Automotive computing devices with emergency power shut down capabilities

• US 6,862,651 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2000
• Issued: 03/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Drasnin, Sharon, Radko, Ronald Otto, Beckert, Richard Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): BRAGDON, REGINALD GLENWOOD
• Application Number:
  US09/745,454
• Publication Number:
  US 20020116651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,532 Days
• Field of Search: 711/103, 711/104, 711/105, 711/165, 713/330, 713/340, 701/29
• US Class Current: 711/103
• 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 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3225 of memory devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3275 Power saving in memory, e.g. RAM, cache
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1441 Resetting or repowering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/08 in hierarchically structured memory systems, e.g. virtual memory systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/2022 Flash memory
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Methods and systems for operating automotive computing devices are described. In one embodiment, a small amount of static RAM (SRAM) is incorporated into an automotive computing device. The SRAM is battery-backed to provide a non-volatile memory space in which critical data can be maintained in the event of a power loss. Circuitry is provided to ensure that the SRAM receives back up power from the battery at the appropriate time. Software manages the SRAM and the other storage assembly components and makes use of virtual paging or virtual addressing techniques to keep track of where various pages, including object store pages, are stored in the system. The software knows exactly where all of the object store pages are stored so that in the event of a power loss, the page locations are known and hence the pages can be used when power is restored.

Claims

1. An automotive computing device memory system comprising:

non-volatile storage configured to hold object store pages for an automotive computing device;

dynamic random access memory (DRAM) operably associated with the non-volatile storage and configured to receive object store pages; and

static random access memory (SRAM) operably associated with the non-volatile memory and configured for connection to a battery so that one or more object store pages can be preserved therein in the event of an automotive power loss.

2. The automotive computing device memory system of claim 1, wherein the non-volatile storage comprises flash memory.

3. The automotive computing device memory system of claim 1, wherein the DRAM comprises one or more DRAMs or SDRAMS.

4. The automotive computing device memory system of claim 1 further comprising a battery operably couplable with the SRAM responsive to an automotive power loss.

5. The automotive computing device memory system of claim 4 further comprising means for operably coupling the battery with the SRAM in the event of an automotive power loss.

6. The automotive computing device memory system of claim 4, wherein the battery comprises a single cell battery.

7. The automotive computing device memory system of claim 4, wherein the battery comprises a lithium cell battery.

8. An automobile embodying the memory system of claim 1.