Abstract:
In an embodiment, a memory module includes a first group of multi chip packages, including one or more non-volatile memories, and a second group of multi chip packages, including one or more volatile memories, wherein the first and second groups of multi chip packages are electrically connected to a substrate. Various types of memory packages can be integrated into a single module that is mounted to the substrate, such as a printed circuit board, for improved size efficiency.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION 
   This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2005-000810, filed on Jan. 5, 2005, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory module, and more particularly, to a memory module with different kinds of multi chip packages capable of being used as a substitute for a hard disk and a memory in a small-size computer. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
     FIGS. 1A and 1B  are diagrams illustrating a general memory module.  FIG. 1A  is a top plan view of the general memory module, and  FIG. 1B  is a front view. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , in the general memory module, a single kind of memory chip  11  is mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB)  12 . In the memory module, the memory chips  11  may be mounted on one or both surfaces of the PCB  12 . Further, a memory  13  built inside each of the memory chips  11  may be a volatile memory such as a DRAM or an SRAM, or a non-volatile memory such as a NAND flash memory or a NOR flash memory. 
   Conventionally, only DRAM chips, SRAM chips, or flash memory-type chips are mounted to one memory module, because only a single kind of memory chip can be mounted to the memory module. 
   Regarding possible state-of-the-art, future, small-size computers, a hard disk drive (HDD) and a memory may necessarily not be separately installed, and a non-volatile memory may be used instead of a hard disk, for example. Further, in a portable computer, a non-volatile memory, which is robust against outside impact, is used instead of a hard disk for storing data because the hard disk is weak on impact. 
   Furthermore, there has been a trend to generally minimize portable computer sizes. Therefore, to minimize the volume of a small-size computer that is portable or used in a vehicle, it may be necessary to reduce the volume of the computer by integrating a standard memory and a hard-disk memory into a single memory module, for example. 
   SUMMARY 
   Embodiments of the present invention provide a memory module that may be used in a small-sized or portable computer, for example, by integrating several types of memories, such as a memory for a hard disk, a ROM, and a RAM. 
   An embodiment of the present invention also provides a memory module that may be used in for a hard disk in a small-size computer. 
   In one embodiment, a memory module comprises a first group of multi chip packages including one or more non-volatile memories; and a second group of multi chip packages including one or more volatile memories. The first and the second group of multi chip packages are electrically connected to a substrate. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which: 
       FIGS. 1A and 1B  are diagrams illustrating a general memory module; 
       FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating a memory module according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating an embodiment in which a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory are included in one multi chip package; 
       FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a data signal line in the memory module shown in  FIG. 2 ; and 
       FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of the data signal line in the memory module shown in  FIG. 2 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   The present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the present invention are shown. Like reference numerals in the drawings denote like elements. 
     FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating a memory module according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
   In a memory module  20 , according to the present invention, different kinds of multi chip packages (MCP) are mounted on a PCB  23 . One kind of MCP is a multi chip package  21  that includes a NAND type flash memory  24  and a NOR type flash memory  25 . Another kind of multi chip package is a multi chip package  22  that includes a DRAM  26  and a Unit transistor RAM (UtRAM)  27 . These are just a few examples of the possible combinations of packages that are among the embodiments of the invention. 
   In an embodiment, according to the present invention shown in  FIG. 2 , one kind of multi chip package  21  is a multi chip package consisting of only a non-volatile memory. Another kind of multi chip package  22  is a multi chip package consisting of only a volatile memory. However, in an embodiment according to the present invention, both a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory may be included in one multi chip package.  FIG. 3  shows an embodiment in which a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory are included in one multi chip package. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , three flash memories  32 ,  33 ,  34 , and one DRAM  31  are included in one multi chip package  30 . 
   That is, the memory module shown in  FIG. 2  may be composed of a first group of multi chip packages consisting of non-volatile memories and a second group of multi chip packages consisting of volatile memories, or a third group of multi chip packages in which non-volatile memories and volatile memories are combined. Further, a memory module according to another embodiment of the present invention may be composed of the first group of multi chip packages and the third group of multi chip packages. 
   The memory module  20  shown in  FIG. 2  includes both a non-volatile memory and a volatile memory in one memory module, and can be used in a portable computer, for example. That is, the non-volatile memory and the volatile memory in the memory module  20  can serve as a hard disk, a ROM, and a RAM, respectively. In this way, functions of the hard disk and the ROM can be integrated in one memory module, so that a computer having the integrated memory module can have a remarkably reduced volume while able to sufficiently endure any outside impact. It is noteworthy to compare this to a conventional computer having a separate hard disk and ROM. 
   Specifically, a portable computer may be enabled to be minimized to the extent that it can evolve into a watch-type computer, with functions of a hard-disk, a ROM, and a RAM all integrated into a memory module, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4  shows an embodiment of a data signal line in a memory module  40  such as that shown in  FIG. 2 . In the memory module  40 , a data signal line is shared by a volatile memory, for example a DRAM or a UtRAM, mounted in the memory module  40 , and a non-volatile memory, for example a NAND flash or a NOR flash. 
   That is, in the memory module  40 , data is input to, or output, from the volatile memory and the non-volatile memory through a data input/output connection pin  41 . Further, in the memory module  40 , a power supply line and a clock signal line may be shared. 
     FIG. 5  shows another embodiment of a data signal line in a memory module  50  such as that shown in  FIG. 2 . In the memory module  50 , data signal lines of a volatile memory (DRAM or UtRAM) and a non-volatile memory (NAND flash or NOR flash) mounted in the memory module  50  are different from each other. In the memory module according to this embodiment of the present invention, an input/output data line of the non-volatile memory is a relatively small number and has different input/output characteristics than those of other RAM&#39;s, and a separate data signal may be used for these different memory types. A data signal line connected to a volatile memory shown in  FIG. 5  uses an input/output connection pin  51  formed on a lower part of the memory module  50 , and a data signal line connected to a non-volatile memory uses an input/output connection pin  52  formed on right and/or left sides of the memory module  50 . Further, the memory module  50  may separately use a power supply line and a clock signal line, as well as a data signal line. 
   Specifically, it may be most effective if the non-volatile memory and the volatile memory use an independent power supply voltage because a level of a power supply voltage used in a flash memory is different from that of a power supply voltage used in a DRAM or a UtRAM, for example. 
   According to a semiconductor memory module of the present invention, it is possible to use the integrated memory in a small-size computer by integrating the memories of a hard disk, a ROM, and a RAM, for example. 
   While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.