Semiconductor memory device for mass storage block access applic

Details Semiconductor memory device for mass storage block access applic Semiconductor memory device for mass storage block access applic

1997-06-30

1999-01-26

Baker, Stephen M.

Excavating

395876, G06F 1300, G06F 1312, G06F 1110

Patent

active

058645683

ABSTRACT:
In storage subsystems such as winchester disk, blocks of sequential data corresponding to sectors are concurrently accessed by the disk and the host. Semiconductor memory devices for storing block data are often utilized as storage location for sectors of data read or written to the disk and the host. Application of a semiconductor memory which increases the effective transfer rate of the system is highly desirable particularly in disk storage systems. A semiconductor memory for use in disk storage applications where information is transferred in blocks of data is hereby disclosed. Specifically, the memory includes a main memory configured as a random access memory array having rows and columns, each row having a plurality of n-bit words, a secondary memory having a data register file, first and second parallel-by-bit interfaces and a transferring circuit for transferring data between the main and secondary memories. Access to the main memory through a first interface is achieved independently of accesses to the secondary memory through a second interface thereby allowing concurrent accesses. Accordingly, concurrent and independent semiconductor memory accesses by any two utilization devices located externally to the memory such as a host, a disk sequencer, an ECC logic or a microcontroller are performed without corruption of the data. Further included in the secondary memory is a mask register file for maintaining the integrity of adjacent blocks of data when a block or sector of data having more words than the number of words in a row of the main memory is affected.

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