Patent · US Active

Sanitize-aware DRAM controller

US9972375B2 · kind B2 · utility

7Cited by
3References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 26, 2016
Grant dateMay 15, 2018
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 31, 2037

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02D10/00
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A controller for controlling a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) comprising a plurality of blocks. A block is one or more units of storage in the DRAM for which the DRAM controller can selectively enable or disable refreshing. The DRAM controller includes flags each for association with a block of the blocks of the DRAM. A sanitize controller determines a block is to be sanitized and in response sets a flag associated with the block and disables refreshing the block. In response to subsequently receiving a request to read data from a location in the block, if the flag is clear, the DRAM controller reads the location and returns data read from it. If the flag is set, the DRAM controller refrains from reading the DRAM and returns a value of zero.

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