Patent · US Active

Memory initialization time reduction

US8140937B2 · kind B2 · utility

9Cited by
3References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 4, 2008
Grant dateMar 20, 2012
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 20, 2031

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C2029/0411
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus to improve memory initialization in a memory of a computer system. Memory units in the memory comprise a plurality of ranks, each rank having a unique rank select. A parity generator outputs a parity bit corresponding to whether an encoded rank select has an even or odd number of “1”s. The parity bit is used by an Error Checking and Correcting (ECC) unit that generates ECC bits that are stored in a rank having an active rank select. During a first interval in a memory initialization period, ranks having an even number of “1”s in their encoded rank select are initialized in parallel. During a second interval in the memory initialization period, ranks having an odd number of “1”s in their encoded rank select are initialized in parallel.

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