ECC protected storage
AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated
InventorSamuel Paul Visalli
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A data storage circuit includes memory, an error correcting code (ECC) storage circuit, and control circuitry. The memory is configured to store a data value comprising a plurality of fields. Each of the fields is independently writable. The ECC storage circuit is configured to store an ECC value corresponding to the data value. The control circuitry is configured to receive a field value to be written into one of the fields, and store the field value in the one of the fields by writing only the field value to the memory. The control circuitry is also configured to retrieve the ECC value from the ECC storage circuit, compute an updated ECC value based on the ECC value retrieved from the ECC storage circuit and the field value, and store the updated ECC value in the ECC storage circuit.
Claims20
A data storage circuit, comprising:
- memory configured to store a data value comprising a plurality of fields, wherein each of the fields is independently writable;
- an error correcting code (ECC) storage circuit configured to store an ECC value corresponding the data value;
- and
- control circuitry configured to:
- receive a field value to be written into one of the fields;
- store the field value in the one of the fields by writing only the field value to the memory;
- retrieve the ECC value from the ECC storage circuit;
- compute an updated ECC value based on the ECC value retrieved from the ECC storage circuit and the field value;
- and
- store the updated ECC value in the ECC storage circuit.
A data storage circuit, comprising:
- memory comprising a plurality of independently writable fields;
- an error correcting code (ECC) storage circuit comprising storage locations for an ECC value corresponding to the plurality of independently writable fields;
- and
- an ECC generation circuit coupled to the ECC storage circuit, and comprising:
- a first layer of exclusive-OR circuitry comprising inputs coupled only to a port that provides a field value to be written into one of the independently writable fields;
- a second layer of exclusive-OR circuitry comprising:
- inputs coupled to outputs of the first layer of exclusive-OR circuitry;
- inputs coupled to outputs of the ECC storage circuitry;
- and
- outputs coupled to inputs of the ECC storage circuitry.
A method for storing data, comprising:
- receiving, by a control circuitry, a field value to be written into one of a plurality of independently writable fields of a memory;
- retrieving, by the control circuitry from an ECC storage circuit, an ECC value corresponding to the plurality of independently writable fields;
- computing, by the control circuitry, an updated ECC value based only on the field value and the ECC value;
- and
- storing, by the control circuitry, the updated ECC value in the ECC storage circuit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.