Memory module with non-volatile backup storage
AssigneeRambus Inc.
InventorsShih-ho Wu, Christopher Haywood
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to computer storage systems and methods thereof. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide an isolated storage control system that includes both a non-volatile memory and a volatile memory. The non-volatile memory comprises a data area and a metadata area. In power failure or similar situations, content of the volatile memory is copied to the data area of the non-volatile memory, and various system parameters are stored at the metadata area. When the system restores its operation, the information at the metadata area is processed, and the content stored at the data area of the non-volatile memory is copied to the volatile memory. There are other embodiments as well.
Claims20
A memory module comprising:
- volatile memory;
- and
- non-volatile memory coupled to the volatile memory, the non-volatile memory comprising a data area and a metadata area, the data area to store a content of the volatile memory in response to a first triggering event, and the metadata area to store:
- an indication of a location in the data area where the content of the volatile memory is stored;
- operating parameters comprising characteristics of the volatile memory at different contexts;
- and
- signature data to validate the content of the volatile memory stored in the data area.
A dual-inline memory module (DIMM) comprising:
- one or more volatile memory devices;
- one or more non-volatile memory devices coupled to the one or more volatile memory devices, each of the one or more non-volatile memory devices comprising a data area and a metadata area, the data area to store a content of the one or more volatile memory devices in response to a loss of power in the DIMM, and the metadata area to store:
- an indication of a location in the data area where the content of the one or more volatile memory devices is stored;
- operating parameters comprising characteristics of the one or more volatile memory devices at different contexts;
- and
- signature data to validate the content of the one or more volatile memory devices stored in the data area;
- and
- a backup power module coupled to the one or more volatile memory devices and to the one or more non-volatile memory devices, the backup power module to supply power to allow transfer of the content of the one or more volatile memory devices to the data area of the one or more non-volatile memory devices in response to the loss of power.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.