Computer memory subsystem and method for performing opportunistic write data transfers during an access latency period within a read or refresh operation
US5903916A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 16, 1996 |
| Grant date | May 11, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 16, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11C7/22
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A computer memory subsystem and associated method are disclosed in which memory transaction latency and bandwidth in the memory subsystem are improved through the opportunistic transfer of write data from a data path to a memory buffer coupled to a targeted memory bank during an access latency period within a non-memory write operation, such as, e.g., a read or refresh operation. The opportunistic write data transfer operation utilizes otherwise unused memory data bus cycles within a read or refresh operation for performance of the write data transfer, without adding clock cycles to the read or refresh operation. Because the write data is transferred to the memory buffer coupled to the memory bank during the latency period of the memory operation preceding the write operation, the total turnaround time for, e.g., performing a read operation followed by a write operation is reduced.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.