Leveraging chip variability
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a memory controller configured to control the operation of a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) device comprised of memory regions configured to be controlled by the memory controller, the memory controller comprising logic configured to;
provide an error-likelihood profile comprising error-likelihood metrics respectively corresponding to the memory regions, each error-likelihood metric representing a degree of likelihood that a corresponding memory region will produce a bit error at a given time, the bit error comprising an erroneous toggle of a bit value that is being retained by the DRAM device in the corresponding memory region, wherein the error-likelihood metrics are predictive of potential bit errors in the memory regions represented by the error-likelihood metrics, respectively, and wherein the error-likelihood metrics exist concurrently with respect to each other;
identify, according to the error-likelihood profile, from among the memory regions, a target memory region, the target memory region identified based on a corresponding error-likelihood metric; and
based on the identifying, cause a change to an error sensitive factor (ESF) associated with the DRAM device, the ESF comprising a memory refresh rate, wherein the change to the ESF comprises an increase of the memory refresh rate.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments are described that leverage variability of a chip. Different areas of a chip vary in terms of reliability under a same operating condition. The variability may be captured by measuring errors over different areas of the chip. A physical factor that affects or controls the likelihood of an error on the chip can be varied. For example, the voltage supplied to a chip may be provided at different levels. At each level of the physical factor, the chip is tested for errors within the regions. Some indication of the error statistics for the regions is stored and then used to adjust power used by the chip, to adjust reliability behavior of the chip, to allow applications to control how the chip is used, to compute a signature uniquely identifying the chip, etc.
-
Citations
22 Claims
-
1. An apparatus comprising:
a memory controller configured to control the operation of a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) device comprised of memory regions configured to be controlled by the memory controller, the memory controller comprising logic configured to; provide an error-likelihood profile comprising error-likelihood metrics respectively corresponding to the memory regions, each error-likelihood metric representing a degree of likelihood that a corresponding memory region will produce a bit error at a given time, the bit error comprising an erroneous toggle of a bit value that is being retained by the DRAM device in the corresponding memory region, wherein the error-likelihood metrics are predictive of potential bit errors in the memory regions represented by the error-likelihood metrics, respectively, and wherein the error-likelihood metrics exist concurrently with respect to each other; identify, according to the error-likelihood profile, from among the memory regions, a target memory region, the target memory region identified based on a corresponding error-likelihood metric; and based on the identifying, cause a change to an error sensitive factor (ESF) associated with the DRAM device, the ESF comprising a memory refresh rate, wherein the change to the ESF comprises an increase of the memory refresh rate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
11. A method to control operation of a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) device comprised of memory regions, the method comprising:
-
accessing an error-likelihood function associated with the DRAM device, the error-likelihood function configured to determine that a memory region is likely to fail based on failure prediction metrics of the respective memory regions, each failure prediction metric corresponding to a respective memory-region-specific likelihood of corruption of data being retained by the DRAM device; and monitoring the failure prediction metrics of the error-likelihood function and identifying the memory region according to the failure prediction metrics; and according to the identified memory region, changing an operating parameter of the DRAM device, the operating parameter comprising a refresh rate, a frequency, or a voltage of the DRAM device. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A dynamic random access memory (DRAM) storage device comprising:
-
memory regions configured to store data written to the DRAM storage device and to provide data read from the DRAM storage device; a memory controller configured to control operation of the memory regions; the DRAM storage device configured to, when operating; provide a set of error-prediction values for the respective memory regions, each error-prediction value changing in correspondence with probability that a corresponding memory region will be associated with an erroneous bit flip within the memory regions; select a target memory region according to the error-prediction values; and based on the target memory region, cause a change to an operating parameter of the DRAM storage device. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
Specification