A memory system comprising memory modules including memory chips stacked
with switching circuits. A memory controller coupled to the memory
modules is configured to initiate memory accesses. When a stacked
switching circuit detects the memory access, the switching circuit routes
the access to another memory module if the access is not directed to a
memory chip of the receiving memory module, or processes the access
locally if the access is directed to a memory chip of the receiving
memory module. The memory controller and memory modules are coupled via
bi-directional serial links. Each memory module may include multiple
stacked switching circuits, each of which may be coupled to fewer than
all of the memory chips within the memory module. Switching circuits
further include circuitry configured to de-serialize data prior to
conveyance to a memory chip, and serialize data received from a DRAM chip
prior to transmitting the received data. Switching circuits may be
coupled to a stacked memory chip via a flexible interconnect, and may
also be manufactured side by side with a corresponding memory chip on a
flexible circuit board.