The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 21, 1996
Filed:
Jun. 01, 1994
Gerald S Holzhammer, Aloha, OR (US);
Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus in a computer system for storing data from a volatile cache during a power loss. The apparatus comprises a volatile cache memory and a non-volatile memory. In a preferred embodiment, the non-volatile memory is an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory. The device further comprises power loss detection logic which detects the power loss in the computer system and copy control logic which copies the data contained in the volatile cache memory to the non-volatile memory upon detection of the power loss. The copy control logic is coupled to the volatile cache, the non-volatile memory, and the power loss detection logic. In a preferred embodiment, the copy control logic and the power loss detection logic comprise a microcontroller. The device lastly comprises a power source coupled to the volatile cache memory and the copy control logic, the power source being independent of the computer system power. In a preferred embodiment, the power source comprises a battery coupled to the microcontroller and the volatile and non-volatile memories. Methods are provided to copy to and restore data from a non-volatile memory when computer system power is lost or restored.