Patent US6192002B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6192002B1
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Memory device with command buffer
Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
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Filing: 1998-08-28
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Granted: 2001-02-20
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Expires: 2018-08-28
Abstract
Abstract A memory device includes a memory array, an external clock terminal, and control logic. The memory array is arranged in rows and columns. The external clock terminal is adapted to receive an external clock signal. The external clock signal has at least a first cycle and a second cycle. The first cycle includes a first edge and the second cycle includes a second edge. The control logic is coupled to the memory array and the external clock terminal and adapted to write to a first plurality of the columns in a specified row during the first and second cycles. The control logic is further adapted to suspend the external clock signal to suppress the second edge of the second cycle while writing to the first plurality of the columns. A method for accessing a memory device arranged in rows and columns is provided. The method includes receiving an external clock signal. The external clock signal has at least a first cycle and a second cycle. The first cycle includes a first edge and the second cycle includes a second edge. A first plurality of columns in a specified row are written to during the first and second cycles. The external clock signal is suspended to suppress the second edge of the second cycle while writing to the first plurality of the columns.
Inventors
- 👤 Todd A. Merritt
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 13:30
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11C; G11C7/00; G11C7/10; G11C7/1078; G11C7/109; G11C7/1072
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
116 words
A memory device, comprising: a memory array arranged in rows and columns; an external clock terminal adapted to receive an external clock signal, the external clock signal having at least a first cycle and a second cycle, the first cycle including a first edge and the second cycle including a second edge; control logic coupled to the memory array and the external clock terminal and adapted to write to a first plurality of the columns in a specified row during the first and second cycles, wherein the control logic is further adapted to suspend the external clock signal to suppress the second edge of the second cycle while writing to the first plurality of the columns.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
116 words
A memory device, comprising: a memory array arranged in rows and columns; an external clock terminal adapted to receive an external clock signal, the external clock signal having at least a first cycle and a second cycle, the first cycle including a first edge and the second cycle including a second edge; control logic coupled to the memory array and the external clock terminal and adapted to write to a first plurality of the columns in a specified row during the first and second cycles, wherein the control logic is further adapted to suspend the external clock signal to suppress the second edge of the second cycle while writing to the first plurality of the columns.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
The memory device of claim 1 , further comprising an external command terminal adapted to receive a first logic signal, wherein the control logic is adapted to suspend the external clock signal based on the first logic signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The memory device of claim 2 , wherein the first logic signal comprises a clock enable signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the control logic is adapted to operate in one of a block write mode and a normal write mode.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
The memory device of claim 4 , further comprising a mode register adapted to store mode information, wherein the control logic is adapted to operate in one of the block write and the normal write modes based on the mode information.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
The memory device of claim 4 , further comprising external command terminals adapted to receive an external command, wherein the control logic is adapted to operate in one of the block write and the normal write modes based on the external command.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The memory device of claim 1 , further comprising a counter including a plurality of counter stages and adapted to store a first column address, the first column address corresponding to the first plurality of columns.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
91 words
The memory device of claim 7 , wherein the external clock signal has at least a third cycle and a fourth cycle, the third cycle includes a third edge, the fourth cycle includes a fourth edge, the control logic is adapted to write to a second plurality of the columns in the specified row during the third and fourth cycles, and the control logic is further adapted to suspend the external clock signal to suppress the fourth edge of the fourth cycle while writing to the second plurality of the columns.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
49 words
The memory device of claim 8 , wherein the first plurality of columns include N columns, and the counter is adapted to increment by 2 N in response to the third edge to generate a second column address, the second column address corresponding to the second plurality of columns.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The memory device of claim 9 , wherein the control logic is adapted to provide a block write burst signal to the counter coincident with the third edge.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
42 words
The memory device of claim 10 , wherein the counter includes at least N counter stages, each counter stage has a toggle input, and the toggle input of the N th counter stage is coupled to receive the block write burst signal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
The memory device of claim 9 , where N is at least four.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
81 words
The memory device of claim 7 , wherein the external clock signal has at least J pairs of cycles, each pair includes a leading cycle and a trailing cycle, the control logic is adapted to write to J pluralities of the columns in the specified row during the J pairs of cycles, and the control logic is further adapted to suspend the external clock signal to suppress the trailing cycles while writing to each of the J pluralities of the columns.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
The memory device of claim 13 , wherein J is an integer value greater than 1.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
59 words
The memory device of claim 13 , wherein each of the J pluralities of columns include N columns, and the counter is adapted to increment by 2 N in response to each of the leading cycles to generate a plurality of column addresses, each of the plurality of column addresses corresponding to one of the J pluralities of columns.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
The memory device of claim 13 , further comprising a mode register adapted to store mode information, wherein the mode information includes the integer value of J.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
186 words
