Patent ID: 7233538

Claim:
A method comprising: providing a periodic refresh cycle to one or more DRAM (dynamic random access memory) devices in a computer system, including providing a periodic refresh cycle at a first refresh rate to a first bank of DRAM devices and providing a periodic refresh cycle at a second refresh rate to a second bank of DRAM devices; monitoring an access rate at which the one or more DRAM devices is accessed, said monitoring including monitoring an access rate of a first bank of DRAM devices and an access rate of second bank of DRAM devices; increasing the first refresh rate if a temperature extrapolated from the access rate of the first bank exceeds a preset temperature threshold; increasing the second refresh rate if a temperature extrapolated from the access rate of the second bank exceeds a preset temperature threshold; reducing the first refresh rate if the access rate of the first bank falls below the preset temperature threshold; and reducing the second refresh rate if the access rate of the second bank falls below the preset temperature threshold; wherein the method further comprises: adjusting the first refresh rate of the first bank of DRAM devices based on one or more preset access rate values; and adjusting the second refresh rate of the second bank of DRAM devices based on the one or more preset access rate values independently of adjusting the first refresh rate.