Adaptive training and adjustment to changing capacitor values based upon age and usage behavior

• US 20100008174A1
• Filed: 07/10/2008
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AgigA Tech Incorporated (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Original Assignee: AgigA Tech Incorporated (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Hauck, Lane, Sartore, Ronald H., Liu, Yingnan
• Granted Patent: US 9,842,628 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 365/228
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/10 Programming or data input circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/225 Preventing erasure, programming or reading when power supply voltages are outside the required ranges
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/30 Power supply circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 5/143 Detection of memory cassette insertion or removal; Continuity checks of supply or ground lines; Detection of supply variations, interruptions or levels G11C5/148 takes precedence; Switching between alternative supplies G11C5/141 takes precedence

Abstract

An apparatus includes logic to determine a discharge drop of a capacitor and to adjust an enablement charge level of the capacitor according to the discharge drop.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

logic to determine a discharge drop of a capacitor and to adjust an enablement charge level of the capacitor according to the discharge drop.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the logic to determine a discharge drop of a capacitor further comprises:

logic to measure a first capacitor voltage at the start of a power operation and to measure a second capacitor voltage after the power operation.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the logic to adjust an enablement charge level of the capacitor according to the discharge drop further comprises:

logic to set the enablement charge level so that the discharge drop does not cause the capacitor voltage to fall below a voltage threshold level.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the logic to set the enablement charge level so that the discharge drop does not cause the capacitor voltage to fall below a voltage threshold level further comprises:

logic to set the enablement charge level so that the discharge drop does not cause the capacitor voltage to fall below a minimum operational threshold level.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the logic to set the enablement charge level so that the discharge drop does not cause the capacitor voltage to fall below a voltage threshold level further comprises:

logic to set the enablement charge level so that the discharge drop does not cause the capacitor voltage to fall below a safe threshold level above a minimum operations voltage threshold level.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

logic to charge the capacitor above the enablement charge level.

7. A method comprising:

dynamically adjusting an enablement charge level of a power capacitor as the capacitor ages.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein dynamically adjusting an enablement charge level of a power capacitor as the capacitor ages further comprises:

adjusting the enablement charge level to account for an increasing discharge rate of the capacitor.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the adjusting the enablement charge level to account for an increasing discharge rate of the capacitor further comprises:

adjusting the enablement charge level so that a voltage of the capacitor, after using the capacitor to provide power, is not below either a minimum operational threshold level, or a safe floor threshold level.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

measuring a voltage on the capacitor before and after using the capacitor to provide power.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

continuing to charge the capacitor above the enablement threshold level.

12. A hybrid memory comprising:

a volatile memory;

a nonvolatile memory; and

logic to determine a discharge drop of a capacitor configured to provide power for a backup operation from the volatile to the nonvolatile memory, and to adjust an enablement charge level of the capacitor according to the discharge drop.

13. The hybrid memory of claim 12, wherein the logic to determine a discharge drop of a capacitor further comprises:

logic to measure a first capacitor voltage at the start of the backup operation and to measure a second capacitor voltage after the backup operation.

14. The hybrid memory of claim 12, wherein the logic to adjust an enablement charge level of the capacitor according to the discharge drop further comprises:

logic to set the enablement charge level so that the discharge drop does not cause the capacitor voltage to fall below a voltage threshold level.

15. The hybrid memory of claim 14, wherein the logic to set the enablement charge level so that the discharge drop does not cause the capacitor voltage to fall below a voltage threshold level further comprises:

logic to set the enablement charge level so that the discharge drop does not cause the capacitor voltage to fall below a minimum operational threshold level.

16. The hybrid memory of claim 14, wherein the logic to set the enablement charge level so that the discharge drop does not cause the capacitor voltage to fall below a voltage threshold level further comprises:

logic to set the enablement charge level so that the discharge drop does not cause the capacitor voltage to fall below a safe threshold level above a minimum operations voltage threshold level.