Serial presence detect functionality on memory component

• US 20070058470A1
• Filed: 09/15/2005
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polaris Innovations Limited (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qimonda AG (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Nierle, Klaus, Versen, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 7,263,019 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 365/221
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 5/04 Supports for storage elements , e.g. memory modules; Mounting or fixing of storage elements on such supports
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/181 associated with surface mounted components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10159 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10212 Programmable component
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for accessing serial presence detect data are provided. For some embodiments, serial presence detect logic is incorporated in memory devices, eliminating the need for a separate serial presence detect component.

Claims

1. A memory module, comprising:

a printed circuit board;

a connector coupled to or integrated with the printed circuit board; and

a plurality of memory devices mounted on the printed circuit board, wherein at least one of the memory devices includes non-volatile storage elements for storing serial presence detect data indicating one or more parameters relating to operation of the memory module and serial interface control pins electrically coupled to the connector for providing access to the serial presence detect data stored in the non-volatile storage elements.

2. The memory module of claim 1, wherein the non-volatile storage elements comprise fuses.

3. The memory module of claim 2, wherein the non-volatile storage elements comprise electrically programmable fuses.

4. The memory module of claim 1, wherein more than one of the memory devices includes non-volatile storage elements for storing the serial presence detect data and serial interface control pins.

5. The memory module of claim 4, wherein the serial interface control pins of only one of the memory devices is electrically coupled to the connector.

6. The memory module of claim 1, wherein the non-volatile storage elements of at least one of the memory devices are writable after the memory devices have been mounted to the printed circuit board.

7. A memory device, comprising:

one or more memory arrays;

control circuitry for exchanging data in parallel between a set of data pins and the memory arrays;

non-volatile storage elements for storing serial presence detect data; and

serial interface logic for providing serial access to serial presence detect data stored in the non-volatile storage elements via a set of control pins.

8. The memory device of claim 7, wherein:

a spine region is formed between the one or more memory arrays; and

the non-volatile storage elements are located in the spine region.

9. The memory device of claim 7, wherein the non-volatile storage elements comprise electrically programmable fuses.

10. The memory device of claim 7, wherein the control pins are located at pin locations previously occupied by pins not electrically connected to logical circuitry in one or more previous versions of memory device.

11. The memory device of claim 7, further comprising one or more fuse elements for enabling and/or disabling the serial interface logic.

12. A dynamic random access memory (DRAM) device, comprising:

one or more memory arrays;

control circuitry for exchanging data in parallel between a set of data pins and the memory arrays;

electrically programmable fuses for storing serial presence detect data; and

serial interface logic for providing serial access to serial presence detect data stored in the electrically programmable fuses via a set of control pins.

13. The DRAM device of claim 12, wherein:

a spine region is formed between the one or more memory arrays; and

the electrically programmable fuses are located in the spine region.

14. The DRAM device of claim 12, wherein the control pins are located at pin locations previously occupied by pins not electrically connected to logical circuitry in one or more previous versions of DRAM device.

15. The DRAM device of claim 12, wherein the serial interface logic provides access to serial presence detect data in accordance with a Joint Electron Device Engineering Council (JEDEC) standard related to serial presence detect data.

16. A memory device, comprising:

one or more memory arrays;

means for exchanging data in parallel between a set of data pins and the memory arrays;

means for storing serial presence detect data; and

means for providing serial access to serial presence detect data stored in the means for storing via a set of control pins.

17. The memory device of claim 16, wherein the control pins are located at pin locations previously occupied by pins not electrically connected to logical circuitry in one or more previous versions of memory device.

18. The memory device of claim 16, further comprising means for enabling and/or disabling the serial interface means.

19. A method for providing access to serial presence detect data of a memory module, comprising:

mounting a plurality of memory devices on a printed circuit board of the memory module, wherein at least one of the memory devices includes non-volatile storage elements for storing serial presence detect data indicating one or more parameters relating to operation of the memory module; and

electrically coupling serial interface control pins of at least one memory device to a connector of the memory module to provide access to serial presence detect data stored in the non-volatile storage elements thereof.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein electrically coupling serial interface control pins of at least one memory device to a connector of the memory module comprises electrically coupling serial interface control pins of a plurality of memory devices to the connector via a common set of serial interface lines.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein:

more than one of the plurality of memory devices mounted on the printed includes non-volatile storage elements for storing serial presence detect data; and

electrically coupling serial interface control pins of at least one memory device to the connector comprises electrically coupling serial interface control pins of only one memory device to the connector.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising storing a first set of serial presence detect data in non-volatile storage elements of a first memory device after mounting the memory devices on the memory module.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising storing a second set of serial presence detect data in non-volatile storage elements of a second memory device after storing the first set of serial presence detect data in non-volatile storage elements of the first memory device.