IBM patents external memory technology

I don't want to rain on their parade, but this seems to be a pretty unlikely product. As the cost of RAM approaches the cost of the plastic & sand (silicon) required to manufacture it, sharing such cheap components seems unlikely.

TG Daily - IBM patents external DRAM box:
"IBM is pitching the invention as a technology that could provide a cheaper and more flexible way to temporarily upgrade the available memory in computing systems ranging from PDAs to servers. According to the description of the patent, the technology includes three separate parts - a connector, a container to hold RAM as well as a cable that couples the connector to the container.

IBM says that the connector can be inserted into a DRAM slot just like a common memory module, allowing the memory installed in the external box to be addressed by the motherboard as another bank or DRAM. When there is no external RAM module plugged in, no memory is recognized by the motherboard's memory addressing unit, the patent claims."

IBM's people create more patents annually than any other company in this industry (perhaps any industry), and they have more patents inside your PC than any other company. Perhaps someone sees an opportunity here that I'm missing. Certainly if people start replacing hard drives with RAM, then they would use much more of it . . .