JEDEC memory standards

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The JEDEC memory standards are the specifications for semiconductor memory circuits and similar storage devices promulgated by the Joint Electron Device Engineering Council (JEDEC) Solid State Technology Association, a semiconductor trade and engineering standardization organization.

Contents

JEDEC Standard 100B.01 specifies common terms, units, and other definitions in use in the semiconductor industry. JESC21-C specifies semiconductor memories from the 256 bit static RAM to DDR4 SDRAM modules.

JEDEC standardization goals

The Joint Electron Device Engineering Council characterizes its standardization efforts as follows: [1]

JEDEC standards and publications are designed to serve the public interest through eliminating misunderstandings between manufacturers and purchasers, facilitating interchangeability and improvement of products, and assisting the purchaser in selecting and obtaining with minimum delay the proper product for use by those other than JEDEC members, whether the standard is to be used either domestically or internationally.

JEDEC Standard 100B.01

The December 2002 JEDEC Standard 100B.01 is entitled Terms, Definitions, and Letter Symbols for Microcomputers, Microprocessors, and Memory Integrated Circuits. The purpose of the standard is to promote the uniform use of symbols, abbreviations, terms, and definitions throughout the semiconductor industry. [1]

Units of information

The specification defines the two common units of information: [2]

Unit prefixes for semiconductor storage capacity

The specification contains citations of the commonly used prefixes kilo, mega, and giga "as a prefix to units of semiconductor storage capacity" to designate multiples of the units.

The specification cites three prefixes as follows, with the note that these prefixes are included in the document only to reflect common usage.

It refers to the IEEE/ASTM SI 10-1997 standard as stating that "this practice frequently leads to confusion and is deprecated". The document further refers to the description of the IEC binary prefixes in Amendment 2 of IEC 60027-2, "Letter symbols to be used in electrical technology", for an alternate system of prefixes [notes 1] and includes a table of the IEC prefixes in the note. However the JEDEC specification does not explicitly include the IEC prefixes in the list of general terms and definitions.

The document notes that these prefixes are used in their decimal sense for serial communication data rates measured in bits.

The JEDEC terms dictionary further includes definitions for the binary prefixes kibi (Ki), mebi (Mi), gibi (Gi), and tebi (Ti) as powers of 2, and kilo, mega, giga, and tera as powers of 10. [6] For example,

240 tebi Ti tera + binary: (210)4 = 1099511627776 tera: (103)4

The JEDEC DDR3 SDRAM standard JESD-79-3f uses Mb and Gb to specify binary memory capacity: [7] "The purpose of this Standard is to define the minimum set of requirements for JEDEC compliant 512 Mb through 8 Gb for x4, x8, and x16 DDR3 SDRAM devices."

JESD21-C

The standard JESD21-C: Configurations for Solid State Memories is maintained by JEDEC committee JC41. This committee consists of members from manufacturers of microprocessors, memory ICs, memory modules, and other components, as well as component integrators, such as video card and personal computer makers. Standard 21 is published in loose-leaf binder format to accommodate frequent updates.

The documentation of modern memory modules, such as the standards for the memory ICs [8] and a reference design of the module [9] requires over one hundred pages. The standards specify the physical and electrical characteristics of the modules, and include the data for computer simulations of the memory module operating in a system. [10]

Memory modules of the DDR2-SDRAM type are available for laptop, desktop, and server computers in a wide selection of capacities and access speeds. The standards specify memory module label formats for end-user markets. [11] For example:

1GB 2Rx4 PC2-3200P-333-11-D2 is a 1 GB DDR2 Registered DIMM, with address/command parity function, using 2 ranks of x4 SDRAMs operational to PC2-3200 performance with CAS Latency = 3, tRCD = 3, tRP = 3, using JEDEC SPD revision 1.1, raw card reference design file D revision 2 used for the assembly.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Quote from JEDEC Standard 100B.01, page 8:
    The definitions of kilo, giga, and mega based on powers of two are included only to reflect common usage. IEEE/ASTM SI 10-1997 states "This practice frequently leads to confusion and is deprecated." Further confusion results from the popular use of the megabyte representing 1 024 000 bytes to define the capacity of the 1.44-MB high-density diskette. An alternative system is found in Amendment 2 to IEC 60027-2: Letter symbols to be used in electrical technology – Part 2.

