmit information from the nonvolatile memory area out the serial bus port in response to requests received at the serial bus port.
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Abstract
Method and apparatus for use with buffered memory modules are included among the embodiments. In exemplary systems, a serial presence detect function is included within a memory module buffer instead of being provided by a separate EEPROM device mounted on the memory module. Various embodiments thus can provide cost savings, chip placement and signal routing simplification, and can in some circumstances save pins on the module. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
308 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A memory module buffer comprising:
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a host-side memory channel interface and a downstream memory channel interface capable of communicating with other devices across memory channels;
a memory device interface coupled at least to the host-side memory channel interface, to communicate with memory devices on a memory module on behalf of a device communicating with the buffer over the host-side memory channel interface;
a serial bus port;
a nonvolatile memory area to store information relating to a memory module served by the buffer; and
a first serial bus controller to transmit information from the nonvolatile memory area out the serial bus port in response to requests received at the serial bus port. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A buffered memory module comprising:
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a plurality of memory devices; and
a memory module buffer coupled to the memory devices, the memory module buffer comprising a serial presence detect function for the module. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of assigning a serial bus address to a serial presence detect function on a buffered memory module, the method comprising:
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transmitting a memory slot assignment to the buffered memory module over a memory channel; and
based at least in part on the transmitted memory slot assignment, asserting, internal to the module, an assigned serial bus address to the serial presence detect function. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A computing device comprising:
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a processor;
a host memory controller in communication with the processor;
at least a first buffered memory module, comprising a plurality of memory devices, and a memory module buffer coupled to the plurality of memory devices, the memory module buffer having a serial presence detect function;
a first point-to-point memory channel connecting the host memory controller to the first buffered memory module;
a relatively low-speed bus coupled to the first buffered memory module serial presence detect function to allow the processor to discover information related to the memory module configuration. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification