Dynamic Memory Refresh Interval Reduces Bandwidth Penalty

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) systems face bandwidth penalties due to frequent refresh operations, which can lead to data corruption, especially at higher temperatures, and existing solutions do not effectively balance error tolerance and bandwidth performance across different types of data.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a dynamic memory refresh system that adjusts refresh rates based on error tolerance characteristics of data types, allowing for reduced refresh frequencies for less sensitive data to minimize bandwidth penalties while ensuring data reliability for critical data.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If frequent refresh operations are performed to prevent data corruption, then data reliability is improved, but bandwidth penalty increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata reliabilityVSAvoidbandwidth penalty

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating refresh strategies based on data type and location. Critical data receives frequent refreshes while non-critical data receives reduced refresh rates. The system identifies which memory regions store critical data and applies appropriate refresh intervals to each region, thereby reducing overall bandwidth penalty while maintaining data reliability for essential information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamics by making refresh intervals adaptive rather than fixed. The system dynamically adjusts refresh rates based on temperature conditions, data criticality, and memory usage patterns. At higher temperatures, refresh rates increase for critical data, while at lower temperatures, reduced refresh rates are applied to non-critical data, optimizing the balance between reliability and bandwidth consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If uniform refresh rates are applied to all memory data, then data reliability is maintained, but bandwidth performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata reliabilityVSAvoidmemory access performance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent differentiates refresh strategies based on data type and location. Critical data receives frequent refreshes while non-critical data receives reduced refresh rates. The system identifies which memory regions store critical data and applies appropriate refresh intervals to each region, thereby reducing overall bandwidth penalty while maintaining data reliability for essential information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by providing refresh operations only where and when necessary. Instead of uniformly refreshing all data, the system applies refresh only to critical data or to non-critical data when temperature conditions require it, thereby reducing unnecessary bandwidth consumption while maintaining reliability where needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Productivity

If refresh rate is reduced to minimize bandwidth penalty, then memory access performance is improved, but data corruption risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvememory access performanceVSAvoiddata reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates feedback mechanisms that monitor temperature conditions, memory usage patterns, and data access characteristics. Based on this feedback, the system dynamically adjusts refresh rates for different memory regions, increasing refresh frequency when temperature rises or critical data is detected, and reducing refresh rates when conditions permit, thereby optimizing the balance between performance and reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS20240096393A1Dynamic memory refresh interval to reduce bandwidth penalty

Publication Date: 2024.03.21 MICRON TECHNOLOGY INC

AI summary

A dynamic memory system having multiple memory regions respectively storing multiple types of data. A controller coupled to the dynamic memory system via a communication channel and operatively to: monitor usage of a communication bandwidth of the communication channel; determine to reduce memory bandwidth penalty caused by refreshing the dynamic memory system; and in response, reduce a refresh rate of at least one of the memory regions based on a type of data stored in the respective memory region.