APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MEMORY ASYNCHRONOUS ATOMIC READ-CORRECT-WRITE OPERATION
First Claim
1. An information-processing apparatus comprising:
- a memory;
an error detector, coupled to receive read data from the memory and configured to detect one or more bit errors in the read data; and
an atomic read-correct-write (ARCW) controller coupled to the memory, and configured, based on detection of an error by the error detector, to control an atomic read-correct-write operation to correct the detected error at its respective address.
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Abstract
A memory controller and method that provide a read-refresh (also called “distributed-refresh”) mode of operation, in which every row of memory is read within the refresh-rate requirements of the memory parts, with data from different columns within the rows being read on subsequent read-refresh cycles until all rows for each and every column address have been read, scrubbing errors if found, thus providing a scrubbing function that is integrated into the read-refresh operation, rather than being an independent operation. For scrubbing, an atomic read-correct-write operation is scheduled. A variable-priority, variable-timing refresh interval is described. An integrated card self-tester and/or card reciprocal-tester is described. A memory bit-swapping-within-address-range circuit, and a method and apparatus for bit swapping on the fly and testing are described.
111 Citations
42 Claims
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1. An information-processing apparatus comprising:
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a memory;
an error detector, coupled to receive read data from the memory and configured to detect one or more bit errors in the read data; and
an atomic read-correct-write (ARCW) controller coupled to the memory, and configured, based on detection of an error by the error detector, to control an atomic read-correct-write operation to correct the detected error at its respective address. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 24)
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15. An information-processing method comprising:
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buffering a plurality of pending memory requests from a processor;
sending a stream of processor memory requests from the buffered pending memory requests to a memory;
fetching data based on a first memory request;
detecting an error in the fetched data; and
performing an atomic read-correct-write (ARCW) operation, based on detecting the error in the fetched data, to correct the detected error. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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28. An information-processing system comprising:
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a memory;
a memory-request buffer, coupled to the memory, and configured to hold one or more pending memory requests from a processor that are transmitted to the memory while another memory request is executing in the memory; and
means for detecting an error in the fetched data and for performing an atomic read-correct-write (ARCW) operation, based on detecting the error in the fetched data, to correct the detected error.
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38. An information-processing system comprising:
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a memory;
a memory controller configured to send a first read operation to the memory and to receive read data from a first location specified by the first read operation;
an error detector, configured to check the received read data and to detect one or more bit errors in the read data; and
an atomic read-correct-write (ARCW) controller coupled to the memory controller, and configured, based on detection of an error by the error detector, to control an atomic read-correct-write operation that includes, atomically, a second read operation to the first location, a correction operation, and a write operation to the first location. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification