Abstract: Electrical systems and related methods are disclosed. An electrical system comprises an electronic device configured to communicate through an electrical connector using one of a plurality of different communication protocols responsive to receiving an indication of the one of the plurality of different communication protocols through the electrical connector from a another electronic device. The other electronic device is configured to provide a protocol indicator that indicates a particular communication protocol with which the other electronic device is configured to communicate through an electrical connector of the electronic device. A method includes receiving a protocol indicator from another electronic device through an electrical connector. The protocol indicator indicates a communication protocol. The method also includes communicating with the other electronic device through the electrical connector using the indicated communication protocol.

Abstract: A non-volatile hard disk drive cache system is coupled between a processor and a hard disk drive. The cache system includes a control circuit, a non-volatile memory and a volatile memory. the control circuit causes a subset of the data stored in the hard disk drive to be written to the non-volatile memory. In response to a request to read data are stored in the non-volatile memory. If so, the requested read data are provided form the non-volatile memory. Otherwise, the requested read data are provided from the hard disk drive. the volatile memory is used as a write buffer and to store disk access statistics, such as the disk drive locations that are most frequently read, which are used by the control circuit to determine which data to store in the non-volatile memory.

Abstract: A master memory controller comprises a plurality of memory communication channels. At least one of the memory communication channels is used to communicate with one or more slave memory controllers. The master and slave memory controllers can operate in a parallel operation mode to communicate with a plurality of memory devices coupled to the memory communication channels of each memory controller.

Abstract: A method and system are described for generating reference tables in object code which specify the addresses of branches, routines called, and data references used by routines in the code. In a suitably equipped processing system, the reference tables can be passed to a memory management processor which can open the appropriate memory pages to expedite the retrieval of data referenced in the execution pipeline. The disclosed method and system create such reference tables at the beginning of each routine so that the table can be passed to the memory management processor in a suitably equipped processor. Resulting object code also allows processors lacking a suitable memory management processor to skip the reference table, preserving upward compatibility.

Abstract: A memory device providing signals indicating when refresh operations are complete. The signals from a number of memory devices can be combined, such as by logically ORing, to provide a refresh complete signal to a power management controller. Dynamic factors can affect the refresh operation and the memory may be refreshed without restoring the entire system to a high power state. The time required to perform a refresh operation can be determined dynamically, allowing the system to be returned to a low power state as soon as refresh is complete. Ambient temperatures can be monitored to dynamically determine when to perform a refresh operation.

Abstract: A computing system includes data encryption in the data path between a data source and data storage devices. The data encryption may utilize a key which is derived at least in part from an identification code stored in a nonvolatile memory. The key may also be derived at least in part from user input to the computer.

Abstract: A computer system includes a memory controller coupled to a memory module containing several DRAMs. The memory module also includes a non-volatile memory storing row addresses identifying rows containing DRAM memory cells that are likely to lose data during normal refresh of the memory cells. Upon power-up, the data from the non-volatile memory are transferred to a comparator in the memory controller. The comparator compares the row addresses to row addresses from a refresh shadow counter that identify the rows in the DRAMs being refreshed. When a row of memory cells is being refreshed that is located one-half of the rows away from a row that is likely to loose data, the memory controller causes the row that is likely to loose data to be refreshed. The memory controller also includes error checking circuitry for identifying the rows of memory cells that are likely to lose data during refresh.

Abstract: An integrated circuit active memory device receives task commands from a component in a host computer system that may include the active memory device. The host system includes a memory controller coupling the active memory device to a host CPU and a mass storage device. The active memory device includes a command engine issuing instructions responsive to the task commands to either an array control unit or a DRAM control unit. The instructions provided to the DRAM control unit cause data to be written to or read from a DRAM and coupled to or from either the processing elements or a host/memory interface. The processing elements execute instructions provided by the array control unit to decompress data written to the DRAM through the host/memory interface and compress data read from the DRAM through the host/memory interface.

Abstract: A non-volatile hard disk drive cache system is coupled between a processor and a hard disk drive. The cache system includes a control circuit, a non-volatile memory and a volatile memory. the control circuit causes a subset of the data stored in the hard disk drive to be written to the non-volatile memory. In response to a request to read data are stored in the non-volatile memory. If so, the requested read data are provided form the non-volatile memory. Otherwise, the requested read data are provided from the hard disk drive. the volatile memory is used as a write buffer and to store disk access statistics, such as the disk drive locations that are most frequently read, which are used by the control circuit to determine which data to store in the non-volatile memory.

