Flash Memory BIOS Access System with Address Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional memory access systems for BIOS programs are costly and have slow access rates due to the use of electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), necessitating a more cost-effective and efficient solution.
Innovation Solution
A memory access system that replaces EEPROM with flash memory, utilizing a CPU, PCI slave, address converter, and flash memory controller to store and access BIOS data, with an address mapping table to convert default BIOS addresses to flash memory type addresses, and includes error correction to manage flash memory segment durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) is used to store BIOS program, then the system can maintain data while powered off, but the manufacturing cost is high and access rate is slow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the memory type parameter from EEPROM to flash memory, which has different electrical characteristics and access speeds. Flash memory provides faster read access rates while maintaining data retention capability, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and productivity.
2Reliability
If electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) is used to store BIOS program, then the system can maintain data while powered off, but the manufacturing cost is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive EEPROM with cheaper flash memory. Flash memory is a more cost-effective storage solution that still provides the necessary data retention functionality for BIOS programs, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of manufacture.
3Productivity
If flash memory is used to store BIOS program, then manufacturing cost is reduced and access rate is increased, but flash memory has limited write durability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the BIOS data into multiple parts and stores them in different flash memory areas. By dividing the BIOS program into segments (e.g., using segmentation registers to access different memory regions), the system reduces the frequency of writes to any single memory location, thereby extending the overall write durability of the flash memory while maintaining fast access rates.
Data Source
AI summary
A memory access system for accessing a basic input output system (BIOS) program is provided. The memory access system includes a flash memory, a CPU, a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) slave, an address converter and a flash memory controller. The flash memory stores a number of BIOS data of the BIOS program, and each BIOS data corresponds to a default BIOS address and is allocated in a flash memory type BIOS address. The CPU delivers a BIOS access instruction. The BIOS access instruction corresponds to a default target address of the default BIOS addresses. After the PCI slave interprets the BIOS access instruction, the address converter converts the default target address into a flash memory type target address, which is one of the flash memory type BIOS address. The flash memory controller accesses the BIOS data allocated at the flash memory type target address accordingly.