System control using sparse data
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsMichael R. Seningen, Ben D. Jarrett, Edward M. McCombs, Greg M. Hess
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for storing and accessing sparse data is disclosed. A sparse array circuit may receive information indicative of a request to perform a read operation on a memory circuit that includes multiple banks. The sparse array circuit may compare an address included in the received information to multiple entries that correspond to address locations in the memory circuit that store sparse data. In response to a determination that the address matches a particular entry, the sparse array may generate one or more control signals that may disable the read operation, and cause a data control circuit to transmit the sparse data pattern.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- accessing, by a control circuit of a processor circuit, a set of data stored in a memory circuit of a computer system;
- identifying, by the control circuit, a number of logical-0 bit values included within the set of data;
- based on the identifying, determining, by the control circuit, that the set of data satisfies a sparseness condition;
- based on the determining that the set of data satisfies the sparseness condition, compressing, by the control circuit, the set of data;
- and
- storing, by the control circuit, the compressed set of data in the memory circuit.
A system comprising:
- a memory circuit and
- a control circuit configured to:
- access a set of data stored in the memory circuit;
- determine whether ones of the set of data satisfy a sparseness condition;
- based on a determination that a given data value in the set of data satisfies the sparseness condition, compress the given data value;
- and
- storing the compressed data value in the memory circuit.
An apparatus comprising:
- a memory circuit and
- a control circuit configured to:
- access a set of data stored in the memory circuit;
- based on a number of logical-0 bit values identified within data values in the set of data, determine whether ones of the data values in the set of data satisfy a sparseness condition;
- based on a determination that a particular number of data values in the set of data satisfy the sparseness condition, compress the set of data;
- and
- store the compressed set of data in the memory circuit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.