Reducing power consumption in computer memory

Details Reducing power consumption in computer memory Reducing power consumption in computer memory

1998-06-04

2000-10-17

Nguyen, Tan T.

Static information storage and retrieval

Read/write circuit

Data refresh

365229, G11C 700

Patent

active

061341673

ABSTRACT:
A computer system comprising an input/output device, a processor, a memory device, and a bridge logic device for interfacing the memory device to the processor and input/output device incorporates a refresh logic device for generating a memory refresh signal during suspend mode. Because the rate at which memory must be refreshed generally depends on the temperature of the memory device, the refresh logic varies the frequency of the refresh signal according to the temperature of the memory device, resulting in substantial power savings. In a preferred embodiment, the refresh logic uses a normal-rate refresh signal at the beginning of suspend mode and incrementally steps down the refresh rate as the memory temperature decreases. In other embodiments, the refresh logic incorporates a signal generator which produces a refresh signal at a frequency that varies according the output voltage from a temperature sensor or the temperature-sensitive resistance of a thermistor. In yet another embodiment, a variable-rate refresh logic is incorporated into the memory device, resulting in a self-refreshing memory module.

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Computer Organization and Design by John L. Hennessy and David A. Patterson; Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, Inc., San Francisco, California.
LM75, Digital Temperature Sensor and Thermal Watchdog with Two-Wire Interface, National Semiconductor, Oct. 1997.

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