Memory Bank Segment Concurrency for Latency Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current memory devices face increased latency when accessing multiple segments in a bank of memory cells, as they often prohibit concurrent access to other segments in the same row, leading to inefficiencies and higher costs due to the need for additional banks to enable parallel access.
Innovation Solution
A memory device is configured to selectively access other segments in a bank concurrently with an active segment by determining whether they are inaccessible, allowing for concurrent access if they are accessible, thereby reducing latency without increasing the number of banks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If concurrent access to multiple segments in a bank is prohibited, then segment access conflicts are avoided, but latency increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the bank of memory cells into multiple segments, where each segment can be independently accessed. This segmentation allows concurrent access operations to different segments within the same bank, thereby reducing access latency and improving productivity without causing segment access conflicts.
2Productivity
If additional banks are added to enable parallel access, then concurrent access capability improves, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding more banks (horizontal expansion), the patent introduces a new dimension of concurrency by enabling simultaneous access to multiple segments within the same bank. This vertical exploitation of segment-level parallelism achieves improved productivity without increasing the number of banks, thereby avoiding increased device complexity and manufacturing cost.
3Productivity
If additional banks are added to enable parallel access, then concurrent access capability improves, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves parallel access capability by exploiting segment-level independence within existing banks rather than adding more banks. This approach improves productivity while avoiding the increased manufacturing cost that would result from adding additional banks to the memory device.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and devices for accessing multiple segments of memory systems are described. A memory device may be configured to concurrently activate two or more segments in a same row of a bank of memory cells based on determining whether the segments are concurrently accessible. For example, during a concurrent access operation on two memory cells in two segments of the same row, the memory device may determine whether the segments are concurrently inaccessible. If the segments are concurrently inaccessible, the memory device may discard a later access command or wait to perform the later access command until the corresponding segment is accessible. If the segments are concurrently accessible, the memory device may access both segments at least partially concurrently. The memory device may transmit an indication to a host device based on determining whether the concurrent access operation may be performed.