Memory boosting

A data processing device comprising:

• a processor and a memory interface, the processor being formed on an integrated circuit substrate;
• a temperature sensor formed on the integrated circuit substrate;
• a clock connected to the processor;
• the processor being configured to control refreshing of a non-volatile memory by the steps of:
• forming an estimate of a current rate of decay of the non-volatile memory in dependence on a current temperature sensed by the temperature sensor;
• determine an amount of decay based on the estimated current rate of decay and an adjusted interval of time between triggering the temperature sensing of the current temperature and triggering a temperature sensing of a previous temperature;
• updating an accumulated level of decay of the non-volatile memory in dependence on the estimated current rate of decay, wherein updating the accumulated level of decay comprises adding the determined amount of decay to a previous accumulated level of decay;
• and
• causing the memory interface to refresh the non-volatile memory by replenishing one or more charge storage devices in the non-volatile memory when the accumulated level of decay exceeds a predetermined threshold,
• wherein the data processing device is configured to sense the current temperature by the steps of:
• triggering a temperature sensing of the current temperature when a state of the clock reaches an adjusted initial interval of time,
• subsequent to said triggering the temperature sensing, turning on power to the temperature sensor,
• deriving a value representative of the current temperature sensed by the temperature sensor subsequent to said turning on the power,
• determining an initial interval of time for triggering a temperature sensing of a subsequent temperature based on the derived value representative of the current temperature sensed, wherein initial intervals of time associated with higher values representative of the current temperature sensed are shorter than initial intervals of time associated with lower values representative of the current temperature sensed,
• adjusting the initial interval of time between said triggering the temperature sensing of the current temperature and triggering a temperature sensing of a subsequent temperature based on a comparison of the value representative of the current temperature sensed with the value representative of a previous temperature sensed, wherein the initial interval is reduced when the value representative of the current temperature sensed is higher than the value representative of the previous temperature sensed, and
• turning off the power to the temperature sensor subsequent to the current temperature being sensed by the temperature sensor.