Dual Port Memory Soft Error Scrubbing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems face challenges in detecting and correcting soft errors in memory devices without incurring performance loss, as they often require stopping logic operations to perform soft error scrubbing, leading to potential system failures due to the infrequent nature of this process.
Innovation Solution
A data processing system with a dual port memory and a soft error scrubber that allows simultaneous access to memory via two independent ports, enabling the scrubber to perform error correction without interfering with logic operations, thereby reducing failures-in-time (FIT) and enhancing system performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If soft error scrubbing is performed by stopping logic operations, then error correction can be performed, but system performance deteriorates and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The memory system is divided into two independent access paths: a first data port for logic operations and a second data port for soft error scrubbing. This segmentation allows both operations to proceed simultaneously without interfering with each other, resolving the contradiction between error correction and system performance.
Solution Approach 2:
A dual port memory structure acts as an intermediary that provides separate access channels for different functions. The first port handles logic operations while the second port handles soft error scrubbing, enabling concurrent operations and eliminating the performance penalty associated with stopping logic operations for error correction.
2Productivity
If soft error scrubbing is performed infrequently, then system performance is maintained, but reliability decreases due to potential soft errors
Solution Approach 1:
Soft error scrubbing is performed continuously in the background through the second data port without interrupting logic operations. This continuous error correction capability maintains high reliability while the transparent operation ensures system performance remains unaffected.
Solution Approach 2:
The system proactively performs soft error scrubbing before soft errors can cause system crashes. By continuously monitoring and correcting errors in advance, the system maintains high reliability without needing to stop operations for recovery procedures.
3Device complexity
If a single port memory is used, then device complexity is reduced, but the ability to perform simultaneous logic operations and soft error scrubbing is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The memory interface is segmented into two independent data ports, each handling specific functions. This segmentation enables concurrent logic operations and soft error scrubbing, achieving high reliability while keeping the overall system architecture relatively simple through functional separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The dual port memory structure provides multi-functionality by supporting both logic operations and soft error scrubbing simultaneously through different ports. This universal access capability resolves the contradiction between device simplicity and concurrent operation capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A data processing system includes a memory configured to store data in a plurality of addressable storage spaces thereof, wherein the memory includes a first data port and a second data port, a first functional block configured to access the memory via the first data port to perform a logic operation, and a second functional block configured to access the memory via the second data port to perform soft error scrubbing in the data stored in the memory.