Patent ID: 7539812

Claim:
A method comprising: addressing a READ command to a rank (n) dynamic random access memory (DRAM) device of a plurality of ranked DRAM devices, each of the plurality of DRAM devices having an associated local buffer storage device; sending the READ command from a memory controller (MC) interfaced with the plurality of ranked DRAM devices to the rank (n) DRAM device; allocating a communication path only from the rank (n) DRAM device and a rank (n−1) DRAM device; propagating data associated with the READ command from the rank (n) DRAM devices to the rank (n−1) DRAM device over the allocated communication path; storing the data associated with the READ command in the local buffer storage device associated with the rank (n−1) DRAM device until an ENABLE READ command is asserted for the rank (n−1) DRAM device by the MC; and propagating the data associated with the READ command from the rank (n−1) DRAM device to the MC in a predetermined order based on a rank assigned to the plurality of ranked DRAM devices and an ENABLE READ command from the MC that provides a mechanism to move the data associated with the READ command from the local buffer storage device of the plurality of ranked DRAMS to the MC.