APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR A MEMORY PARTIAL-WRITE OF ERROR CORRECTING ENCODED DATA

摘要

Apparatus and method for improved "partial-write" operation in a memory module in which data is stored along with error-correcting code check bits. Incoming data replaces a portion of a data group already stored in a specified memory module location in a partial write operation. Apparatus is provided according to the invention, for determining the error-correcting code check bits for the combined data group while simultaneously verifying the accuracy of the previously stored data group. An error in the previously stored data causes apparatus to correct both the combined data group and the error-correcting check bits. The correction, rather than the recalculation, of the error-correcting code check bits permits more effective utilization of the memory module.