US 8,156,357 B2
Voltage-based memory size scaling in a data processing systemGeneral
US 8,156,357 B2
Voltage-based memory size scaling in a data processing system
Tech Center:
2100 Computer Architecture and Software
Examiner:
Raymond Phan
Art Unit:
2111 Computer Error Control, Reliability, & Control Systems
Agent:
James L. Clingan, Jr., Joanna G. Chiu
Inventors:
Shayan Zhang; James D. Burnett; Prashant U. Kenkare; Hema Ramamurthy; Andrew C. Russell; Michael D. Snyder
Assignee:
Priority:
01/27/09
Filed:
01/27/09
Granted:
04/10/12
Expiration:
07/13/30
Abstract
A memory has bits that fail as power supply voltage is reduced to reduce power and/or increase endurance. The bits become properly functional when the power supply voltage is increased back to its original value. With the reduced voltage, portions of the memory that include non-functional bits are not used. Much of the memory may remain functional and use is retained. When the voltage is increased, the portions of the memory that were not used because of being non-functional due to the reduced power supply voltage may then be used again. This is particularly useful in a cache where the decrease in available memory due to power supply voltage reduction can be implemented as a reduction in the number of ways. Thus, for example an eight way cache can simply be reduced to a four way cache when the power is being reduced or endurance increased.
Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC)
G11G11C2207/2245G11CY02D10/00Y02DG06F2212/1028G06F