Computer system having an improved memory architecture
First Claim
1. A memory system comprising:
- a plurality of memories storing data;
an address generator generating addresses;
an accessing circuit coupled to the memories and to the address generator and accessing data stored by the memories in response to an address generated by the address generator;
a processor coupled to the accessing circuit and processing data accessed by the accessing circuit;
a plurality of detector circuits coupled to the address generator and generating a plurality of detector signals in response to the addresses generated by the address generator, wherein at least one of the detector circuits is a change detector circuit generating a change detector signal in response to detection of a change in an address generated by the address generator relative to a previously generated address; and
a delay circuit coupled to receive at least one change detector signal from the detector circuits and coupled to delay generating of an address by the address generator in response to receipt of the change detector signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Memory technologies for storing filter samples include RAMs and CCDs. Adaptive memory capability and memory servo capability improve memory characteristics. In a RAM embodiment, a detector is used to detect a memory address condition and to control the memory and the memory address register in response thereto. In a CCD embodiment, a detector is used to detect a memory reference signal and to refresh the memory signals in response thereto. Improved memory refresh, memory performance, and memory capacity enhance system characteristics. Improved memory architecture provides advantages of increased speed, lower cost, and efficiency of implementation. Information stored in memory can be scanned out at a rate greater than the addressing rate associated with the memories. This permits higher speed operation with lower cost memories. Use of an output buffer, such as a FIFO, permits normalization of memory clock rates.
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Citations
76 Claims
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1. A memory system comprising:
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a plurality of memories storing data; an address generator generating addresses; an accessing circuit coupled to the memories and to the address generator and accessing data stored by the memories in response to an address generated by the address generator; a processor coupled to the accessing circuit and processing data accessed by the accessing circuit; a plurality of detector circuits coupled to the address generator and generating a plurality of detector signals in response to the addresses generated by the address generator, wherein at least one of the detector circuits is a change detector circuit generating a change detector signal in response to detection of a change in an address generated by the address generator relative to a previously generated address; and a delay circuit coupled to receive at least one change detector signal from the detector circuits and coupled to delay generating of an address by the address generator in response to receipt of the change detector signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A memory system comprising:
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a plurality of memories storing data; an address generator generating addresses; a processor coupled to receive data from the memories at addresses therein indicated by the addresses generated by the address generator and to process the received data; a plurality of detector circuits coupled to the address generator and generating a plurality of detector signals in response to the addresses generated by the address generator, the plurality of detector circuits including at least one change detector circuit generating a change detector signal in response to detection of a change in an address generated by the address generator; and a delaying circuit coupled to receive at least one detector signal from the plurality of detector circuits and to delay generating of an address by the address generator in response to the received change detector signal. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A memory system comprising:
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a plurality of memories storing data to be processed; an address generator generating addresses; a processor coupled to the memories and coupled to the address generator, the processor processing data stored by the memories in response to the addresses generated by the address generator; and a plurality of detector circuits coupled to receive the addresses generated by the address generator and generating a plurality of detector signals in response to the received addresses. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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57. A memory system comprising:
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a plurality of memories storing data; an address generator generating an address; an accessing circuit coupled to receive an address generated by the address generator, coupled to the plurality of memories and coupled to access data stored by at least one of the memories at the received address in response to the received address; a processor coupled to the accessing circuit and processing data accessed by the accessing circuit; and a plurality of detector circuits coupled to the address generator and generating a plurality of detector signals in response to the address. - View Dependent Claims (58)
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59. A memory system comprising:
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a plurality of memories storing data, at least one of the memories being a dynamic random access memory storing data in dynamic form; an address generator generating an address; an accessing circuit coupled to receive the address generated by the address generator, coupled to the plurality of memories and coupled to access data stored by one of the memories at the received address; a processor coupled to the accessing circuit and processing data accessed by the accessing circuit; a plurality of detector circuits coupled to the address generator and generating a plurality of detector signals in response to the address; and a refresh circuit coupled to the dynamic random access memory and to the processor and refreshing data stored by the dynamic random access memory in response to the processing of data by the processor.
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60. A memory system comprising:
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a plurality of memories storing data; an address generator generating addresses; an accessing circuit coupled to receive the addresses generated by the address generator, coupled to the plurality of memories and coupled to access data stored by the memories in response to the received addresses; a processor coupled to the accessing circuit and processing the accessed data; and an overflow detector circuit coupled to the address generator and generating a detector signal in response to detection of an overflow related to generation of an address by the address generator.
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61. A memory system comprising:
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a plurality of memories storing data; an address generator generating addresses having more significant bits and less significant bits; an accessing circuit coupled to receive addresses generated by the address generator and to access data stored by the memories in response to the received address; a processor coupled to the accessing circuit and processing the accessed data; a buffer circuit coupled to the address generator and storing the more significant bits of a generated address; and a comparator detector circuit coupled to the address generator and to the buffer circuit and generating a detector signal in response to detection of a change in the more significant bits of an address generated by the address generator relative to the more significant bits stored by the buffer circuit.
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62. A memory system comprising:
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a plurality of memories storing data; an address generator generating a plurality of addresses; an accessing circuit coupled to receive generated addresses from the address generator, coupled to the plurality of memories and coupled to access data stored by the plurality of memories in response to the received addresses; a processor coupled to the accessing circuit and processing the accessed data; and an anticipatory detector circuit coupled to generate a detector signal in response to anticipation of a change in an address generated by the address generator.
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63. A memory system comprising:
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a plurality of memories storing data; an address generator generating addresses; an accessing circuit coupled to receive an address from the address generator and coupled to access data stored by the plurality of memories in response to the received address; a processor coupled to the accessing circuit and processing the accessed data; a plurality of change detectors coupled to the address generator and generating a plurality of change detector signals in response to detection of changes in the address generated by the address generator; and a plurality of delaying circuits coupled to the plurality of change detector circuits and to the address generator and delaying generating of an address by the address generator in response to the change detector signals.
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64. A memory system comprising:
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a refreshable memory circuit storing data; a control circuit generating a refresh control signal in response to processing by a processor of data stored by the memory to resolve contention between the processing of data by the processor and refreshing of the refreshable memory circuit by a refresh circuit; the refresh circuit coupled to receive the refresh control signal from the control circuit and refreshing the refreshable memory to preserve data stored therein in response to the received refresh control signal; an address generator generating an address; an accessing circuit coupled to receive the generated address from the address generator and coupled to access data stored by the refreshable memory in response to the received address; the processor coupled to the accessing circuit and processing data accessed by the accessing circuit; and a plurality of detector circuits coupled to the address generator and generating a plurality of detector signals in response to the address.
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65. A memory system comprising:
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a dynamic random access memory circuit storing data; a control circuit generating a refresh control signal in response to processing of data by a processor to resolve contention between the processing of data by the processor and refreshing of the refreshable dynamic random access memory circuit by a refresh circuit; the refresh circuit coupled to receive the refresh control signal from the control circuit and refreshing the dynamic random access memory circuit to preserve data stored therein in response to the received refresh control signal; an address generator generating an address; an accessing circuit coupled to receive the generated address from the address generator and coupled to access data stored by the dynamic random access memory circuit in response to the received address; the processor coupled to the accessing circuit and processing data accessed by the accessing circuit; and a plurality of detector circuits coupled to the address generator and generating a plurality of detector signals in response to the address.
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66. A memory system comprising:
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a dynamic random access memory storing data; an address generator generating addresses; an accessing circuit coupled to receive addresses from the address generator and to access data stored by the dynamic random access memory in response to the received addresses; a processor coupled to the accessing circuit and processing data accessed by the accessing circuit; and a plurality of detector circuits coupled to receive the addresses generated by the address generator and to generate a plurality of detector signals in response to the received addresses.
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67. A memory system comprising:
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a program memory storing a computer program; a plurality of memories storing data; an address generator generating addresses; an accessing circuit coupled to receive addresses generated by the address generator and to access data stored by the plurality of memories in response to the received addresses; a stored program computer coupled to the program memory and to the accessing circuit and processing data stored by the memories and accessed by the accessing circuit in response to the program stored by the program memory; and a plurality of detector circuits coupled to the address generator and generating a plurality of detector signals in response to the generated addresses.
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68. A memory system comprising:
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a plurality of memories storing data; an address generator generating addresses; an accessing circuit coupled to receive addresses generated by the address generator and to the plurality of memories and accessing data stored by the memories in response to the received addresses; a change detector circuit coupled to the address generator and generating a change detector signal in response to detection of a change in a first address generated by the address generator relative to a second address generated by the address generator; a delay circuit coupled to receive the change detection signal from the change detector circuit and to the address generator and delaying generation of an address by the address generator in response to the received change detector signal; a display processor coupled to the accessing circuit and processing the accessed data to generate display data; and a display monitor coupled to receive the display data from the display processor and to display an image in response to the received display data.
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69. A memory system comprising:
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a plurality of memories storing data; an address generator generating addresses; an accessing circuit coupled to receive generated addresses from the address generator and access data stored by the memories in response to the received address; a change detector circuit coupled to the address generator and generating a change detector signal in response to detection of a change in an address generated by the address generator; a delay circuit coupled to receive the change detector signal from the change detector circuit, coupled to the address generator and delaying generation of an address by the address generator in response to the received change detector signal; and an artificial intelligence processor coupled to the accessing circuit and processing the data accessed by the accessing circuit to generate artificial intelligence data.
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70. A memory system comprising:
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a plurality of memories storing data; an address generator generating addresses; an accessing circuit coupled to receive a generated address from the address generator and access data stored by the memories in response to the received address; a change detector circuit coupled to the address generator and generating a change detector signal in response to detection of a selected change in a given address generated by the address generator relative to a previously generated address; a delay circuit coupled to receive the change detector signal from the change detector circuit and coupled to delay generation of art address by the address generator in response to the change detector signal; an image processor coupled to the accessing circuit and processing the data accessed by the accessing circuit to generate image display data; and a display monitor coupled to the image processor and displaying an image in response to the image display data.
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71. A memory system comprising:
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a plurality of memories storing data; an address generator generating an address; an accessing circuit coupled to receive the address generated by the address generator and to access data stored by the memories in response to the received address; a television image processor coupled to the accessing circuit and processing data accessed by the accessing circuit to generate television image data; a plurality of detector circuits coupled to the address generator and generating a plurality of detector signals in response to the generated address; and a television monitor coupled to the television image processor and displaying a television image in response to the television image data.
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72. A memory system comprising:
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a plurality of memories storing data; an address generator generating an address; an accessing circuit coupled to receive the generated address from the address generator and to access data stored by the memories in response to the received address; a plurality of detector circuits coupled to receive the generated address from the address generator and generating a plurality of detector signals in response to the received address; a read only memory storing a computer program; and a stored program computer coupled to the read only memory and to the accessing circuit and processing data stored by the memories and accessed by the accessing circuit in response to the program stored by the read only memory.
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73. A memory system comprising:
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a cache memory storing data; a cache memory address generator generating cache memory addresses; an accessing circuit coupled to receive cache memory addresses generated by the cache memory address generator and to access data stored by the cache memory in response to the received addresses; a change detector circuit coupled to the cache memory address generator and generating a cache memory change detector signal in response to detection of a change in address generated by the cache memory address generator relative to another address generated by the cache memory address generator; a cache memory delay circuit coupled to receive the change detector signal from the change detector circuit and coupled to control the cache memory address generator, the cache memory delay circuit delaying generation of a cache memory address by the cache memory address generator in response to the cache memory change detector signal; and a processor coupled to the cache memory accessing circuit and processing the data accessed by the accessing circuit.
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74. A memory system comprising:
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a dynamic random access memory storing data; an address generator generating addresses; an accessing circuit coupled to receive addresses generated by the address generator, coupled to the dynamic random access memory and accessing data stored by the dynamic random access memory in response to the received addresses; a processor coupled to the accessing circuit and processing data accessed by the accessing circuit; a plurality of detector circuits coupled to the address generator and generating a plurality of detector signals in response to the generated addresses, the detector signals defining different first and second states; a scanout address update circuit coupled to respond to the detector signals from the plurality of detector circuits, coupled to the address generator and coupled to update the addresses generated by the address generator at a first address update rate in response to the first state of the detector signals; and a re-addressing address update circuit coupled to respond to the detector signals from the plurality of detector circuits, coupled to the address generator and coupled to update the addresses generated by the address generator at a second address update rate that is lower than the first address update rate in response to the second state of the detector signals.
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75. A memory system comprising:
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a random access memory storing data; an address generator generating addresses; an accessing circuit coupled to receive addresses from the address generator, coupled to the random access memory and coupled to access data stored by the random access memory in response to the received addresses; a processor coupled to the accessing circuit and processing data accessed by the accessing circuit; a plurality of detector circuits coupled to the address generator and generating a plurality of detector signals in response to the generated addresses, the detector signals defining different first and second states; an external scanout address update circuit coupled to respond to the detector signals from the plurality of detector circuits, coupled to the address generator and coupled to update the addresses generated by the address generator at a first address update rate in response to the first state of the detector signals; and a re-addressing address update circuit coupled to respond to the detector signals from the plurality of detector circuits, coupled to the address generator and coupled to update the addresses generated by the address generator at a second address update rate that is lower than the first address update rate in response to the second state of the detector signals.
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76. A memory system comprising:
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a memory having a plurality of memory chips storing data; an address generator circuit generating addresses, each address having less significant bits, middle significant bits, and more significant bits; an accessing circuit coupled to the memory and to the address generator circuit and accessing data stored by the plurality of integrated circuit memory chips in response to generated addresses; a first change detector circuit coupled to the address generator circuit and generating a first change detector signal in response to detection of a change in the more significant bits of an address generated by the address generator circuit relative to a previously generated address; a second change detector circuit coupled to the address generator circuit and generating a second change detector signal in response to detection of a change in the middle significant bits of an address generated by the address generator circuit relative to a previously generated address; a first delaying circuit coupled to the address generator circuit and to the first change detector circuit and delaying generating an address by the address generator circuit by a first delay period in response to the first change detector signal; and a second delaying circuit coupled to the address generator circuit and to the second change detector circuit and delaying generating of an address by the address generator circuit by a second delay period that is different than the first delay period in response to the second change detector signal.
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Specification