Computing device-specific memory module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016371002-A1
Application number	US-201514740880-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 16, 2015
Priority date	Jun 16, 2015
Publication date	Dec 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A memory module stores a computing device type-specific parameter for each of a number of different types of computing devices. When the memory module is installed within a computing device, the computing device reads the computing device type-specific parameter for the particular type of computing device, and configures itself to use the memory module according to this parameter. As different types of memory modules become available, they are tested against different types of computing devices to determine the computing device type-specific parameter with which they should be programmed for each type of computing device.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable code executable by a computing device to:
determine a type of the computing device; determine whether a memory module installed within the computing device stores a computing device type-specific parameter; in response to determining that the memory module stores the computing device type-specific parameter, read the computing device type-specific parameter for the type of the computing device; and configure the computing device to use the memory module according to the computing device type-specific parameter that has been read.

2 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the computing device type-specific parameter for the type of the computing device comprises:
a plan of record (POR) for the type of the computing device with which the memory module is operable, wherein the POR is a selected POR of a plurality of PORs that have been predetermined for the type of the computing device.

3 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2 , wherein the computing device is to configure the computing device to use the memory module according to the computing device type-specific parameter that has been read by:
looking up a plurality of memory module settings for the selected POR, the memory module settings specific to the type of the computing device for the selected POR; and configuring the computing device to use the memory module according to the memory module settings.

4 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable code is executable by the computing device to further:
determine one or more of a processor type of a processor of the computing device and a memory voltage that the computing device provides to the memory module, wherein the computing device is to read the computing device type-specific parameter for a combination of the type of the computing device and the one or more of the processor type and the memory voltage.

5 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 4 , wherein the computing device parameter comprises:
a plan of record (POR) for the combination of the type of the computing device and the one or more of the processor type and the memory voltage with which the memory module is operable, wherein the POR is a selected POR of a plurality of PORs that have been predetermined for the combination of the type of the computing device and the one or more of the processor type and the memory voltage.

6 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5 , wherein the computing device is to configure the computing device to use the memory module according to the computing device type-specific parameter that has been read by:
looking up a plurality of memory module settings for the selected POR, the memory module settings specific to the combination of the type of the computing device and the one or more of the processor type and the memory voltage for the selected POR; and configuring the computing device to use the memory module according to the memory module settings.

7 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the memory module is a dual-inline memory module (DIMM) having a programmable read-only memory (PROM) storing serial presence detect (SPD) information,
wherein the computing device is to determine whether the memory module stores the computing device type-specific parameter by:
determining whether one or more specific bytes of the SPD information store one or more corresponding predetermined values,
and wherein the computing device is to read the computing device type-specific parameter for the type of the computing device by:
reading each of a plurality of records of the SPED information until a selected record matching the computing device type-specific parameter for the type of the computing device is located.

8 . A method comprising:
testing a memory module that is of a particular type of memory module against a computing device having a particular type to determine performance characteristics of the memory module when used within the computing device; determining a selected plan of record (POR) of a plurality of predetermined PORs that have already been established for the particular type of the computing device, based on the performance characteristics of the memory module that have been determined; and programming a plurality of memory modules that are of the particular type of memory module to specify the selected POR for the particular type of the computing device.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein testing the memory module against the computing device comprises:
installing the memory module within the computing device; for each predetermined POR:
configuring the computing device to use the memory module according memory module settings specific to the predetermined POR; and
determining whether the computing device performs properly when configured to use the memory module according to the memory module settings specific to the predetermined POR.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein determining the selected POR comprises:
selecting the predetermined POR having the memory module settings that yield greatest proper performance of the computing device when the computing device is configured to use the memory module according to the memory module settings specific to the predetermined POR.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein testing the memory module against the computing device comprises:
installing the memory module within the computing device; for each processor type of a plurality of processor types with which the computing device is compatible:
installing a processor of the processor type within the computing device;
for each predetermined POR:
configuring the computing device to use the memory module according memory module settings specific to the predetermined POR and to the processor type; and
determining whether the computing device performs properly when configured to use the memory module according to the memory module settings specific to the predetermined POR and to the processor type.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the selected POR comprises, for each processor type:
selecting the predetermined POR having the memory module settings that yield greatest proper performance of the computing device when the computing device is configured to use the memory module according to the memory module settings specific to the predetermined POR and to the processor type, and wherein programming the memory modules that are of the particular type of memory comprises, for each processor type:
programming the memory modules to specify the selected POR for a combination of the particular type of the computing device and the processor type.

13 . The method of claim 8 , wherein testing the memory module against the computing device comprises:
installing the memory module within the computing device; for each memory voltage of a plurality of memory voltages at which the computing device is able to operate the memory module:
operating the memory module at the memory voltage;
for each predetermined POR:
configuring the computing device to use the memory module according memory module settings specific to the predetermined POR and to the memory voltage; and
determining whether the computing device performs properly when configured to use the memory module according to the memory module settings specific to the predetermined POR and to the memory voltage.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein determining th

Assignees

• Lenovo Entpr Solutions Singapore Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Bahali Sumanta K
• Kochar Sumeet
• Langgood John K

Classifications

• G06F15/177 Primary

  Initialisation or configuration control {(processor initialisation G06F9/4405)} · CPC title

• G06F3/0659

  Command handling arrangements, e.g. command buffers, queues, command scheduling · CPC title

• G06F3/0673

  Single storage device · CPC title

• G06F3/0604 Primary

  Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management · CPC title

• G06F3/0632

  by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems · CPC title