Patent · US Expired

Methods and systems for preserving dynamic random access memory contents responsive to hung processor condition

US7219264B2 · kind B2 · utility

7Cited by
8References
37Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 9, 2003
Grant dateMay 15, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 27, 2024

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F11/0757
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Methods and systems for preserving dynamic random access memory content in response to a hung processor condition are disclosed. In order to preserve dynamic random access memory content, a first watchdog timer is initiated and strobed at a predetermined time interval less than its timeout value. If a hung processor condition occurs and the strobing of the first watchdog timer fails, the first watchdog timer generates a non-maskable interrupt to the processor. The non-maskable interrupt triggers the processor to execute an interrupt service routine. If the processor is able to execute the interrupt service routine, the interrupt service routine controls the processor to perform a selective system reset and preserve dynamic random access memory contents. If the processor is not capable of executing the interrupt service routine, a board reset occurs and dynamic random access memory contents are cleared.

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