Upgradable system with reconfigurable interconnect

• US 8,380,927 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2009
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rambus Inc.
• Original Assignee: Rambus Inc.
• Inventors: Perego, Richard E., Ware, Frederick A., Tsern, Ely K., Hampel, Craig E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rojas, Midys
• Application Number:
  US12/538,613
• Publication Number:
  US 20100061047A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,289 Days
• Field of Search: 710/300, 710/301, 710/302, 710/303, 710/304, 710/305, 710/104, 710/326, 710/38, 710/316, 710/100, 711/4, 711/115, 365/52, 365/63
• US Class Current: 711/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/409 Mechanical coupling back panels H05K7/1438
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 2207/105 Aspects related to pads, pins or terminals
• 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 1/117 Pads along the edge of rigid circuit boards, e.g. for pluggable connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/14 Structural association of two or more printed circuits providing electric connection to or between printed circuits H05K1/11, H01R12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09954 More mounting possibilities, e.g. on same place of PCB, or by using different sets of edge pads
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10189 Non-printed connector
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Described are systems that employ configurable on-die termination elements that allow users to select from two or more termination topologies. One topology is programmable to support rail-to-rail or half-supply termination. Another topology selectively includes fixed or variable filter elements, thereby allowing the termination characteristics to be tuned for different levels of speed performance and power consumption. Termination voltages and impedances might also be adjusted.

Claims

1. A controller supporting at least two different memory system configurations, including a first configuration in which one memory is used for memory access, and a second configuration in which two memories are used for memory access, the controller comprising:

a first mode of operation, supporting the first memory system configuration, where the controller is configured to perform memory access with the one memory;

a second mode of operation, supporting the second memory system configuration, where the controller is configured to perform memory access with the two memories; and

logic to configure data width of each of the two memories in the second mode to be a limited subset of data width used in the first mode.

2. The controller of claim 1, wherein the limited subset is half of the data width of the one memory in the first mode, such that the controller uses a substantially constant data width for memory access, irrespective of whether the controller is in the first mode or the second mode.

3. The controller of claim 1, the at least two configurations such that the one memory includes a first memory module and the two memories include the first memory module and a second memory module, wherein:

the controller is configured to perform memory access with the first memory module in the first mode and with each of the first memory module and the second memory module in the second mode; and

the logic is to configure data width of each of the first and second memory modules in the second mode to be a limited subset of data width of the first memory module in the first mode.

4. The controller of claim 1, the at least two configurations such that the one memory includes a first memory integrated circuit and the two memories include the first memory integrated circuit and a second memory integrated circuit, wherein:

the controller is configured to perform memory access with the first memory integrated circuit in the first mode and with each of the first memory integrated circuit and the second memory integrated circuit in the second mode; and

the logic is to configure data width of each of the first and second memory integrated circuits in the second mode to be a limited subset of data width of the first memory integrated circuit in the first mode.

5. The controller of claim 1, the at least two configurations each including a first set of signal lines and a second set of signal lines, the at least two configurations such that the two memories include the first memory and a second memory, and such that the controller is coupled with the first memory using the first set of signal lines, and when in the second mode is coupled with the second memory using the second set of signal lines, wherein:

in the first mode of operation, the controller is configured to leave unused the second set of signal lines; and

in the second mode of operation, the controller is configured to use the second set of signal lines for memory access with the second memory.

6. The controller of claim 1, the at least two configurations each including a first set of signal lines and a second set of signal lines, the at least two configurations such that the two memories include the first memory and a second memory, and such that the controller is coupled with the first memory using the first set of signal lines, and when in the second mode is coupled with the second memory using the second set of signal lines, wherein:

in the first mode of operation, the controller is configured to use both of the first and second sets of signal lines for memory access with the first memory; and

in the second mode of operation, the controller is configured to use the first set of signal lines for memory access with the first memory and to use the second set of signal lines for memory access with the second memory.

