Patent ID: 7202545

Claim:
A memory module comprising: a printed circuit board; a plurality of semiconductor memory chips mounted on the printed circuit board; a plurality of conductive lines electrically coupled to a first set of external contacts of the printed circuit board with the semiconductor memory chips, the conductive lines coupling the semiconductor memory chips in parallel with one another; a first connecting line electrically coupled between a second external contact of the printed circuit board and a first semiconductor memory chip, said first connecting line being distinct from said plurality of conductive lines and said second external contact being distinct from said first set of external contacts, the first semiconductor memory chip being one of the plurality of memory chips; a second connecting line electrically coupled between a third external contact of the printed circuit board and a second semiconductor memory chip, said second connecting line being distinct from said plurality of conductive lines and said third external contact being distinct from said first set of external contacts, the second memory chip being one of the plurality of memory chips; and at least one connection line coupled between ones of the plurality of semiconductor memory chips such that a series circuit is formed between the second external contact and the third external contact, the series circuit traversing through each semiconductor memory chip in the plurality of semiconductor memory chips.