Memory module monitoring memory operation and power management method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10152114-B2
Application number	US-201615223568-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 29, 2016
Priority date	Oct 22, 2015
Publication date	Dec 11, 2018
Grant date	Dec 11, 2018

Abstract

A memory module includes a counter configured to count a number of commands received from a host to generate a counted number and provide the counted value to the host, a memory device configured to receive an operating frequency and an operating voltage from that host that are determined based on the counted number, and a serial presence detect (SPD) configured to store the operating frequency and operating voltage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A memory module comprising:
a buffer configured to transmit at least one of a command and a clock signal transmitted from a host;
a counter configured to count a number of commands transmitted from the host to the buffer and provide a counted number to the host, the counter being connected to the buffer;
a memory device configured to receive the at least one of the command and the clock signal from the buffer and receive an operating frequency and an operating voltage from the host that are determined based on the counted number; and
a serial presence detect (SPD) configured to store the received operating frequency and operating voltage.

2. The memory module as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the counter is further configured to count at least one of a number of data bits exchanged between the host and the memory device and a number of transitions of a data strobe signal to generate the counted number, and transmit the counted number to the host.

3. The memory module as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a timer configured to control the counter so that the counter operates for a reference time.

4. The memory module as set forth in claim 1 ,
wherein the counter is further configured to count at least one of the number of data bits transmitted to the buffer and the number of transitions of a data strobe signal, and provide the counted number to the host.

5. The memory module as set forth in claim 1 , which is connected to the host in the form of a dual in-line memory module (DIMM).

6. A method of managing power of a main memory module comprising a memory device and a buffer configured to transmit at least one of a command and a clock signal to the memory device, comprising:
transmitting, by a host, an operation flag to the main memory module further comprising a counter counting a number of commands transmitted from the host to the buffer;
calculating, by the host, a peak bandwidth of the main memory module from an operation characteristic of the main memory module determined based on a counted number of the counter in synchronization with the operation flag or a cache miss ratio of a cache of the host;
determining, by the host, an operating frequency and an operating voltage of the main memory module so that the operating frequency of the main memory module is higher than the peak bandwidth; and
storing the determined operating frequency and the determined operating voltage in a serial presence detect (SPD) of the main memory module.

7. The method as set forth in claim 6 , wherein determining, by the host, the operating frequency and the operating voltage of the main memory module comprises:
receiving SPD information of the main memory module;
setting the operating frequency and the operating voltage of the main memory module according to the SPD information;
comparing output quality of the main memory module with a reference quality;
changing the operating frequency and the operating voltage of the main memory module depending on a result of the comparison; and
storing the changed operating frequency and the changed operating voltage in a register.

8. The method as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the operation flag is generated when a central processing unit (CPU) use rate of the host is greater than or equal to a specific value.

9. The method as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the operation characteristic of the main memory module is the number of commands counted for a reference time.

10. The method as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the operation characteristic of the main memory module is at least one of a number of data bits counted for a reference time and a number of transitions of a data strobe signal.

11. The method as set forth in claim 6 , further comprising rebooting the main memory module under a condition of the determined operating frequency and the determined operating voltage.

12. A server comprising:
a host computer comprising a cache and a register storing a plurality of entries, wherein each entry includes a different operating frequency and an operating voltage pair; and
a main memory module comprising a memory device, a buffer configured to transmit at least one of a command and a clock signal to the memory device, a counter counting a number of commands transmitted from the host to the buffer, and a serial presence detect (SPD),
wherein the counter is connected to the buffer and is configured to transmit a counted number to the host computer, and
wherein the host computer determines a memory bandwidth of the main memory based on the counted number of the counter or a cache miss ratio of the cache, selects one of the entries that corresponds to the determined memory bandwidth, and transmits the operating frequency and the operating voltage of the selected one entry to the SPD.

13. The server of claim 12 , wherein the host computer determines the memory bandwidth based on a number data bits exchanged between the host computer and the main memory during a given period.

14. The server of claim 12 , wherein the host computer determines the memory bandwidth based on a central processing unit (CPU) use rate of a CPU of the host computer.

15. The server of claim 12 , wherein the host computer reboots the main memory after transmitting the operating frequency and the operating voltage of the selected one entry to the SPD.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Byun Hui-Chung

Classifications

• Y02D10/126

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• G06F1/3206

  Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality · CPC title

• Y02D10/172

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• Y02D10/14

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• G11C2029/5004

  Voltage · CPC title