Patent ID: 7289386

Claim:
A memory module connectable to a computer system, the memory module comprising: a printed circuit board; a plurality of memory devices coupled to the printed circuit board, the plurality of memory devices having a first number of memory devices; and a logic element coupled to the printed circuit board, the logic element receiving a set of input control signals from the computer system, the set of input control signals corresponding to a second number of memory devices smaller than the first number of memory devices, the logic element generating a set of output control signals in response to the set of input control signals, the set of output control signals corresponding to the first number of memory devices, wherein the plurality of memory devices are arranged in a first number of ranks, and the set of input control signals corresponds to a second number of ranks of memory modules, the second number of ranks less than the first number of ranks, wherein the logic element further responds to a first command signal from the computer system by generating a second command signal transmitted to the plurality of memory devices, the first command signal corresponding to the second number of ranks and the second command signal corresponding to the first number of ranks.