Storage array allowing for multiple, simultaneous write accesses

US6032233A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• International Business Machines Corporation · US

Inventors

• Peter Löffler · Germaringen, DE
• Erwin Pfeffer · Eppelheim, DE
• Thomas Pfluger · Leinfelden, DE
• Hans-Werner Tast · Holzgerlingen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 1, 1997
• Grant date: Feb 29, 2000
• Expiry date: Jul 1, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G11C8/16
• WIPO field: Computer technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A set of storage devices together with a method for storing data to the storage devices and retrieving data from the storage devices is presented. The set of storage devices provide the function of a multi-writeport cell through the use of a set of single-writeport cells. The storage devices allow for multiple write accesses. Information contained in the set of storage device is represented by all of the devices together. The stored information may be retrieved via a read operation which accesses a subset of the set of storage devices. A write operation is a staged operation: First, the contents of all of the storage devices which are not to be modified are read. Next, the values that are to be written to a subset B of the set of storage devices are calculated in a way that the contents and the values of subset B together represent the desired result.