Memory device, control method for the same, control program for the same, memory card, circuit board and electronic equipment

Abstract

A memory device includes a single or a plurality of memory chips. In the memory device (memory module), the single memory chip or each of the plurality of memory chips has a memory part storing control data such as specification data and function data, and control data stored on the memory part is rewritable. Control data stored on the memory part separately disposed on each memory chip enables separate use of the memory chip, which improves compatibility and flexibility of the memory.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT / JP2006 / 306889, filed on Mar. 31, 2006, now pending, herein incorporated by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to a memory that is used for data storage in an electronic apparatus such as a personal computer (PC), and, more particularly, to a memory device having an interface function, a control method for the same, a control program for the same, a memory card, a circuit board and electronic equipment.[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[0005]A PC is provided with such JEDEC (Joint Electron Device Engineering Council) standard memories as a SDRAM (Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory) and DDR-SDRAM (Double Data Rate-SDRAM).[0006]With respect to such a memory, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-110785 (ABSTRACT, FIG. 1, etc.) discloses a memory controller that includes a...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010]An object of the present invention is to improve the flexibility of a memory having a plurality of memory chips by enabling separate use of each of the memory chips as a memory chip having a different specification.

[0012]Still another object of the present invention is to improve compatibility of a memory.

[0021]To achieve the above objects, a second aspect of the present invention provides a control method for a memory device having a single or a plurality of memory chips, the method comprising a step of reading and writing control data concerning each memory chip based on address data specifying the memory chip. According to such a configuration, a memory chip is specified by using address data concerning the memory chip, and rewriting control data stored on the memory part of the identified memory chip allows the memory chip to deal with a change in a service environment and soon. This improves compatibility of the memory device and optimizes the memory device.

[0022]To achieve the above objects, a third aspect of the present invention provides a control program for a memory device having a single or a plurality of memory chips, the program driving a computer to execute a process of reading and writing control data on each memory chip from / to the memory chip based on address data specifying the memory chip. According to such a configuration, the control program is executed by a computer apparatus at electronic equipment, such as a computer equipped with the memory device. In execution of the control program, a memory chip is specified by using address data concerning the memory chip. The computer apparatus rewrites control data stored on the memory part of the identified memory chip to allow the memory chip to deal with a change in a service environment and soon. This improves compatibility of the memory device and optimizes the memory device, thus achieves the above objects.

[0034](1) Each memory chip has an internal memory part storing thereon control data on the memory chip. This enables the use of memory chips on a memory-chip-to-memory-chip basis using the control data stored on the memory part, and allows the memory chip to deal with an environment change such as specification change, in correspondence to the control data stored on the memory part, thus improves flexibility of the memory device.

[0036](3) Control data stored on the memory part in the memory chip is rewritten to improve compatibility of a memory.

Problems solved by technology

Keeping control parameters necessary for memories in a component separated from the memories requires handling and control corresponding to the separate parameter storage, leading to an increase in various costs including product cost and writing-in cost.

In other words, such a memory module 2 lacks flexibility in practical use.