Related Research Articles

The byte is a unit of digital information that most commonly consists of eight bits. Historically, the byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the smallest addressable unit of memory in many computer architectures. To disambiguate arbitrarily sized bytes from the common 8-bit definition, network protocol documents such as the Internet Protocol refer to an 8-bit byte as an octet. Those bits in an octet are usually counted with numbering from 0 to 7 or 7 to 0 depending on the bit endianness.

A binary prefix is a unit prefix that indicates a multiple of a unit of measurement by an integer power of two. The most commonly used binary prefixes are kibi (symbol Ki, meaning 210 = 1024), mebi (Mi, 220 = 1048576), and gibi (Gi, 230 = 1073741824). They are most often used in information technology as multipliers of bit and byte, when expressing the capacity of storage devices or the size of computer files.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DDR SDRAM</span> Type of computer memory

Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic Random-Access Memory is a double data rate (DDR) synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM) class of memory integrated circuits used in computers. DDR SDRAM, also retroactively called DDR1 SDRAM, has been superseded by DDR2 SDRAM, DDR3 SDRAM, DDR4 SDRAM and DDR5 SDRAM. None of its successors are forward or backward compatible with DDR1 SDRAM, meaning DDR2, DDR3, DDR4 and DDR5 memory modules will not work on DDR1-equipped motherboards, and vice versa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gigabyte</span> Unit of digital information

The gigabyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information. The prefix giga means 109 in the International System of Units (SI). Therefore, one gigabyte is one billion bytes. The unit symbol for the gigabyte is GB.

Giga- ( or ) is a unit prefix in the metric system denoting a factor of a short-scale billion or long-scale milliard (109 or 1,000,000,000). It has the symbol G.

The kilobyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information.

The megabyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information. Its recommended unit symbol is MB. The unit prefix mega is a multiplier of 1000000 (106) in the International System of Units (SI). Therefore, one megabyte is one million bytes of information. This definition has been incorporated into the International System of Quantities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Synchronous dynamic random-access memory</span> Type of computer memory

Synchronous dynamic random-access memory is any DRAM where the operation of its external pin interface is coordinated by an externally supplied clock signal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DIMM</span> Computer memory module

A DIMM, or Dual In-Line Memory Module, is a popular type of memory module used in computers. It is a printed circuit board with one or both sides holding DRAM chips and pins. The vast majority of DIMMs are standardized through JEDEC standards, although there are proprietary DIMMs. DIMMs come in a variety of speeds and sizes, but generally are one of two lengths: PC, which are 133.35 mm (5.25 in), and laptop (SO-DIMM), which are about half the size at 67.60 mm (2.66 in).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DDR2 SDRAM</span> Second generation of double-data-rate synchronous dynamic random-access memory

Double Data Rate 2 Synchronous Dynamic Random-Access Memory is a double data rate (DDR) synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM) interface. It is a JEDEC standard (JESD79-2); first published in September 2003. DDR2 succeeded the original DDR SDRAM specification, and was itself succeeded by DDR3 SDRAM in 2007. DDR2 DIMMs are neither forward compatible with DDR3 nor backward compatible with DDR.

The megabit is a multiple of the unit bit for digital information. The prefix mega (symbol M) is defined in the International System of Units (SI) as a multiplier of 106 (1 million), and therefore

In computing, serial presence detect (SPD) is a standardized way to automatically access information about a memory module. Earlier 72-pin SIMMs included five pins that provided five bits of parallel presence detect (PPD) data, but the 168-pin DIMM standard changed to a serial presence detect to encode more information.

