US 8,510,598 B2 · Buffer management method and apparatus for power reduction during flush operation

Abstract

A method for providing reduced power consumption in a computer memory system is provided. The method includes transferring, by a memory controller coupled to a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory, and a buffer, first data from the volatile memory to the buffer. The buffer stores less data than the volatile memory and the non-volatile memory. The method also includes placing the volatile memory into self-refresh mode after transferring the first data to the buffer. The method further includes conveying the first data from the buffer to the non-volatile memory, where the amount of first data exceeds a predetermined threshold. While conveying the first data, the memory controller takes the volatile memory out of self-refresh mode when the amount of first data in the buffer reaches the predetermined threshold. The volatile memory is ready to transfer second data to the buffer when the memory controller is finished transferring the first data.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for providing reduced power consumption in a computer memory system, comprising:

transferring, by a memory controller coupled to a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory, and a buffer, first data from the volatile memory to the buffer, wherein the buffer stores less data than either of the volatile memory and the non-volatile memory, wherein the memory controller controls data transfers between the volatile memory, the buffer, and the non-volatile memory;
placing, by the memory controller, the volatile memory into self-refresh mode after transferring the first data to the buffer;
and
conveying, by the memory controller, the first data from the buffer to the non-volatile memory, wherein the amount of first data in the buffer exceeds a predetermined threshold,
wherein while conveying the first data from the buffer to the non-volatile memory, the memory controller takes the volatile memory out of self-refresh mode when the amount of first data remaining in the buffer reaches the predetermined threshold, wherein the volatile memory is ready to transfer second data to the buffer when the memory controller is finished transferring the first data from the buffer to the non-volatile memory.

2 more elements

A computer memory system that flushes data from a volatile memory to a non-volatile memory when main power is lost to the computer memory system, comprising:

a volatile memory, wherein the volatile memory is in self-refresh mode;
a buffer, comprising first data, wherein the amount of first data in the buffer exceeds a predetermined threshold, wherein the buffer stores less data than either of the volatile memory and the non-volatile memory;
a non-volatile memory;
and
a memory controller, coupled to the volatile memory, the buffer, and the non-volatile memory, wherein the memory controller controls data transfers between the volatile memory, the buffer, and the non-volatile memory, wherein the memory controller transfers the first data from the volatile memory to the buffer prior to placing the volatile memory in self-refresh mode,
wherein during a transfer of first data from the buffer to the non-volatile memory, when the amount of first data remaining in the buffer reaches the predetermined threshold, the memory controller takes the volatile memory out of self-refresh mode, wherein the volatile memory is ready to transfer second data to the buffer when the memory controller is finished transferring the first data from the buffer to the non-volatile memory.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Buffer management method and apparatus for power reduction during flush operation

Life of this patent

Buffer management method and apparatus for power reduction during flush operation

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20