Abstract: A non-volatile hard disk drive cache system is coupled between a processor and a hard disk drive. The cache system includes a control circuit, a non-volatile memory and a volatile memory. The control circuit causes a subset of the data stored in the hard disk drive to be written to the non-volatile memory. In response to a request to read data from the hard disk drive, the control circuit first determines if the requested read data are stored in the non-volatile memory. If so, the requested read data are provided from the non-volatile memory. Otherwise, the requested read data are provided from the hard disk drive. The volatile memory is used as a write buffer and to store disk access statistics, such as the disk drive locations that are most frequently read, which are used by the control circuit to determine which data to store in the non-volatile memory.

Abstract: Solid state storage device controllers, solid state storage devices, and methods for operation of solid state storage device controllers are disclosed. In one such solid state storage device, the controller can operate in either an expansion DRAM mode or a non-volatile memory mode. In the DRAM expansion mode, one or more of the memory communication channels normally used to communicate with non-volatile memory devices is used to communicate with an expansion DRAM device.

Abstract: A computer system includes a memory controller coupled to a memory module containing several DRAMs. The memory module also includes a non-volatile memory storing row addresses identifying rows containing DRAM memory cells that are likely to lose data during normal refresh of the memory cells. Upon power-up, the data from the non-volatile memory are transferred to a comparator in the memory controller. The comparator compares the row addresses to row addresses from a refresh shadow counter that identify the rows in the DRAMs being refreshed. When a row of memory cells is being refreshed that is located one-half of the rows away from a row that is likely to loose data, the memory controller causes the row that is likely to loose data to be refreshed. The memory controller also includes error checking circuitry for identifying the rows of memory cells that are likely to lose data during refresh.

Abstract: A memory device providing signals indicating when refresh operations are complete. The signals from a number of memory devices can be combined, such as by logically ORing, to provide a refresh complete signal to a power management controller. Dynamic factors can affect the refresh operation and the memory may be refreshed without restoring the entire system to a high power state. The time required to perform a refresh operation can be determined dynamically, allowing the system to be returned to a low power state as soon as refresh is complete. Ambient temperatures can be monitored to dynamically determine when to perform a refresh operation.

Abstract: A computer system includes a memory controller coupled to a memory module containing several DRAMs. The memory module also includes a non-volatile memory storing row addresses identifying rows containing DRAM memory cells that are likely to lose data during normal refresh of the memory cells. Upon power-up, the data from the non-volatile memory are transferred to a comparator in the memory controller. The comparator compares the row addresses to row addresses from a refresh shadow counter that identify the rows in the DRAMs being refreshed. When a row of memory cells is being refreshed that is located one-half of the rows away from a row that is likely to loose data, the memory controller causes the row that is likely to loose data to be refreshed. The memory controller also includes error checking circuitry for identifying the rows of memory cells that are likely to lose data during refresh.

Abstract: A computing system includes data encryption in the data path between a data source and data storage devices. The data encryption may utilize a key which is derived at least in part from an identification code stored in a nonvolatile memory. The key may also be derived at least in part from user input to the computer.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for managing memory. A memory management system may include a table having multiple virtual memory addresses. Each virtual memory address may correspond to a physical memory address and data that identifies a type of memory device corresponding to the physical memory address. The physical memory device can be used to access the memory device when a table hit occurs.

Abstract: Solid state storage device controllers, solid state storage devices, and methods for operation of solid state storage device controllers are disclosed. In one such solid state storage device, the controller can operate in either an expansion DRAM mode or a non-volatile memory mode. In the DRAM expansion mode, one or more of the memory communication channels normally used to communicate with non-volatile memory devices is used to communicate with an expansion DRAM device.

Abstract: A memory device providing signals indicating when refresh operations are complete. The signals from a number of memory devices can be combined, such as by Oring, to provide a refresh complete signal to a power management controller. Dynamic factors can affect the refresh operation and the memory may be refreshed without restoring the entire system to a high power state. The time required to perform a refresh operation can be determined dynamically, allowing the system to be returned to a low power state as soon as refresh is complete. Ambient temperatures can be monitored to dynamically determine when to perform a refresh operation.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide local checkpoint memories that are closely coupled to the processor of a computing system used during normal operation. The checkpoint memory may be coupled to the processor through a peripheral bus or a memory bus. The checkpoint memory may be located on a same semiconductor substrate or circuit board as the processor. The checkpoint memory may be located on a same semiconductor substrate as a main memory used by the processor during normal operation. The checkpoint memory may be included in a memory hub configuration, with a checkpoint memory hub provided for access to the checkpoint memory.

Abstract: A method and system are described for generating reference tables in object code which specify the addresses of branches, routines called, and data references used by routines in the code. In a suitably equipped processing system, the reference tables can be passed to a memory management processor which can open the appropriate memory pages to expedite the retrieval of data referenced in the execution pipeline. The disclosed method and system create such reference tables at the beginning of each routine so that the table can be passed to the memory management processor in a suitably equipped processor. Resulting object code also allows processors lacking a suitable memory management processor to skip the reference table, preserving upward compatibility.