Method for memory storage and access
AssigneeInfineon Technologies AG
InventorsThomas Kern, Thomas Rabenalt, Michael Goessel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for storing data bits in memory cells, in which the data bits have at least one byte-filling bit, where at least one predefined functionality for a subset of the data bits is coded in the at least one byte-filling bit, and in which the data bits are stored in the memory cells. A method for reading data bits from memory cells, in which the data bits have at least one byte-filling bit, where at least one predefined functionality for a subset of the data bits is coded in the at least one byte-filling bit, and in which the data bits are read from the memory cells based on the coded predefined functionality. Corresponding apparatuses and memories are also disclosed.
Claims17
A method for storing data bits having at least one byte-filling bit in memory cells, the method comprising:
- coding, in the at least one-byte-filling bit, at least one predefined functionality for a subset of the data bits;
- and
- storing the data bits in the memory cells,
- wherein the data bits are grouped, together with check bits, into bytes, wherein at least one of these bytes can be corrected based on a byte error code, wherein the data bits and the check bits are stored in the memory cells,
- wherein, in an error-free case, the data bits and the check bits represent a code word of the byte error code or are parts of a code word of the byte error code,
- wherein the byte error code has N check bytes having check bits,
- wherein a byte comprises m bits,
- wherein there is a byte which has K byte-filling bits and m−K data bits,
- wherein m is determined as a smallest positive integer so that
- m·(2m−1)≥n+(N·m)+K
- where m≥3, 1≤K≤m−1, N≥2 and n>(N+2)·m, and
- where n is a number of data bits.
A method for reading data bits having at least one byte-filling bit from memory cells, the method comprising:
- coding, in the at least one byte-filling bit, at least one predefined functionality for a subset of the data bits;
- and
- reading the data bits from the memory cells based on the at least one predefined functionality coded in the at least one byte-filling bit,
- wherein the data bits are grouped, together with check bits, into bytes, wherein at least one of these bytes can be corrected based on a byte error code, wherein the data bits and the check bits are stored in the memory cells,
- wherein, in an error-free case, the data bits and the check bits represent a code word of the byte error code or are parts of a code word of the byte error code, wherein the check bits are determined based on address bits,
- wherein the byte error code has N check bytes,
- wherein the byte error code has R address bytes determined from address bits,
- wherein a byte comprises m bits,
- wherein there is a byte which has K byte-filling bits and m−K data bits,
- wherein m is determined as a smallest positive integer so that
- m·(2m−1)≥n+(N·m)+(R·m)+K
- where m≥3, 1≤K≤m−1, N≥2, R≥1 and n>(N+R+2)·(m), and
- where n is a number of data bits.
A processor for storing and reading data bits having at least one byte-filling bit in memory cells of a memory, the processor configured to:
- code, in the at least one-byte-filling bit, at least one predefined functionality for a subset of the data bits;
- store the data bits in the memory cells;
- and
- read the data bits from the memory cells based on the at least one predefined functionality coded in the at least one byte-filling bit,
- wherein the data bits are grouped, together with check bits, into bytes, wherein at least one of these bytes can be corrected based on a byte error code, wherein the data bits and the check bits are stored in the memory cells,
- wherein, in an error-free case, the data bits and the check bits represent a code word of the byte error code or are parts of a code word of the byte error code,
- wherein the byte error code has N check bytes having check bits,
- wherein a byte comprises m bits,
- wherein there is a byte which has K byte-filling bits and m−K data bits,
- wherein m is determined as a smallest positive integer so that
- m·(2m−1)≥n+(N·m)+K
- where m≤3, 1≤K≤m−1, N≥2 and n>(N+2)·m, and
- where n is a number of data bits.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.