7. The controller of claim 1, wherein the logic detects whether the second memory is present and in response programmatically configures the data width of each of the two memories in connection with each memory access to be the limited subset of data width of the one memory.

8. The controller of claim 7, wherein the limited subset is half of data width used in the first mode.

9. The controller of claim 8, where memory access for each memory is at least partially serialized, the data width for each memory being programmed into a state register of each memory by the controller.

10. The controller of claim 1, for use where the at least two configurations include two connection mechanisms, a first of the connection mechanisms electrically connecting the one memory, a second of the connection mechanisms to electrically receive the second memory as an optional memory, the controller being coupled via a first set of signal lines to the first connection mechanism and via a second set of signal lines to the second connection mechanism, the two connections being coupled by a third set of signal lines, the at least two configurations including one of switches or transistors to selectively couple the second set of signal lines with the third set of signal lines, wherein:

the logic is to selectively configure the one of the switches or transistors to route memory access over the second set of signal lines to the first connection mechanism using the third set of signal lines.

11. The controller of claim 10, wherein the logic automatically configures the one of the switches or transistors:

to route communications with the second slot to the one memory via the third set of signal lines when in the first mode; and

to disable routing of communications from the second slot to the one memory via the third set of signal lines when in the second mode.

12. The controller of claim 1, wherein the logic is to configure data width of each of the two memories using one of a control register internal, a control pin, a programming command or a programmable fuse.

13. A controller supporting at least two different system configurations, including a first configuration having a first memory and a second configuration having two memories, the two memories including the first memory and a second memory, the controller comprising:

a first mode of operation where the controller is configured to perform memory access with the first memory using a first data width;

a second mode of operation usable where two memories are present, where the controller is configured to perform memory access with each of the two memories using a second data width, the second data width being one-half of the first data width; and

logic to configure data width of each memory present dependent on mode.

14. The controller of claim 13, wherein the controller is to perform simultaneous memory access for both of the two memories as a rank while in the second mode, dividing data width between the two memories.

15. A system, comprising:

a controller;

at least one memory device;

a first signal line set;

a second signal line set; and

at least two memory configurations, including

a first configuration in which one memory is coupled by the first signal line set with the controller; and

a second configuration in which the one memory is coupled by the first signal line set with the controller and the second memory is coupled by the second signal line set with the controller;

wherein each of the one memory and the second memory are configured by the controller to have a limited subset of data width in the second configuration relative to data width of the one memory in the first configuration.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the limited subset in the second configuration is half of the data width of the one memory in the first configuration such that the controller uses a substantially constant data width for memory access, irrespective of whether the system is in the first configuration or the second configuration.

17. The system of claim 15, the configurations such that the one memory includes a first memory module and the two memories include the first memory module and a second memory module, wherein:

the controller is to perform memory access with the first memory module when the system is in the first configuration and with the first memory module and the second memory module when the system is in the second configuration; and

the controller is to configure data width of each of the first and second memory modules when in the second configuration to be a limited subset of data width of the first memory module when in the first configuration.

18. The system of claim 15, the configurations such that the one memory includes a first memory integrated circuit and the two memories include the first memory integrated circuit and a second memory integrated circuit, wherein:

the controller is configured to perform memory access with the first memory integrated circuit when the system is in the first configuration and with the first memory integrated circuit and the second memory integrated circuit when the system is in the second configuration; and

the controller is to configure data width of each of the first and second memory integrated circuits when in the second configuration to be a limited subset of data width of the first memory integrated circuit when in the first configuration.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the system further comprises a first set of signal lines and a second set of signal lines, the configurations such that the two memories include the first memory and a second memory, the controller being coupled with the first memory using the first set of signal lines irrespective of configuration, and being coupled with the second memory using the second set of signal lines in connection with the second configuration;

in the first configuration, the controller leaves unused the second set of signal lines; and

in the second configuration, the controller uses the second set of signal lines for memory access with the second memory.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the system further comprises a first set of signal lines and a second set of signal lines, the configurations such that the two memories include the first memory and a second memory, the controller being coupled with the first memory using the first set of signal lines irrespective of configuration, and being coupled with the second memory using the second set of signal lines in connection with the second configuration;

in the first configuration, the controller uses each of the first and second sets of signal lines for memory access with the first memory; and

in the second configuration, the controller uses the first set of signal lines for memory access of the first memory and uses the second set of signal lines for memory access with the second memory.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the system further comprises a first set of signal lines and a second set of signal lines, the configurations such that the two memories include the first memory and a second memory, the controller being coupled with the first memory using the first set of signal lines irrespective of configuration, and being coupled with the second memory using the second set of signal lines in connection with the second configuration;

in the first configuration, the controller uses each of the first and second sets of signal lines for memory access with the first memory; and

in the second configuration, the controller uses the first set of signal lines for point to point memory access of the first memory and uses the second set of signal lines for point to point memory access with the second memory.

22. The system of claim 15, where the controller further comprises logic to detect whether the second memory is present and in response to programmatically configure data width of each of the two memories in connection with each memory access to be a limited subset of data width of the one memory.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the limited subset is half of data width of the one memory for the first configuration.

24. The system of claim 22, where memory access for each memory is at least partially serialized, the data width for each memory being programmed into a state register of the memory by the controller.

25. The system of claim 15, wherein the controller is to perform simultaneous memory access for both of the two memories as a rank when the system is in the second configuration, dividing data width between the two memories.

26. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

two connection slots, a first of the connection slots holding the one memory, a second of the connection slots to receive an optional second memory;

a first set of signal lines coupling the controller with the first connection slot, and a second set of signal lines coupling the controller with the second connection slot, and a third set of signal lines coupling the first connection slot with the second connection slot; and

one of switches or transistors to selectively couple communications between the second and third sets of signal lines;

wherein the controller selectively configures the one of the switches or transistors to reroute communications between the controller and the second connection slot to the first connection slot via the third set of signal lines when the first configuration is employed.

27. The system of claim 15, wherein the controller is to configure data width of each of the two memories using one of a control register internal, a control pin, a programming command or a programmable fuse.

28. A method of operation in a system supporting at least two different system configurations, including a first configuration in which one memory is used for memory access, and a second configuration in which two memories are used for memory access, the method comprising:

configuring access by a controller of the one memory in a first mode of operation;

configuring access by a controller of the two memories in the second mode of operation; and

using the controller to configure data width of each of the two memories in the second mode to be a limited subset of data width used in the first mode.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein configuring and using include detecting whether the second memory is present and in response programmatically configuring data width of each of the two memories in connection with each memory access to be a limited subset of data width of the one memory.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein using the controller to configure data width includes configuring the limited subset to be exactly half of data width, and performing simultaneous memory access for both of the two memories as a rank when the system is in the second configuration, dividing data width between the two memories.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein:

using the controller includes programming data width for each memory into a state register; and

at least partially serializing memory access for each memory.

32. A controller comprising:

a first data interface of a first data width to connect to a first device having first memory;

a second data interface of a second data width to connect to the first device in a first width configuration or to a second device, having second memory, in a second width configuration; and

logic to communicate width information to the first device in the first width configuration or to the first and second devices in the second width configuration.

33. The controller of claim 32, wherein the logic is adapted to detect whether the first and second data interfaces are connected to the first device or to the respective first and second devices.

34. The controller of claim 32, wherein the controller is a memory controller and at least one of the first and second memories is instantiated on an integrated-circuit memory device.

35. The controller of claim 34, wherein at least one of the first and second devices is instantiated on a logic module.

36. The controller of claim 35, wherein the logic module is a memory module.

37. The controller of claim 32, wherein the width information is to program the first device to communicate between the first memory and the controller via both the first and second data interfaces in the first width configuration, and to communicate between the first memory and the controller via only the first data interface in the second width configuration.

38. The controller of claim 37, wherein the width information is to program the second device to communicate between the second memory and the controller via the second data interface in the second width configuration.