Reduced-power memory with per-sector ground control

Details Reduced-power memory with per-sector ground control Reduced-power memory with per-sector ground control

2007-04-26

2008-10-28

Mai, Son L (Department: 2827)

Static information storage and retrieval

Powering

Conservation of power

C365S226000, C365S230030

Reexamination Certificate

active

07443759

ABSTRACT:
A reduced-power memory (such as for a cache memory system of a processor or a microprocessor) provides per-sector ground control to advantageously reduce power consumption. Selective power control of a plurality of sectors comprised in the reduced-power memory is responsive to a subset of address bits for accessing the memory. The selective power control individually powers-up a selected one of the sectors in response to an access, and then powers-down the selected sector when the access is complete. The power-up is via a decrease in ground potential from a retention level to an access level. Time needed to vary the ground potential is optionally masked by providing address information used by the selective power control in advance of providing other address information. For example, in a cache, a tag access is overlapped with power-up of a selected sector, thus masking latency of powering up the selected sector.

REFERENCES:
patent: 5615162 (1997-03-01), Houston
patent: 5659517 (1997-08-01), Arimoto et al.
patent: 5724297 (1998-03-01), Noda et al.
patent: 6147916 (2000-11-01), Ogura
patent: 6791894 (2004-09-01), Nagai et al.
patent: 2005/0185450 (2005-08-01), Isoda et al.
patent: 2006/0044865 (2006-03-01), Hirabayashi
patent: 2006/0268648 (2006-11-01), Dang et al.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Reduced-power memory with per-sector ground control does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Reduced-power memory with per-sector ground control, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Reduced-power memory with per-sector ground control will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3993884