1. A method of operating a memory device having multiple memory bank arrays and being responsive to command signals and a plurality of bank address signals, the method comprising:
specifying at least one of a multiple of memory bank arrays to be refreshed using a plurality of bank address signals; and
initiating in response to first command signals an auto-refresh command controlling an auto refresh operation to the specified at least one of the multiple memory bank arrays.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the specified at least one of the multiple memory bank arrays is specified in logic based on the plurality of bank address signals received.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
initiating, before or during the auto refresh operation to the at least one of the specified memory bank arrays, a second command signal controlling a second operation, other than an auto refresh operation, to a second memory bank array of the multiple memory bank arrays, which is not one of the at least one of the specified memory bank arrays being refreshed.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein multiple rows per memory bank array are refreshed per auto-refresh command.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein multiple rows per memory bank array are refreshed in a staggered fashion per auto-refresh command.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed using a synchronous dynamic random access memory device.
7. The method of claim 3, wherein the second operation is selected from the group consisting of activate operations, read operations, write operations and precharge operations.
8. An article comprising:
a storage medium having stored thereon instructions that when executed by a machine result in the following
specifying at least one of a multiple of memory bank arrays to be refreshed using a plurality of bank address signals; and
initiating in response to first command signals an auto-refresh command controlling an auto refresh operation to the specified at least one of the multiple memory bank arrays.
9. The article according to claim 8, wherein the specified at least one of the multiple memory bank arrays is specified in logic based on the plurality of bank address signals received.
10. The article according to claim 8, further comprising:
initiating, during the auto refresh operation to the at least one of the specified memory bank arrays, a second command signal controlling a second operation, other than an auto refresh operation, to a second memory bank array of the multiple memory bank arrays, which is not one of the at least one of the specified memory bank arrays being refreshed.
11. The article according to claim 8, wherein multiple rows per memory bank array are refreshed per auto-refresh command.
12. The article according to claim 8, wherein multiple rows per memory bank array are refreshed in a staggered fashion per auto-refresh command.
13. The article according to claim 8, wherein the method is performed using a synchronous dynamic random access memory device.
14. The article according to claim 10, wherein the second operation is selected from the group consisting of activate operations, read operations, write operations and precharge operations.
15. A memory device responsive to command signals and bank address signals, the memory device comprising:
multiple memory bank arrays, each memory bank array having storage cells; and
a command controllerdecoder responsive to selected command signals and bank address signals to initiate an auto-refresh command controlling an auto refresh operation to at least one specified memory bank array of the multiple memory bank arrays.
16. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the at least one specified memory bank array of the multiple memory bank arrays is determined based on which memory bank arrays have been refreshed and a subsequent known order of refreshing the memory bank arrays.
17. The memory device of claim 16, wherein the at least one specified memory bank array of the multiple memory bank arrays is determined based on a command specifying which bank is to be next refreshed and a subsequent known order of refreshing the memory bank arrays.
18. The memory device of claim 16, wherein the command controllerdecoder is responsive to selected command signals to initiate during the auto refresh operation to the at least one of the specified memory bank arrays a second command controlling a second operation, other than an auto refresh operation, to a second memory bank array of the multiple memory bank arrays, which is not one of the at least one of the memory bank arrays being refreshed.
19. The memory device of claim 15, further comprising a refresh counter for incrementing an address of a row to be refreshed, wherein the refresh counter has a separate counter portion for each of the multiple memory bank arrays.
20. The memory device of claim 15, wherein multiple rows per memory bank array are refreshed per auto-refresh command.
21. The memory device of claim 15, wherein multiple rows per memory bank array are refreshed in a staggered fashion per auto-refresh command.
22. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the memory device is a synchronous dynamic random access memory.
23. The memory device of claim 18, wherein the second operation is selected from the group consisting of activate operations, read operations, write operations and precharge operations.
24. A method of operating a memory device having multiple memory bank arrays and being responsive to command signals and a plurality of bank address signals, the method comprising:
specifying at least one of a multiple of memory bank arrays to be refreshed using a plurality of bank address signals;
initiating in response to first command signals an auto-refresh command controlling an auto refresh operation to the specified at least one of the multiple memory bank arrays, wherein multiple rows per memory bank array are refreshed per auto-refresh command; and
initiating, before or during the auto refresh operation to the at least one of the specified memory bank arrays, a second command signal controlling a second operation, other than an auto refresh operation, to a second memory bank array of the multiple memory bank arrays, which is not one of the at least one of the specified memory bank arrays being refreshed.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein the specified at least one of the multiple memory bank arrays is specified in logic based on the plurality of bank address signals received.
26. The method of claim 24, wherein multiple rows per memory bank array are refreshed in a staggered fashion per auto-refresh command.
27. The method of claim 24, wherein the method is performed using a synchronous dynamic random access memory device.
28. The method of claim 24, wherein the second operation is selected from the group consisting of activate operations, read operations, write operations and precharge operations.
29. The method of claim 28, wherein second command signals, to initiate an activate operation to open a page not to be refreshed, are issued by the memory controller after first command signals to initiate an auto-refresh command controlling an auto refresh operation to the specified at least one of the multiple memory bank arrays to be refreshed, in preparation for issuing second command signals to initiate read operations or write operations to the open page.
