SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING CHARGE OF A SECONDARY POWER SUPPLY FOR A MEMORY SYSTEM

• US 20160202749A1
• Filed: 01/13/2016
• Published: 07/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Netlist, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Netlist, Inc.
• Inventors: Milton, Scott H.
• Application Number:
  US14/994,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20160202749A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/30 Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations for resetting only G06F1/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1441 Resetting or repowering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1458 Management of the backup or restore process
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2015 Redundant power supplies power supply failure G06F1/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/81 Threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/86 Event-based monitoring

Abstract

A memory system is described. The memory system includes one or more memory subsystems. The memory system also includes a power module coupled with at least one of the one or more memory subsystems. Further, the memory system includes a controller coupled with the one or more memory subsystems and the power module. The controller is configured to generate an energy threshold based on energy used for a backup operation.

Claims

1. A memory system comprising:

one or more memory subsystems;

a power module coupled with at least one of said one or more memory subsystems; and

a controller coupled with said one or more memory subsystems and said power module, said controller configured to generate an energy threshold based on energy used for a backup operation.

2. The memory system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to use the energy threshold to determine when said power module is charged for a backup operation.

3. The memory system of claim 1, wherein said controller is configured to generate said energy threshold by adding a guard-band energy to said energy used for said backup operation.

4. The memory system of claim 3, wherein said controller is configured to generate said energy threshold by further adding a drop-off energy to said guard-band energy and to said energy used for said backup operation.

5. The memory system of claim 1, wherein said energy used for said backup operation is an average energy used for a number of backup operations.

6. The memory system of claim 1, wherein said controller is further configured to determine an energy of said power module.

7. The memory system of claim 6, wherein said controller is further configured to determine if said energy of said power module is equal to or greater than said energy threshold.

8. The memory system of claim 7, wherein said controller is configured to trigger an event if said energy of said power module is less than said energy threshold.

9. The memory system of claim 7, wherein said controller is configured to trigger an event if said energy of said power module is equal to or greater than said energy threshold.

10. The memory system of claim 1, wherein said secondary power module includes a capacitor array.

11. A method comprising:

at a memory system including a plurality of memory subsystems and a secondary power source;

determining energy used to perform a backup operation;

generating an energy threshold based on said energy used for said backup operation; and

determining if said energy of said secondary power source is equal to or greater than said energy threshold.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein generating said energy threshold includes adding a guard-band energy to said energy used for said backup operation.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein generating said energy threshold further includes adding a drop-out energy to said guard-band energy and to said energy used for said backup operation.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said drop-out energy is based on a minimum voltage requirement of a circuit in said memory system.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising triggering an event if said energy of said power module is less than said energy threshold.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising triggering an event if said energy of said power module is equal to or greater than said energy threshold.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein determining if said energy of said secondary power source is equal to or greater than said energy threshold is based on a comparison of a capacitor array voltage to a threshold voltage.

18. A memory system comprising:

a means for determining energy used to perform a backup operation;

a means for generating an energy threshold based on said energy used for said backup operation; and

a means for determining if said energy of said secondary power source is equal to or greater than said energy threshold.

19. The memory system of claim 18 further comprising a means for triggering an event if said energy of said power module is less than said energy threshold.

20. The memory system of claim 18 further comprising a means for triggering an event if said energy of said power module is equal to or greater than said energy threshold.