Double Data Rate 3 Synchronous Dynamic Random-Access Memory is a type of synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM) with a high bandwidth interface, and has been in use since 2007. It is the higher-speed successor to DDR and DDR2 and predecessor to DDR4 synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM) chips. DDR3 SDRAM is neither forward nor backward compatible with any earlier type of random-access memory (RAM) because of different signaling voltages, timings, and other factors.

File size is a measure of how much data a computer file contains or, alternately, how much storage it consumes. Typically, file size is expressed in units of measurement based on the byte. By convention, file size units use either a metric prefix or a binary prefix.

IEEE 1541-2002 is a standard issued in 2002 by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) concerning the use of prefixes for binary multiples of units of measurement related to digital electronics and computing. IEEE 1541-2021 revises and supersedes IEEE 1541–2002, which is 'inactive'.

ISO 80000 or IEC 80000, Quantities and units, is an international standard describing the International System of Quantities (ISQ). It was developed and promulgated jointly by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). It serves as a style guide for using physical quantities and units of measurement, formulas involving them, and their corresponding units, in scientific and educational documents for worldwide use. The ISO/IEC 80000 family of standards was completed with the publication of the first edition of Part 1 in November 2009.

This timeline of binary prefixes lists events in the history of the evolution, development, and use of units of measure that are germane to the definition of the binary prefixes by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) in 1998, used primarily with units of information such as the bit and the byte.

Double Data Rate 4 Synchronous Dynamic Random-Access Memory is a type of synchronous dynamic random-access memory with a high bandwidth interface.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GDDR3 SDRAM</span> Type of graphics card memory

GDDR3 SDRAM is a type of DDR SDRAM specialized for graphics processing units (GPUs) offering less access latency and greater device bandwidths. Its specification was developed by ATI Technologies in collaboration with DRAM vendors including Elpida Memory, Hynix Semiconductor, Infineon and Micron. It was later adopted as a JEDEC standard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UniDIMM</span> Specification for DIMMs

UniDIMM is a specification for dual in-line memory modules (DIMMs), which are printed circuit boards (PCBs) designed to carry dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) chips. UniDIMMs can be populated with either DDR3 or DDR4 chips, with no support for any additional memory control logic; as a result, the computer's memory controller must support both DDR3 and DDR4 memory standards. The UniDIMM specification was created by Intel for its Skylake microarchitecture, whose integrated memory controller (IMC) supports both DDR3 and DDR4 memory technologies.

References

  1. 1 2 JEDEC Solid State Technology Association (December 2002). "Terms, Definitions, and Letter Symbols for Microcomputers, Microprocessors, and Memory Integrated Circuits" (PDF). JESD 100B.01. p. 8. Retrieved 2009-04-05.
  2. ↑ Ref. ANSI X3.172.
  3. ↑ "JEDEC dictionary entry: kilo (K) (as a prefix to units of semiconductor storage capacity)".
  4. ↑ "JEDEC dictionary entry: mega (M) (as a prefix to units of semiconductor storage capacity)".
  5. ↑ "JEDEC dictionary entry: giga (G) (as a prefix to units of semiconductor storage capacity)".
  6. ↑ JEDEC dictionary entry
  7. ↑ "DDR3 SDRAM STANDARD | JESD79-3F". JEDEC. Jul 2012. Retrieved 2022-08-21.
  8. ↑ JEDEC, Double Data Rate (DDR) SDRAM Specification (PDF), archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-10-02, retrieved 2013-08-08
  9. ↑ JEDEC (2007), EP2-2100 DDR2 SDRAM 32b-SO-DIMM Reference Design Specification (PDF), retrieved 2009-04-05
  10. ↑ JEDEC, Bit Wide TTL SRAM (PDF), archived from the original (PDF) on 2003-04-20, retrieved 2013-08-08
  11. ↑ JEDEC, Preliminary publication of JEDEC Semiconductor Memory Standard (PDF), archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-26, retrieved 2013-08-08
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