Memory system with flexible replacement units

• US 4,456,966 A
• Filed: 02/26/1981
• Issued: 06/26/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bringol, Charles R., Kroeger, Wilbert L. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Gruber, Felix D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wiens, Tim A.
• Application Number:
  US06/238,400
• Time in Patent Office: 1,216 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200 MS File, 364/900 MS File, 371/10
• US Class Current: 711/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/66 of program code stored in read-only memory [ROM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/328 for runtime instruction patching

Abstract

A read only memory system with replaceable units is provided in which the replacement units have a variable capacity. In addition, the system is sufficiently flexible so that a replacement unit substituted for an original unit may subsequently be removed from the system once and the original unit restored. The read only memory system has a fixed main read only memory with a plurality of addressable units of uniform capacity in combination with a substitute memory of a greater capacity than the addressable units. A control is provided with the capability of selectively disabling units of a fixed memory. It also can selectively enable a portion of the substitute memory and substitute the enabled portion for a disabled fixed memory unit. The control is also capable of selectively varying the capacity of the substituted enabled unit.

Claims

1. A read only memory system with replaceable units comprising:

a fixed main read only memory having a plurality of addressable units of uniform capacity,

substitute memory means having a greater capacity than each of a plurality of said addressable units, and

control means comprising

means for selectively disabling units of said fixed memory comprising

means for monitoring a group of input binary bits associated with each unit of a fixed memory, all of which bits are in the same first of two binary states when a unit is functional and in different binary states when a fixed memory unit is to be disabled,

means for selecting and enabling a portion of said substitute memory having a selected capacity different from the capacity of one of said disabled units,

means for substituting said enabled portion for said one disabled memory unit, and

means for re-enabling any selected disabled unit wherein all of the bits in the group of binary bits associated with said disabled unit are placed in the same unalterable second of said two binary states.

3. The read only memory system of claim 1 wherein said substituted portion has a greater capacity than said disabled portion.

4. The read only memory system of claim 1 wherein said means for selecting and enabling and means for selectively disabling form a programmable read only memory unit.

2. A read only memory system with replaceable units comprising:

a fixed main read only memory having a plurality of addressable units,

substitute memory means having a greater capacity than each of a plurality of said addressable units,

control means for selectively substituting for said read only memory units,

means for addressing a desired sequence of said addressable units, said addressing means simultaneously addressing said control means, and

said control means comprising

means responsive to a selected binary bit address for selectively disabling units of said fixed memory when the binary bits in said selected address are in different binary states,

means responsive to a selected address for selecting and enabling a portion of said substitute memory having a selected capacity different from the capacity of one of said disabled units, and

means for substituting said enabled portion for said one disabled memory unit, and

means for re-enabling any selected disabled unit by placing all of the bits in said selected address in an inalterable "one" binary state.

5. The memory system of claim 2 wherein

said means for selecting and enabling a portion of said substitute memory having a selected capacity comprise

means for activating said addressing means to apply at least one address to only said substitute memory subsequent to an initial substitution whereby an additional portion of said substitute memory is also substituted for said disabled fixed memory unit.

6. The read only memory system of claim 5 wherein said means for selecting and enabling and means for selectively disabling form a programmable read only memory unit.