Dynamic Memory Mode Switching for Data Protection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing memory protection methods statically select modes, leading to redundant losses and failed protection functions when errors occur, as they do not dynamically adapt to damaged memory cells.
Innovation Solution
A method that dynamically switches between mirror, spare, and page memory modes based on error detection, using a memory controller to detect uncorrectable and correctable errors, and switch modes to ensure continuous data protection by replacing damaged modules with undamaged ones and using error mapping tables.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a static memory protection mode (mirror or spare) is selected at system startup, then the memory protection function is activated, but redundant memory capacity is wasted and protection fails when errors occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic switching between mirror memory mode and spare memory mode based on real-time error detection. The memory controller monitors memory cells during operation and automatically transitions protection modes when errors are detected, making the previously static protection mechanism adaptive and dynamic to actual memory conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the protection parameter (memory mode) from a fixed startup setting to a dynamically adjustable parameter. By monitoring error rates and switching between mirror and spare modes, the system optimizes the balance between protection reliability and memory capacity utilization based on actual memory health status
2Reliability
If mirror memory mode is used to protect against uncorrectable errors, then data protection is provided, but half of the memory capacity is consumed by mirror modules
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches from mirror memory mode to spare memory mode when uncorrectable errors are detected. This allows the full memory capacity to be utilized for data storage during normal operation, while still providing protection by transitioning to spare mode when needed, thus eliminating the permanent 50% capacity overhead of continuous mirror mode
3Reliability
If spare memory mode is used to protect against correctable errors, then protection is provided, but redundant memory pages are wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic switching between mirror and spare modes based on the type of errors detected. By monitoring error characteristics in real-time and adapting the protection mode accordingly, the system provides targeted protection only when needed, eliminating the continuous waste of redundant memory pages associated with static spare mode configuration
Data Source
AI summary
A method for protecting data in damaged memory cells by dynamically switching memory mode is provided. The method is adapted to an electronic device having a memory, which has a memory controller and at least one memory module, each of which is consisted of a plurality of memory cells, and the memory cells are divided into a plurality of pages. A power-on self test is executed and a mirror memory mode is activated to protect the data in the memory modules. An uncorrectable error of each page of the memory modules is detected by the memory controller when an operating system reads the memory. If the uncorrectable error in one page is detected, the memory module having the page is determined as a damaged memory module, and the mirror memory mode is switched to a spare memory mode, so as to protect the data in the memory modules.