Patent ID: 7921264

Claim:
A first memory module, comprising: a plurality of addressable data storage locations for storing data; a first interface for receiving data access commands for accessing data stored in addressable data storage locations on at least one memory module; and control logic which supports a plurality of modes of operation, including: a first mode of operation, wherein each of said data access commands received in said first interface accesses respective data storage locations on a respective single memory module and at least one bit of each of said data access commands received in said first interface designates the respective single memory module accessed by the data access command, said control logic determining, with respect to each data access command received in said first interface, whether the respective data access command accesses respective data storage locations in said first memory module, and responsive to determining that the respective data access command accesses respective data storage locations in said first memory module, accessing the corresponding data storage locations in said first memory module; and a second mode of operation, wherein each of said data access commands received in said first interface accesses respective data storage locations in a set of multiple memory modules, said set including said first memory module, each module of said set containing a respective portion of the respective data storage locations accessed by the respective data access command, said control logic responding to each data access command received in said first interface by accessing the respective portion of the respective data storage locations accessed by the respective data access command which is contained in said first memory module; wherein, in said first mode of operation, a first set of I/O ports is used for transmitting data read from storage locations in said first memory module to an access control module of the first mode responsive to said data access commands; and wherein, in said second mode of operation, a second set of I/O ports is used for transmitting data read from storage locations in said first memory module to an access control module of the second mode responsive to said data access commands, said second set of I/O ports containing at least one I/O port, said first set of I/O ports containing a greater number of I/O ports than said second set of I/O ports.