Power consumption decrease memory management method
First Claim
1. A memory management method performed in a computer having at least one processor which executes basic system software, firmware and application software, a memory which is a storage area, and a memory controller coupled to the memory, wherein the memory controller controls a memory addressing which defines an address in the memory, a memory access from the processor to the memory and a memory power state, wherein the memory storage area is an area which can be assigned to the basic system software, the firmware and the application software, the storage area is divided into memory ranks which are units whose power can be independently controlled by the memory controller, wherein a supplied power state of the memory is controlled, for each memory rank, to one of an active state in which the storage area included in the memory rank can be accessed from the processor, and an inactive state in which access from the processor to the storage area is delayed;
- and wherein the basic system software prevents fragmentation in which the allocated storage area spans a plurality of memory ranks, puts the power state of a memory rank which does not include the allocated storage area into the inactive state via the memory controller, and puts the power state of a memory rank which includes a storage area required for the allocation first into the active state.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The power consumed by a memory is reduced without affecting the performance whereby a processor accesses the memory. A state of a power supplied to the memory is controlled to one of an active state wherein a storage area included in the memory rank can be accessed from the processor, and an inactive state wherein access cannot be performed without a delay for each memory rank, the basic system software prevents fragmentation in which the allocated storage area spans a plurality of memory ranks, puts the power state of a memory rank which does not include an allocated storage area into the inactive state, and puts the power state of a memory rank which includes a storage area required for allocation first into the active state.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A memory management method performed in a computer having at least one processor which executes basic system software, firmware and application software, a memory which is a storage area, and a memory controller coupled to the memory,
wherein the memory controller controls a memory addressing which defines an address in the memory, a memory access from the processor to the memory and a memory power state, wherein the memory storage area is an area which can be assigned to the basic system software, the firmware and the application software, the storage area is divided into memory ranks which are units whose power can be independently controlled by the memory controller, wherein a supplied power state of the memory is controlled, for each memory rank, to one of an active state in which the storage area included in the memory rank can be accessed from the processor, and an inactive state in which access from the processor to the storage area is delayed; - and
wherein the basic system software prevents fragmentation in which the allocated storage area spans a plurality of memory ranks, puts the power state of a memory rank which does not include the allocated storage area into the inactive state via the memory controller, and puts the power state of a memory rank which includes a storage area required for the allocation first into the active state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A computer readable medium storing a program executed by a computer which executes a sequence for memory management, the program being executed by the computer comprising at least one processor which executes basic system software, firmware and application software, a memory which is a storage area, and a memory controller coupled to the memory,
wherein the memory controller controls a memory addressing which defines an address in the memory, a memory access from the processor to the memory and a memory power state, wherein the memory storage area is an area which can be allocated to the basic system software, the firmware and the application software, the storage area is divided into memory ranks which are units whose power can be independently controlled by the memory controller, wherein a supplied power state of the memory is controlled, for each memory rank, to one of an active state in which the storage area included in the memory rank can be accessed from the processor, and an inactive state in which access from the processor to the storage area is delayed, and wherein the program including the sequence of instructions that, in case of which the program is executed, causes the computer to: -
prevent fragmentation in which the allocated storage area spans a plurality of memory ranks;
put the power state of a memory rank which does not include the allocated storage area into the inactive state via the memory controller; and
put the power state of a memory rank which includes a storage area required for said allocation first into the active state. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification