Methods and apparatus for backing up a memory device
First Claim
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1. A memory module for a computer-based system including a memory controller, said memory module comprising:
- at least one memory device that requires periodic refresh signals to maintain data, said at least one memory device mounted on said memory module;
a circuit mounted on said memory module and configured to retain data stored on said memory device when the computer-based system loses power;
a comparator configured to determine whether a supply of power to the memory controller is less than a threshold, wherein said comparator is located on said memory module separate from the memory controller that refreshes said at least one memory device, wherein the memory controller refreshes said at least one memory device when the supply of power is greater than the threshold; and
a transistor coupled to said circuit and configured to maintain a line in a grounded state when the computer-based system loses power.
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Abstract
A memory module for a computer-based system. The memory module includes at least one memory device that requires periodic refresh signals to maintain data and is mounted on the memory module, and a circuit mounted on the memory module and configured to retain data stored on the memory device when the computer-based system loses power. In a separate embodiment, a control circuit is configured to logically detach at least one memory device from at least one memory controller when a computer-based system loses power, and retain data stored on the memory device when the computer-based system loses power.
95 Citations
66 Claims
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1. A memory module for a computer-based system including a memory controller, said memory module comprising:
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at least one memory device that requires periodic refresh signals to maintain data, said at least one memory device mounted on said memory module; a circuit mounted on said memory module and configured to retain data stored on said memory device when the computer-based system loses power; a comparator configured to determine whether a supply of power to the memory controller is less than a threshold, wherein said comparator is located on said memory module separate from the memory controller that refreshes said at least one memory device, wherein the memory controller refreshes said at least one memory device when the supply of power is greater than the threshold; and a transistor coupled to said circuit and configured to maintain a line in a grounded state when the computer-based system loses power. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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18. A memory module for a computer-based system, said memory module comprising:
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at least one memory device that requires periodic refresh signals to maintain data, said at least one memory device mounted on said memory module; a circuit mounted on said memory module and configured to retain data stored on said at least one memory device when the computer-based system loses power, wherein said circuit comprises a voltage regulator, a large-value super capacitor, and a battery, wherein said large-value super capacitor electrically connected in parallel with said battery between said battery and said voltage regulator, wherein said voltage regulator is a micropower single-ended primary inductance converter (SEPIC) voltage regulator; and a transistor coupled to said circuit and configured to maintain a line in a grounded state when the computer-based system loses power. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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27. A method for retaining data saved on a memory device in a computer-based system, the computer-based system including a power supply and a memory controller, at least one memory module having at least one memory device that requires periodic refresh signals to maintain data, and a circuit mounted on the memory module, said method comprising:
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sensing an impending loss of power from the computer-based system power supply; using the circuit, signaling the memory device into a self refresh power down state, wherein at least one of the memory device and the circuit generates internal refresh signals to maintain data; using the circuit, maintaining the self refresh power down state while the computer-based system is inactive; determining, by a comparator, whether a supply of power to the memory controller is less than a threshold, wherein the comparator is located on the memory module separate from the memory controller that refreshes the memory device, wherein the memory controller refreshes the memory device when the supply of power is greater than the threshold; and maintaining a line coupled to the circuit in a grounded state when the computer-based system loses power. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 33, 34, 35)
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31. A method for retaining data saved on a memory device in a computer-based system, the computer-based system including a power supply, at least one memory module having at least one memory device that requires periodic refresh signals to maintain data, and a circuit mounted on the memory module, said method comprising:
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sensing an impending loss of power from the computer-based system power supply; using the circuit, signaling the memory device into a self refresh power down state, wherein at least one of the memory device and the circuit generates internal refresh signals to maintain data; using the circuit, maintaining the self refresh power down state while the computer-based system is inactive, wherein the circuit includes a voltage regulator, a battery, and a large-value super capacitor electrically connected in parallel with the battery between the battery and the voltage regulator, said maintaining the self refresh power down state while the computer-based system is inactive comprising powering the memory device using the voltage regulator, the battery, and the large-value super capacitor;
andmaintaining a line coupled to the circuit in a grounded state when the computer-based system loses power. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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36. A control circuit for controlling at least one memory device in a computer-based system having at least one memory controller, said circuit comprising:
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at least one memory device that requires periodic refresh signals to maintain data, said circuit configured to logically detach said at least one memory device from the at least one memory controller when the computer-based system loses power and retain data stored on said memory device when the computer-based system loses power; a programmable logic device (PLD) configured to initiate a time count to a specific value upon receiving a signal from the computer-based system indicating to enter in a self-refresh mode, wherein a supply of power to the at least one memory controller is less than a threshold during the self-refresh mode, wherein said PLD is separate from said at least one memory device; and a transistor configured to remove power from said PLD when the computer-based system loses power. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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59. A method for retaining data saved on at least one memory device in a computer-based system using a circuit, the computer-based system including a power supply and a memory controller, the memory device requiring periodic refresh signals to maintain data, said method comprising:
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sensing an impending loss of power from the computer-based system power supply; logically detaching the memory device from the memory controller using the circuit; initiating, by a programmable logic device, a time count to a specific value upon receiving a signal from the computer-based system indicating to enter in a self-refresh mode, wherein a supply of power to the memory controller is less than a threshold during the self-refresh mode, wherein the programmable logic device is separate from the at least one memory device. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62)
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Specification