1. A refresh controller for use in a dynamic random access memory (\u201cDRAM\u201d) having a full density mode and a reduced density mode, the refresh controller comprising:
an oscillator generating a periodic clock signal;
a counter having a clock input terminal coupled to receive the clock signal, the counter having first and second stages the first of which increments at a faster rate than the second, the second stage of the being two stages from the first stage of the counter so that the second stage is incremented at one-quarter the rate of the first stage; and
a selector circuit coupled the first and second stages of the counter, the selector circuit being operable to couple the first stage of the counter to an output terminal in the full density mode and being operable to couple the second stage of the counter to the output terminal in the reduced density mode.
2. The refresh controller of claim 1 wherein the selector circuit comprises:
a first pass gate coupled between the first stage of the counter and the output terminal;
a second pass gate coupled between the second stage of the counter and the output terminal; and
a control circuit for enabling the first pass gate and disabling the second pass gate in the full density mode and for disabling the first pass gate and enabling the second pass gate in the reduced density mode.
3. The refresh controller of claim 1 wherein the reduced density mode comprises a half density mode.
4. A dynamic random access memory (\u201cDRAM\u201d) comprising:
an array of memory cells arranged in rows and columns;
a column address latch structured to store a colunm address responsive to a column address strobe signal;
a column decoder coupled to the column address latch to receive the stored column address and enable respective sense amplifiers corresponding thereto;
a row address latch structured to store a row address responsive to a row address strobe signal;
a first row decoder coupled to the row address latch to receive the stored row address and activate respective word lines corresponding thereto, the first row decoder being enable responsive to a first enable signal;
a second row decoder coupled to the row address latch to receive the stored row address and activate respective word lines corresponding thereto, the row lines activated by the first row decoder being interleaved with the row lines activated by the second row decoder, the second row decoder being enabled responsive to a second enable signal;
a mode controller coupled to the row decoders, the mode controller being operable in a full density mode to generate the first enable signal responsive to a first state of a least significant bit of the row address and to generate the second enable signal responsive to a second state of the least significant bit of the row address, the mode controller further being operable to generate the first and second enable signals in a reduced density mode regardless of the state of the least significant bit of the row address;
a data path coupled between the memory array and a data terminal; and
a refresh controller for refreshing at least some of the memory cells in the memory array responsive to a refresh trigger signal, the refresh controller comprising:
an oscillator generating a periodic clock signal;
a counter having a clock input terminal coupled to receive the clock signal, the counter having first and second stages the first of which increments at a faster rate than the second, the second stage of the counter being two stages from the first stage of the counter so that the second stage is incremented at one-quarter the rate of the first stage; and
a selector circuit coupled the first and second stages of the counter, the selector circuit being operable to couple the first stage of the counter to an output terminal in the full density mode and being operable to couple the second stage of the counter to the output terminal in the reduced density mode, the refresh trigger signal being generated responsive to the counter stage coupled to the output terminal by the selector circuit being incremented or decremented.
5. The dynamic random access memory of claim 4 wherein the selector circuit comprises:
a first pass gate coupled between the first stage of the counter and the output terminal;
a second pass gate coupled between the second stage of the counter and the output terminal; and
a control circuit for enabling the first pass gate and disabling the second pass gate in the full density mode and for disabling the first pass gate and enabling the second pass gate in the reduced density mode.
6. A computer system, comprising:
a data input device;
a data output device;
a processor coupled to the data input and output devices; and
a dynamic random access memory, comprising:
an array of memory cells arranged in rows and columns;
a column address latch structured to store a column address responsive to a column address strobe signal;
a column decoder coupled to the column address latch to receive the stored column address and enable respective sense amplifiers corresponding thereto;
a row address latch structured to store a row address responsive to a row address strobe signal;
a first row decoder coupled to the row address latch to receive the stored row address and activate respective word lines corresponding thereto, the first row decoder being enable responsive to a first enable signal;
a second row decoder coupled to the row address latch to receive the stored row address and activate respective word lines corresponding thereto, the row lines activated by the first row decoder being interleaved with the row lines activated by the second row decoder, the second row decoder being enabled responsive to a second enable signal;
a mode controller coupled to the row decoders, the mode controller being operable in the full density mode to generate the first enable signal responsive to a first state of a least significant bit of the row address and to generate the second enable signal responsive to a second state of the least significant bit of the row address, the mode controller further being operable to generate the first and second enable signals in a reduced density mode regardless of the state of the least significant bit of the row address;
a data path coupled between the memory array and a data terminal; and
a refresh controller for refreshing at least some of the memory cells in the memory array responsive to a refresh trigger signal, the refresh controller comprising:
an oscillator generating a periodic clock signal;
a counter having a clock input terminal coupled to receive the clock signal, the counter having first and second stages the first of which increments at a faster rate than the second, the second stage of the counter being two stages from the first stage of the counter so that the second stage is incremented at one-quarter the rate of the first stage; and
a selector circuit coupled the first and second stages of the counter, the selector circuit being operable to couple the first stage of the counter to an output terminal in the full density mode and being operable to couple the second stage of the counter to the output terminal in the reduced density mode, the refresh trigger signal being generated responsive to the counter stage coupled to the output terminal by the selector circuit being incremented or decremented.
7. The computer system of claim 6 wherein the selector circuit comprises:
a first pass gate coupled between the first stage of the counter and the output terminal;
a second pass gate coupled between the second stage of the counter and the output terminal; and
a control circuit for enabling the first pass gate and disabling the second pass gate in the full density mode and for disabling the first pass gate and enabling the second pass gate in the reduced density mode.
