Arrangement for storing program instructions and data in a memory device and method therefor
AssigneeAdvanced Micro Devices, Inc.
InventorKen Tallo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system stores program instructions and other data in a single memory device, such as a flash ROM, by adjusting a processing speed of a microcontroller during write operations. Adjusting the processing speed renders the time involved in writing to the memory device shorter than the fetch time. This allows the microcontroller to write data to the memory device and execute instructions stored on the same memory device.
Claims25
A data processing arrangement for storing executable instructions and other data in a memory, comprising:
- a microcontroller configured and arranged to store the executable instructions and the other data in the memory using control signals and to selectively and dynamically adjust a processing speed as a function of whether a mode of the microcontroller is a storing mode or a retrieving mode;
- and
- a control arrangement responsive to the microcontroller and configured and arranged to modify the control signals for accessing the memory at the selectively adjusted processing speed.
A data processing arrangement for storing executable instructions and other data in one memory, comprising:
- a memory responsive to control signals and configured and arranged to store executable instructions and other data;
- a microcontroller operatively coupled to the memory and configured and arranged to selectively and dynamically reduce a processing speed for storing the executable instructions and the other data in the memory, and to selectively increase the processing speed in response to a storing mode becoming inactive;
- and
- a control arrangement responsive to the microcontroller and configured and arranged to modify the control signals for accessing the memory to retrieve and store the other data and to retrieve the program instruction.
For exchanging executable instructions and other data with one memory device, a data processing method, comprising:
- detecting a desired operational mode of the memory;
- in response to the desired operational mode being a storage mode, dynamically adjusting a processing speed of a microcontroller;
- using the microcontroller to selectively store or retrieve at least one of the executable instructions and the other data using the memory device;
- and
- generating control signals for accessing the memory at a rate corresponding to the adjusted processing speed of the microcontroller.
A data processing arrangement for storing executable instructions and other data in a memory, comprising:
- means for detecting a desired operational mode of the memory;
- means for, in response to the desired operational mode being a storage mode, dynamically adjusting a processing speed of a microcontroller;
- means for using the microcontroller to selectively store or retrieve at least one of the executable instructions and the other data using the memory device;
- and
- means for generating control signals for accessing the memory at a rate corresponding to the adjusted processing speed of the microcontroller.
A microcontroller arrangement for storing executable instructions and other data in a memory, configured and arranged to:
- detect a desired operational mode of the memory;
- in response to the desired operational mode being a storage mode, adjusting a processing speed to a first processing speed;
- in response to the desired operational mode being a retrieval mode, adjusting the processing speed to a second processing speed different than the first processing speed;
- and
- selectively store or retrieve at least one of the executable instructions and the other data to or from the memory device at the first or second processing speed respectively.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.