Patent · US Expired

Using of bank tag registers to avoid a background operation collision in memory systems

US6453370B1 · kind B1 · utility

20Cited by
20References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 12, 1999
Grant dateSep 17, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 12, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F13/1647
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method of using bank tag registers in a multi-bank memory device to avoid background operation collision is described. A memory controller includes a plurality of bank registers, each of which is associated with one of a plurality of memory banks, wherein a bank register is arranged to store information, a bank number, a bank status, and a bank counter for a particular bank. The memory controller further includes an adjustable bank comparator coupled to each bank register. The memory controller receives an incoming system address request, which includes a requested bank number. The requested bank number is used to configure the adjustable bank comparator with the particular bank operating characteristics, to locate the bank register, and to determine the bank status and the bank entry status of the requested memory bank. The requested memory bank is accessed when the bank entry status identifies the requested memory bank as open.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.