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:
Jul. 06, 2004
Filed:
Oct. 16, 2001
Kevin A. Batson, Williston, VT (US);
Robert E. Busch, Essex Junction, VT (US);
Albert M. Chu, Essex, VT (US);
Ezra D. B. Hall, Richmond, VT (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A method for combining a refresh operation with a parity validation for a DRAM-based content addressable memory (CAM) is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the method includes implementing the memory refresh operation and examining a word included within the CAM. A determination is made as to whether data contained within the word constitutes valid data. If the data contained within the word does not constitute valid data, then the parity validation is bypassed. However, if the data contained within the word does constitute valid data, then the parity validation is implemented. The parity validation further includes reading the data contained within the word, generating a parity bit from the data contained within the word, and comparing the generated parity bit with a previously stored parity bit. If the parity validation is implemented and if the generated parity bit does not match the previously stored parity bit, then the data contained within the word is invalidated.