Multicasting system for selecting a group of memory devices for operation
US5860080A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 19, 1996 |
| Grant date | Jan 12, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 19, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F12/0669
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system and method for multicasting control signals to selectively operate one memory device or groups of memory devices comprises a memory controller coupled to a plurality of memory devices by a command bus and a data bus. Each of the plurality of memory devices has a unique identification number. The system provides an addressing scheme in which an individual memory device or groups of memory device can be selected for operation by addressing the devices with a command packet. The memory controller broadcasts a command packet over the command bus to the plurality of memory devices. The packet includes an identification number. At each of the memory devices, selection logic is included to make the memory device operational if the identification number in the packet matches the identification number assigned to the memory device. The address in the packet is preferably encoded such that identification number has the same size regardless of whether a single memory device is being selected for operation or a group of memory devices are being selected for operation. The present invention also includes a method for selecting groups of memory devices for operation by multicasting a se…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.