Patent ID: 7991921

Claim:
A memory system for an input/output controller, comprising: a memory comprising a plurality of memory blocks each having a corresponding one of a plurality of source voltage inputs, wherein each of said plurality of memory blocks performs transfer operations when its source voltage input is at a full voltage level and retains stored information with reduced power consumption when its source voltage input is at a reduced voltage level; a supply voltage control circuit having a plurality of outputs, each said output coupled to a corresponding one of said plurality of source voltage inputs of said memory, wherein each of said plurality of outputs provides either one of said full voltage level and said reduced voltage level; and control logic which allocates buffers in said memory to perform transfer operations based on input/output protocol, and which controls said supply voltage circuit to provide said full voltage level to at least two allocated memory blocks which includes at least one memory block of at least one allocated buffer and to provide said reduced voltage level to remaining memory blocks.