초록 ▼

A computer system having a processor is provided with a memory controller serially coupled to a serial-access programmable read-only-memory ROM (PROM) through a serial PROM interface of the controller. A random-access memory controller randomly accesses the BIOS code in the serial PROM during power-

A computer system having a processor is provided with a memory controller serially coupled to a serial-access programmable read-only-memory ROM (PROM) through a serial PROM interface of the controller. A random-access memory controller randomly accesses the BIOS code in the serial PROM during power-up of the computer system in response to read requests from the CPU. If the memory controller cannot immediately process the read requests from the CPU, the controller creates wait states for the CPU. An auto-configuring memory controller sequentially accesses the entire BIOS code in the serial PROM during power-up and prior to the running of the CPU and copies it to a portion of base memory, eliminating random accesses to the PROM.

대표청구항 ▼

[ I claim:] [1.] An auto-configuring memory controller, coupled to a processor of a computer system, said controller further coupled to a serial-access programmable read-only-memory, comprising:a serial PROM interface coupling a memory controller and a serial PROM allowing communication between said

[ I claim:] [1.] An auto-configuring memory controller, coupled to a processor of a computer system, said controller further coupled to a serial-access programmable read-only-memory, comprising:a serial PROM interface coupling a memory controller and a serial PROM allowing communication between said memory controller and said serial PROM;a serial PROM interface control logic for controlling said serial PROM interface; andauto-configuring/base memory logic for auto-detecting the base memory in said computer system, and then auto-configuring said memory controller to copy the contents of said serial PROM into said base memory.