Variable hamming error correction for a one-time-programmable-ROM
AssigneeBroadcom Corporation
InventorSteve Rodgers
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A one-time-programmable (OTP) module includes OTP memory and OTP input/output (I/O) that performs error correction operations. The OTP module may be used in a data communications system. The error correction operations operate according to one of a plurality of supported coding schemes. In one embodiment, the error correction operations are based upon Hamming code operations. The coding scheme employed by the error correction operations is set by a code control input. The code control input is chosen based upon the inherent quality of the OTP memory. The OTP module may thus be incorporated into any of a variety of processes, each of which has its own OTP memory quality.
Claims33
A one-time-programmable (OTP) module for use with a host integrated circuit, the OTP module comprising:
- an OTP read only memory (ROM) having a quantity of encoded host data stored therein;
- and
- OTP input/output (I/O) that operably couples the OTP ROM to the host integrated circuit, with the OTP I/O receiving a data read request from the host integrated circuit, accessing the encoded host data from the OTP memory based upon the data read request, correcting errors in the encoded host data to produce corrected host data using a Hamming code correction protocol in accordance with a predetermined code control parameter, and writing the corrected host data to the host integrated circuit.
A one-time-programmable (OTP) module for use within a host integrated circuit, the OTP module comprising:
- an OTP read only memory (ROM);
- a host interface operably coupled to the host, that receives encoded host data from the host integrated circuit and that provides corrected host data to the host integrated circuit;
- read path circuitry operably coupled to the OTP ROM and to the host interface, wherein the read path circuitry reads the encoded host data from the OTP ROM, detects errors in the encoded host data, corrects the errors in the encoded host data to produce the corrected host data, and provides the corrected host data to the host interface;
- and
- wherein the read path circuitry enacts one of a plurality of supported coding schemes in responsive to a code control input.
A method of designing an integrated circuit that includes a host integrated circuit and one-time-programmable (OTP) module, the method comprising:
- determining the characteristics of a process that will be employed to construct the integrated circuit;
- designing the host integrated circuit;
- incorporating the OTP ROM into the integrated circuit to form a completed integrated circuit design, wherein the OTP module comprises:
- an OTP read only memory (ROM);
- a host interface operably coupled to the host, that receives encoded host data from the host integrated circuit and that provides corrected host data to the host integrated circuit;
- read path circuitry operably coupled to the OTP ROM and to the host interface, wherein the read path circuitry reads the encoded host data from the OTP ROM, detects errors in the encoded host data, corrects the errors in the encoded host data to produce the corrected host data, and provides the corrected host data to the host interface;
- and
- a code control input that causes the write path circuitry and the read path circuitry to enact one of a plurality of supported coding schemes;
- and
- fabricating the integrated circuit based upon the completed integrated circuit design.
A method of operating a one-time-programmable (OTP) module that is embedded within a host integrated circuit and that includes an OTP memory, a host interface, and error correction circuitry, the method comprising:
- characterizing the fabrication process in which the host integrated circuit and the OTP module are fabricated;
- characterizing the likelihood of memory cells in the OTP memory to lose data, based upon the characterization of the fabrication process;
- selecting a coding rate with which the error correction circuitry of the OTP module will operate, based on the characterization of likelihood of the OTP memory to lose data;
- and
- programming the OTP module such that the error correction circuitry will operate at the coding rate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.