Method of upgrading and/or servicing memory without interrupting the operation of the system
US6295591A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 30, 1999 |
| Grant date | Sep 25, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 30, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11C29/74
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method of providing maintenance for a memory device of a computer system without interrupting operation of the computer system, by partially mirroring a primary memory array in a secondary memory array, wherein the secondary memory array has a different amount of available memory than the primary memory array. Values are copied from the primary memory array to the permanent storage device, allowing the primary memory array to quiesce and be serviced while using the secondary memory array to operate the computer system. Thereafter, the primary memory array is brought on-line, and the mirrored values are written back from the secondary memory array to the primary memory array. The memory service program itself may be embedded in the operating system. In an illustrative embodiment, the primary memory array is located on a first removable memory card, and the secondary memory array is located on a second removable memory card. The amount of memory available in the secondary memory array may be programmable.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.