Importance

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Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed for initiating a start-up operation of a system (1') having a master device (1) and a slave device (14a-14n). The method comprises steps of: A) exercising the slave device (14a-14n) using the master device (1) to determine a temporal range within which temporal relationships of electrical signals need to be set in order to operate the system (1') without error; B) setting the temporal relationships of the electrical signals so as to be within the determined temporal range; and C) storing a record of the determined temporal range, for subsequent use in operating the system (1'). In one embodiment of the invention, the system (1') includes a memory control system of a computer system (1'), and the slave device (14a-14n) includes memory devices of the computer system (1'). The method of the invention substantially compensates for any differences in times of arrival for data being transferred from the master device (1) to the slave device (14a-14n), and vice versa, and thus minimizes the possibility of read/write errors being encountered, while increasing the overall processing speed and efficiency of the system (1').

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First Claim