Warm Reset Logic for Portable Computing Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable computing devices face challenges in preserving memory contents during a cold reset, leading to data loss and requiring manual debugging processes, especially when encountering error conditions.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating warm reset logic in the system-on-chip (SoC) of portable computing devices to detect error conditions, request the DRAM subsystem to preserve memory contents, and assert a system reset signal only after confirmation of preservation, allowing the device to recover from errors without power cycling and maintaining memory state.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cold reset is performed to recover from error conditions, then the system can be reset to a known state, but memory contents are lost requiring manual debugging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by initiating the memory preservation process before the reset operation begins. The system detects error conditions and activates the memory preservation mechanism in advance, ensuring that memory contents are secured before being lost during the reset process. This allows the system to perform a cold reset for reliable error recovery while preventing the information loss that would otherwise occur.
2Loss of information
If a warm reset is used to preserve memory contents, then debugging is simplified, but the system cannot perform a complete reset of all components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the reset operation into separate controllable components. Instead of treating the system reset as an all-or-nothing operation, the invention allows selective resetting of specific subsystems while preserving others. This enables the memory preservation function to operate independently, allowing warm resets that preserve memory contents when needed, while still maintaining the capability for complete system resets when full recovery is required.
3Measurement precision
If manual debugging processes are required after cold reset, then comprehensive system state analysis is possible, but productivity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies copying by creating a preserved copy of the memory contents before the reset operation. Instead of requiring manual debugging of a completely reset system, the invention maintains a copy of the pre-error memory state that can be analyzed. This copying mechanism enables automated or semi-automated debugging processes to examine the preserved memory contents, significantly reducing the time and manual effort required while maintaining comprehensive analysis capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A warm mission-mode reset may be performed in a portable computing device. Assertion of a signal indicating an error condition may be detected. In response to detection of the signal indicating an error condition, a signal indicating a request to preserve memory contents may be provided to a DRAM subsystem. Then, in response to a signal acknowledging the DRAM subsystem is preserving the memory contents, a system reset signal may be asserted.