DIMM device controller supervisor

• US 9,520,162 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2013
• Issued: 12/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Lucas, Gregg S., Delpapa, Kenneth B., Ellis, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yi, David X
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ahmed, Zubair
• Application Number:
  US14/135,420
• Publication Number:
  US 20150149700A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,090 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/20 Initialising; Data preset; Chip identification
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 5/141 Battery and back-up supplies
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 5/143 Detection of memory cassette insertion or removal; Continuity checks of supply or ground lines; Detection of supply variations, interruptions or levels G11C5/148 takes precedence; Switching between alternative supplies G11C5/141 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/20 Memory cell initialisation circuits, e.g. when powering up or down, memory clear, latent image memory

Abstract

The various implementations described herein include systems, methods and/or devices used to enable performing supervisory functions for a dual in-line memory module (DIMM), at a controller in the DIMM. The method includes upon power-up, determining a power supply voltage provided to the DIMM. In accordance with a determination that power supply criteria are satisfied, the method includes: (1) performing one or more power-up operations, including initiating a usage counter, (2) monitoring a temperature of the DIMM, (3) monitoring the DIMM for occurrence of one or more of a set of predetermined trigger events, and (4) in response to detecting one of the set of predetermined trigger events, logging information corresponding to the detected predetermined event.

Claims

1. A method of performing supervisory functions for a dual in-line memory module (DIMM), at a controller in the DIMM, comprising:

upon power-up, determining a power supply voltage provided to the DIMM;

in accordance with a determination that power supply criteria are satisfied, the power supply criteria including a requirement that a power supply voltage provided to the DIMM falls within one of N predefined voltage ranges, wherein N is an integer greater than one;

performing one or more power-up operations, including initiating a usage counter;

monitoring a temperature of the DIMM;

monitoring the DIMM for occurrence of one or more of a set of predetermined trigger events,

wherein the set of predetermined trigger events is selected from the group consisting of a temperature measurement of the DIMM in excess of a predefined temperature and a current number of program-erase cycles performed on respective flash memory that meets predefined criteria; and

in response to detecting one of the set of predetermined trigger events, logging information corresponding to the detected trigger event, wherein the logging includes storing the logged information in non-volatile memory in the DIMM.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the power supply criteria further include a requirement that a SPD supply voltage provided to the DIMM is a predefined SPD supply voltage.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in accordance with a determination that power supply criteria are not satisfied, performing one or more lock-out functions.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the one or more power-up operations includes:

in accordance with a determination that the power supply voltage provided to the DIMM is a first predefined voltage, executing a memory module function using first set of configuration parameters corresponding to the first predefined voltage; and

in accordance with a determination that the power supply voltage provided to the DIMM is a second predefined voltage, executing the memory module function using a second set of configuration parameters corresponding to the second predefined voltage.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

in response to receiving a command from a host system, replacing the first set of configuration parameters.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the one or more power-up operations includes de-asserting a reset applied to one or more non-volatile memory controllers in the DIMM.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring a charge of an energy storage device in a data hardening module.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the power supply criteria further include a requirement that a charge of an energy storage device in the data hardening module meets a predefined minimum charge level.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a value of the usage counter is a current sum of time accumulated since power-up.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining an accelerated time measurement based on the value of the usage counter and the monitored temperature of the DIMM.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to detecting one of the set of events, sending a notification to a host system.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request for information from a host system; and

in response to the request, sending the host system the requested information.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the controller in the DIMM is coupled using serial presence detect (SPD) pins, with an interface for the DIMM, wherein the interface for the DIMM is configured to be coupled with a memory bus.

14. A dual in-line memory module (DIMM) device, comprising:

an interface for coupling the DIMM device to a host system; and

a controller in the DIMM, the controller configured to;

upon power-up, determine a power supply voltage provided to the DIMM;

in accordance with a determination that power supply criteria are satisfied, the power supply criteria including a requirement that a power supply voltage provided to the DIMM falls within one of N predefined voltage ranges, wherein N is an integer greater than one;

perform one or more power-up operations, including initiating a usage counter;

monitor a temperature of the DIMM;

monitor the DIMM for occurrence of one or more of a set of predetermined trigger events,

wherein the set of predetermined trigger events is selected from the group consisting of a temperature measurement of the DIMM in excess of a predefined temperature and a current number of program-erase cycles performed on respective flash memory that meets predefined criteria; and

in response to detecting one of the set of predetermined trigger events, log information corresponding to the detected trigger event, wherein the logged information is stored in non-volatile memory in the DIMM.

15. The dual in-line memory module (DIMM) device of claim 14, wherein the power supply criteria further include a requirement that a SPD supply voltage provided to the DIMM is a predefined SPD supply voltage.

16. The dual in-line memory module (DIMM) device of claim 14, wherein the controller is further configured to:

performing one or more lock-out functions in accordance with a determination that power supply criteria are not satisfied.

17. The dual in-line memory module (DIMM) device of claim 14, wherein performing the one or more power-up operations includes:

in accordance with a determination that the power supply voltage provided to the DIMM is a first predefined voltage, executing a memory module function using first set of configuration parameters corresponding to the first predefined voltage; and

in accordance with a determination that the power supply voltage provided to the DIMM is a second predefined voltage, executing the memory module function using a second set of configuration parameters corresponding to the second predefined voltage.

18. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, storing one or more programs for execution by one or more processors of a dual in-line memory module (DIMM) device having one or more controllers, the one or more programs including instructions for:

upon power-up, determining a power supply voltage provided to the DIMM;

in accordance with a determination that power supply criteria are satisfied, the power supply criteria including a requirement that a power supply voltage provided to the DIMM falls within one of N predefined voltage ranges, wherein N is an integer greater than one;

performing one or more power-up operations, including initiating a usage counter;

monitoring a temperature of the DIMM;

monitoring the DIMM for occurrence of one or more of a set of predetermined trigger events,

wherein the set of predetermined trigger events is selected from the group consisting of a temperature measurement of the DIMM in excess of a predefined temperature and a current number of program-erase cycles performed on respective flash memory that meets predefined criteria; and

in response to detecting one of the set of predetermined trigger events, logging information corresponding to the detected trigger event, wherein the logging includes storing the logged information in non-volatile memory in the DIMM.