30. A memory controller for controlling a memory device having multiple memory bank arrays comprising:
a processor for scheduling and generating a plurality of bank address signals, first command signals, and second command signals, wherein the plurality of bank address signals specifies at least one of a multiple of memory bank arrays to be refreshed, the first command signals initiate an auto-refresh command controlling an auto refresh operation to the specified at least one of the multiple memory bank arrays, and the second command signals initiate, before or during the auto refresh operation to the at least one of the specified memory bank arrays, a second command controlling a second operation, other than an auto refresh operation, to a second memory bank array of the multiple memory bank arrays, which is not one of the at least one of the specified memory bank arrays being refreshed.
31. The memory controller of claim 30, wherein the specified at least one of the multiple memory bank arrays is specified in logic based on the plurality of bank address signals received.
32. The memory controller of claim 30, wherein multiple rows per memory bank array are refreshed per auto-refresh command.
33. The memory controller of claim 30, wherein multiple rows per memory bank array are refreshed in a staggered fashion per auto-refresh command.
34. The memory controller of claim 30, wherein the memory device is a synchronous dynamic random access memory device.
35. The memory controller of claim 30, wherein the second operation is selected from the group consisting of activate operations, read operations, write operations and precharge operations.
36. The memory controller of claim 35, wherein second command signals to initiate a second activate operation to open a page not to be refreshed are issued by the memory controller after first command signals to initiate an auto-refresh command controlling an auto refresh operation to the specified at least one of the multiple memory bank arrays to be refreshed, in preparation for issuing second command signals to initiate read operations or write operations to the open page.
37. A system comprising:
a memory device having multiple memory bank arrays; and
a memory controller for controlling the memory device, including a processor for scheduling and generating a plurality of bank address signals, first command signals, and second command signals, wherein the plurality of bank address signals specifies at least one of a multiple of memory bank arrays to be refreshed, the first command signals initiate an auto-refresh command controlling an auto refresh operation to the specified at least one of the multiple memory bank arrays, and the second command signals initiate, before or during the auto refresh operation to the at least one of the specified memory bank arrays, a second command controlling a second operation, other than an auto refresh operation, to a second memory bank array of the multiple memory bank arrays, which is not one of the at least one of the specified memory bank arrays being refreshed.
38. The system of claim 37, wherein the specified at least one of the multiple memory bank arrays is specified in logic based on the plurality of bank address signals received.
39. The system of claim 37, wherein multiple rows per memory bank array are refreshed per auto-refresh command.
40. The system of claim 37, wherein multiple rows per memory bank array are refreshed in a staggered fashion per auto-refresh command.
41. The system of claim 37, wherein the memory device is a synchronous dynamic random access memory device.
42. The system of claim 37, wherein the second operation is selected from the group consisting of activate operations, read operations, write operations and precharge operations.
43. The system of claim 42, wherein second command signals to initiate a second activate operation to open a page not to be refreshed are issued by the memory controller after first command signals to initiate an auto-refresh command controlling an auto refresh operation to the specified at least one of the multiple memory bank arrays to be refreshed, in preparation for issuing second command signals to initiate read operations or write operations to the open page.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of collecting media data, the method comprising:
detecting, at a base meter located in proximity to a media presentation device, registration information from a portable metering device within proximity of the base meter, the registration information identifying a user associated with the portable metering device;
determining, with a processor, a content identifier associated with media presented by the media presentation device;
sending a polling query to the portable metering device for presentation to the user; and
communicating a response to the polling query, the registration information, and the content identifier to a data collection facility.
2. The method as described in claim 1, further comprising alerting the user of the media presentation device to respond to the polling query.
3. The method as described in claim 2, wherein the alert is an audible alert.
4. The method as described in claim 2, wherein the alert is a visual alert.
5. The method as described in claim 2, wherein the alert is a vibrational alert.
6. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the polling query is displayed to the user via the portable metering device.
7. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the polling query is displayed to the user via the media presentation device.
8. The method as described in claim 1, further comprising receiving the response from the portable metering device.
9. A tangible machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed cause a machine to at least:
detect, at a base meter located in proximity to a media presentation device, registration information from a portable metering device within proximity of the base meter, the registration information identifying a user associated with the portable metering device;
determine a content identifier associated with media presented by the media presentation device;
sending a polling query to the portable metering device for presentation to the user; and
communicate a response to the polling query, the registration information, and the content identifier to a data collection facility.
10. The machine-readable storage medium as described in claim 9, further comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to alert the user of the media presentation device to respond to the polling query.
11. The machine-readable storage medium as described in claim 10, wherein the alert is an audible alert.
12. The machine-readable storage medium as described in claim 10, wherein the alert is a visual alert.
13. The machine-readable storage medium as described in claim 10, wherein the alert is a vibrational alert.
14. The machine-readable storage medium as described in claim 9, further comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to transmit the polling query to the portable metering device using a wireless communication link.
15. The machine-readable storage medium as described in claim 9, wherein the polling query is displayed to the user via the media presentation device.
16. The machine-readable storage medium as described in claim 9, further comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to receive the response from the portable metering device.
17. An apparatus to collect media consumption data, the apparatus comprising:
a first communication interface to detect registration information from a portable metering device within proximity of a media presentation device;
audience measurement circuitry to determine a content identifier associated with media presented by the media presentation device;
a second communication interface to transmit a polling query to the portable metering device, the second communication interface to receive a response to the polling query from the portable metering device; and
a third communication interface to communicate the response from the portable metering device, the registration information, and the content identifier to a data collection facility.
18. The apparatus as described in claim 17, further comprising a user interface to alert a user of the media presentation device to respond to the polling query.
19. The apparatus as described in claim 18, wherein the user interface is a visual user interface.
20. The apparatus as described in claim 17, further comprising displaying the polling query to a user associated with the portable metering device.