MEMORY USING ERROR-CORRECTING CODES TO CORRECT STORED DATA IN BACKGROUND

摘要

A memory (60) that corrects storage errors during those periods in which the memory is not servicing read/write instructions from an external system. The memory (60) reads and writes data words that are stored in a storage block (61) that includes a plurality of storage words. Each storage word stores a data entry specifying one of the data words. The data entry is encoded with error-correcting information sufficient to correct a one-bit error in the data word. The storage words are connected to the error-correcting circuit (64) during idle periods or during the conventional refresh operations in the case of DRAM-like memories. The controller (65) also causes each corrected storage word to be re-written to the storage block (61) in place of the storage word from which the corrected storage word was generated if an error is detected by the error-correcting circuitry .