Patent ID: 7861113

Claim:
A storage controller configured to operate under elevated temperature conditions, comprising: a memory, configured to buffer data transferred between host computers and storage devices connected to the storage controller; at least one interface controller, configured to request access to the memory; a memory controller, configured to control the memory; and a CPU, configured to execute the following steps in a non-preemptable sequence of instructions: detect that a temperature of the memory controller has exceeded a predetermined threshold while operating at a first frequency and voltage; place the memory into self-refresh mode after detecting that the temperature of the memory controller has exceeded the predetermined threshold; reduce the operating frequency and voltage of the memory controller to a second frequency and voltage after placing the memory into self-refresh mode, wherein the CPU forgoes aborting any requests by the at least one interface controller while the memory is in self-refresh mode; take the memory out of self-refresh mode after reducing the operating frequency and voltage of the memory controller to the second frequency and voltage; and service all outstanding requests by the at least one interface controller.