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 home automation system for a home having a plurality of rooms separated by doorways, wherein each room has at least one of the doorways associated therewith, the system comprising:
a plurality of controlled objects for placement in rooms;
a plurality of room motion sensors for placement in the rooms to detect occupancy by a person therein;
a controller for controlling the controlled objects in response to detected occupancy by the plurality of room motion sensors;
wherein at least one of the room motion sensors includes a sensor for detecting motion in one of the rooms, the sensor having a sensitivity to the motion for triggering the room occupancy sensor, and wherein the sensitivity is adjustable in response to signals from the controller; and
a plurality of entryexit sensors for placement in doorways to detect movement of a person therethrough, wherein the sensitivity is adjusted in response to detected movement by at least one of the entryexit sensors.
2. The home automation system of claim 1, wherein the sensitivity is adjusted in response to detected motion by the sensor.
3. The home automation system of claim 1, further comprising:
at least one spot sensor for placement in one of the rooms to detect occupancy by a person in a specific location within the one room, wherein the sensitivity is adjusted in response to detected occupancy in the specific location by the spot sensor.
4. The home automation system of claim 1, further comprising:
at least one status sensor for determining a parameter of the home, wherein the sensitivity is adjusted in response to the determined parameter by the status sensor.
5. A room occupancy sensor for a home automation system having a controller that monitors occupancy of rooms in a home, the occupancy sensor comprising:
a sensor for detecting motion in a room, and
a filter mechanism for triggering the room occupancy sensor only in response to repeated motion detections by the sensor that exceed a predetermined number, that are each separated apart by a predetermined separation time period, and that all occur within a predetermined group time period.
6. A home automation system for a home having a plurality of rooms separated by doorways, wherein each room has at least one of the doorways associated therewith, the system comprising:
a plurality of controlled objects for placement in rooms;
a plurality of room motion sensors for placement in the rooms to detect occupancy by a person therein; and
a controller for controlling the controlled objects in response to detected occupancy by the plurality of room motion sensors;
wherein at least one of the room motion sensors includes:
a sensor for detecting motion in one of the rooms, and
a filter mechanism associated with the room motion sensor for triggering the room motion sensor only in response to repeated motion detections that exceed a predetermined number, that are each separated apart by a predetermined separation time period, and that all occur within a predetermined group time period.
7. The home automation system of claim 6, wherein at least one of the predetermined number, predetermined time period and predetermine group time period are adjustable by the controller.
8. The home automation system of claim 1, wherein for the at least one room motion sensor:
the controller counts the number of the repeated motion detections, determines the time separation between the repeated motion detections, and determines the time period in which all the repeated motion detections occur; and
the controller determines that the room motion sensor is triggered when the counted motion detections exceed the predetermined number, are separated apart by the predetermined separation time period, and all occur within the predetermined group time period.
9. The home automation system of claim 7, further comprising:
a plurality of entryexit sensors for placement in doorways to detect movement of a person therethrough, wherein at least one of the predetermined number, predetermined time period and predetermine group time period are adjusted in response to detected movement by at least one of the entryexit sensors.
10. The home automation system of claim 7, further comprising:
at least one spot sensor for placement in one of the rooms to detect occupancy by a person in a specific location within the one room, wherein at least one of the predetermined number, predetermined time period and predetermine group time period are adjusted in response to detected occupancy in the specific location by the spot sensor.
11. The home automation system of claim 7, further comprising:
at least one status sensor for determining a parameter of the home, wherein at least one of the predetermined number, predetermined time period and predetermine group time period are adjusted in response to the determined parameter by the status sensor.
12. A method of automated control of a plurality of controlled objects placed in a plurality of rooms in a home, wherein a plurality of room motion sensors are placed in the rooms to detect occupancy by a person therein and the plurality of rooms are separated by doorways which include a plurality of entryexit sensors for detecting movement of a person therethrough, the method comprising:
controlling the controlled objects in response to detected occupancy by the plurality of room motion sensors;
adjusting a sensor trigger sensitivity of at least one of the room motion sensors in response to detected occupancy by at least one of the room motions sensors; and
adjusting a sensor trigger sensitivity of at least one of the room motion sensors in response to detected movement by at least one of the plurality of entryexit sensors.
13. A method of automated control of a plurality of controlled objects placed in a plurality of rooms in a home, wherein a plurality of room motion sensors are placed in the rooms to detect occupancy by a person therein and the home includes at least one spot sensor for detecting occupancy by a person in a specific location within the one rooms, the method comprising:
controlling the controlled objects in response to detected occupancy by the plurality of room motion sensors;
adjusting a sensor trigger sensitivity of at least one of the room motion sensors in response to detected occupancy by at least one of the room motions sensors; and
adjusting a sensor trigger sensitivity of at least one of the room motion sensors in response to detected occupancy by the spot sensor.
14. A method of automated control of a plurality of controlled objects placed in a plurality of rooms in a home, wherein a plurality of room motion sensors are placed in the rooms to detect occupancy by a person therein and the home includes at least one status sensor for determining a parameter of the home, the method comprising:
controlling the controlled objects in response to detected occupancy by the plurality of room motion sensors;
adjusting a sensor trigger sensitivity of at least one of the room motion sensors in response to detected occupancy by at least one of the room motions sensors; and
adjusting a sensor trigger sensitivity of at least one of the room motion sensors in response to the home parameter determined by the status sensor.
15. A method of automated control of a plurality of controlled objects placed in a plurality of rooms in a home, wherein a plurality of room motion sensors are placed in the rooms to detect occupancy by a person therein, the method comprising the steps of:
triggering one of the room motion sensors only in response to repeated motion detections that exceed a predetermined number, that are each separated apart by a predetermined separation time period, and that all occur within a predetermined group time period; and
controlling at least one controlled object in response to the triggered room motion sensor.