A computer system, comprising: a microprocessor adapted to issue a plurality of memory requests; a memory controller coupled to the microprocessor and adapted to receive the memory requests and generate memory access commands based on the memory requests, the memory access commands including a block write command; a memory device coupled to the memory controller and adapted to receive the memory access commands, the memory device including: a memory array arranged in rows and columns; an external clock terminal adapted to receive an external clock signal, the external clock signal having at least a first cycle and a second cycle, the first cycle including a first edge and the second cycle including a second edge; control logic coupled to the memory array and the external clock terminal and adapted to write to a first plurality of the columns in a specified row during the first and second cycles in response to the block write command, wherein the control logic is further adapted to suspend the external clock signal to suppress the second edge of the second cycle while writing to the first plurality of the columns.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
186 words
A computer system, comprising: a microprocessor adapted to issue a plurality of memory requests; a memory controller coupled to the microprocessor and adapted to receive the memory requests and generate memory access commands based on the memory requests, the memory access commands including a block write command; a memory device coupled to the memory controller and adapted to receive the memory access commands, the memory device including: a memory array arranged in rows and columns; an external clock terminal adapted to receive an external clock signal, the external clock signal having at least a first cycle and a second cycle, the first cycle including a first edge and the second cycle including a second edge; control logic coupled to the memory array and the external clock terminal and adapted to write to a first plurality of the columns in a specified row during the first and second cycles in response to the block write command, wherein the control logic is further adapted to suspend the external clock signal to suppress the second edge of the second cycle while writing to the first plurality of the columns.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
52 words
The computer system of claim 17 , further comprising an external command terminal coupled to the memory controller, the memory controller being adapted to provide a first logic signal to the external command terminal, wherein the control logic is adapted to suspend the external clock signal based on the first logic signal.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
The memory device of claim 18 , wherein the first logic signal comprises a clock enable signal.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
36 words
The memory device of claim 17 , further comprising a counter including a plurality of counter stages and adapted to store a first column address, the first column address corresponding to the first plurality of columns.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
91 words
The memory device of claim 20 , wherein the external clock signal has at least a third cycle and a fourth cycle, the third cycle includes a third edge, the fourth cycle includes a fourth edge, the control logic is adapted to write to a second plurality of the columns in the specified row during the third and fourth cycles, and the control logic is further adapted to suspend the external clock signal to suppress the fourth edge of the fourth cycle while writing to the second plurality of the columns.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
49 words
The memory device of claim 20 , wherein the first plurality of columns include N columns, and the counter is adapted to increment by 2 N in response to the third edge to generate a second column address, the second column address corresponding to the second plurality of columns.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
The memory device of claim 21 , wherein the control logic is adapted to provide a block write burst signal to the counter coincident with the third edge.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
42 words
The memory device of claim 23 , wherein the counter includes at least N counter stages, each counter stage has a toggle input, and the toggle input of the N th counter stage is coupled to receive the block write burst signal.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
88 words
A method for accessing a memory device arranged in rows and columns, comprising: receiving an external clock signal, the external clock signal having at least a first cycle and a second cycle, the first cycle including a first edge and the second cycle including a second edge; writing to a first plurality of columns in a specified row during the first and second cycles; and suspending the external clock signal to suppress the second edge of the second cycle while writing to the first plurality of the columns.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
88 words
A method for accessing a memory device arranged in rows and columns, comprising: receiving an external clock signal, the external clock signal having at least a first cycle and a second cycle, the first cycle including a first edge and the second cycle including a second edge; writing to a first plurality of columns in a specified row during the first and second cycles; and suspending the external clock signal to suppress the second edge of the second cycle while writing to the first plurality of the columns.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 25 , the memory device including a counter, the method further comprising storing a first column address in the counter, the first column address corresponding to the first plurality of columns.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 26 , further comprising incrementing the counter in the memory device by the number of columns in the first plurality of columns to generate a second column address.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 27 , further comprising writing to a second plurality of columns in the specified row based on the second column address.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
80 words
The method of claim 28 , wherein the external clock signal has at least a third cycle and a fourth cycle, the third cycle includes a third edge, the fourth cycle includes a fourth edge, and the method further comprises: writing to the second plurality of columns in the specified row during the third and fourth cycles; and suspending the external clock signal to suppress the fourth edge of the fourth cycle while writing to the second plurality of columns.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 29 , wherein incrementing the counter includes incrementing the counter in response to the third edge.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
94 words
A memory device, comprising: means for storing data arranged in rows and columns; means for receiving an external clock signal, the external clock signal having at least a first cycle and a second cycle, the first cycle including a first edge and the second cycle including a second edge; means for writing to a first plurality of columns in a specified row during the first and second cycles; and means for suspending the external clock signal to suppress the second edge of the second cycle while writing to the first plurality of the columns.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
94 words
A memory device, comprising: means for storing data arranged in rows and columns; means for receiving an external clock signal, the external clock signal having at least a first cycle and a second cycle, the first cycle including a first edge and the second cycle including a second edge; means for writing to a first plurality of columns in a specified row during the first and second cycles; and means for suspending the external clock signal to suppress the second edge of the second cycle while writing to the first plurality of the columns.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-02-20 | 2004-08-21 | 2005-02-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-02-20 | 2008-08-21 | 2009-02-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-02-20 | 2012-08-21 | 2013-02-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |