Memory module
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A memory module comprising:
- a circuit board;
a first plurality of integrated circuit (IC) components disposed on the circuit board, each of the IC components having an address/control input, a clock input, a data output and a strobe output;
a termination structure disposed on the circuit board;
an address/control signal path coupled at one end to the termination structure and coupled to the address/control input of each of the IC components such that control signals propagating toward the termination structure on the address/control signal path arrive at the address/control inputs of respective IC components at progressively later times corresponding to relative positions of the IC components;
a clock signal path coupled to the clock input of each of the IC components such that a clock signal propagating on the clock signal path arrives at the clock inputs of respective IC components at progressively later times corresponding to the times at which the control signals arrive at the address/control inputs of the IC components, the clock signal indicating to the IC components respective times at which to sample the control signals arriving at their address/control inputs;
a plurality of data signal paths, each of the data signal paths extending from the data output of a respective one of the IC components to an edge of the circuit board and including a plurality of data signal conductors to convey a respective read data value; and
a plurality of strobe signal paths, each of the strobe signal paths extending from the strobe output of a respective one of the IC components to the edge of the circuit board, each of the strobe signal paths to convey a strobe signal that indicates that the read data value is present on the data signal path extending from the data output of the one of the IC components.
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Abstract
A memory module having integrated circuit (IC) components, a termination structure, an address/control signal path, a clock signal path, multiple data signal paths and multiple strobe signal paths. The strobe signal paths and data signal paths are coupled to respective IC components, and the address/control signal path and clock signal path are coupled in common to all the IC components. The address/control signal path extends along the IC components to the termination structure such that control signals propagating toward the termination structure arrive at address/control inputs of respective IC components at progressively later times corresponding to relative positions of the IC components.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A memory module comprising:
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a circuit board; a first plurality of integrated circuit (IC) components disposed on the circuit board, each of the IC components having an address/control input, a clock input, a data output and a strobe output; a termination structure disposed on the circuit board; an address/control signal path coupled at one end to the termination structure and coupled to the address/control input of each of the IC components such that control signals propagating toward the termination structure on the address/control signal path arrive at the address/control inputs of respective IC components at progressively later times corresponding to relative positions of the IC components; a clock signal path coupled to the clock input of each of the IC components such that a clock signal propagating on the clock signal path arrives at the clock inputs of respective IC components at progressively later times corresponding to the times at which the control signals arrive at the address/control inputs of the IC components, the clock signal indicating to the IC components respective times at which to sample the control signals arriving at their address/control inputs; a plurality of data signal paths, each of the data signal paths extending from the data output of a respective one of the IC components to an edge of the circuit board and including a plurality of data signal conductors to convey a respective read data value; and a plurality of strobe signal paths, each of the strobe signal paths extending from the strobe output of a respective one of the IC components to the edge of the circuit board, each of the strobe signal paths to convey a strobe signal that indicates that the read data value is present on the data signal path extending from the data output of the one of the IC components. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A memory module comprising:
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a circuit board; a first plurality of integrated circuit (IC) components disposed on the circuit board, each of the IC components having an address/control input, a clock input, a data input and a strobe input; a termination structure disposed on the circuit board; an address/control signal path coupled at one end to the termination structure and coupled to the address/control input of each of the IC components such that control signals propagating toward the termination structure on the address/control signal path arrive at the address/control inputs of respective IC components at progressively later times corresponding to relative positions of the IC components; a clock signal path coupled to the clock input of each of the IC components such that a clock signal propagating on the clock signal path arrives at the clock inputs of respective IC components at progressively later times corresponding to the times at which the control signals arrive at the address/control inputs of the IC components, the clock signal indicating to the IC components respective times at which to sample the control signals arriving at their address/control inputs; a plurality of data signal paths, each of the data signal paths extending from the data input of a respective one of the IC components to an edge of the circuit board and including a first plurality of data signal conductors to convey a write data value to the one of the IC components and at least one mask signal conductor to convey a write mask signal that indicates whether the write data value is to be stored within the one of the IC components; and a plurality of strobe signal paths, each of the strobe signal paths extending from the edge of the circuit board to the strobe input of a respective one of the IC components to convey a strobe signal that indicates presence of the write data value on the data signal path coupled to the data input of the respective one of the IC components. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification