Patents Assigned to SMART Storage Systems, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20140253157
    Abstract: A test system, and a method of manufacture thereof, including: a thermal management head including a heat spreader; an electronic device in direct contact with the heat spreader; and an electrical current for transferring energy between the heat spreader and the electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: SMART STORAGE SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: David Lee Dean, Robert W. Ellis, Scott Harrow
  • Publication number: 20140244899
    Abstract: A method of operation of a storage control system includes: calculating a throttle threshold; identifying a detection point based on the throttle threshold; and calculating a number of write/erase cycles based on the detection point and the throttle threshold for writing a memory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: SMART STORAGE SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Jacob Schmier, Mark Dancho, James M Higgins, Ryan Jones, Robert W Ellis
  • Patent number: 8792273
    Abstract: A method of operation of a data storage system includes: providing a power monitor module for detecting a loss of host power; interrupting a unit controller by the power monitor module; configuring a memory controller by the unit controller; and writing a non-volatile memory array for storing in-flight data and contents of a system control random access memory in a multi-level cell NAND flash device in response to detecting the loss of the host power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Smart Storage Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert W. Ellis, Scott Creasman
  • Publication number: 20140208174
    Abstract: A method of operation of a storage control system includes: determining a bit error rate of a page; calculating a slope based on the bit error rate; and adjusting a threshold voltage for the page based on the slope for reading a memory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2013
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: SMART STORAGE SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Robert W. Ellis, James Fitzpatrick, Mark Dancho, Michelle Martin
  • Publication number: 20140156966
    Abstract: A method of operation of a storage control system includes: partitioning memory channels with memory devices; selecting a super device with one of the memory devices from one of the memory channels; selecting a super block associated with the super device; and determining a location of a parity within the super block when the super block is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: SMART STORAGE SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Robert W. Ellis, Ryan Jones
  • Publication number: 20130332796
    Abstract: A method of operation of a storage control system includes: generating encoded data having a proportional data distribution for writing to a memory device; identifying a marginal block when an erase block is read from the memory device; and generating a marginal tag for the marginal block, the marginal tag having a non-proportional data distribution different from the proportional data distribution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2012
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: SMART Storage Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert W. Ellis
  • Publication number: 20130282962
    Abstract: A storage control system and method of operation thereof includes: a memory circuit for accessing a configuration category; a configuration module, coupled to the memory circuit, for configuring the memory circuit with the configuration category; and an operation module, coupled to the configuration module, for controlling a performance characteristic of a memory device based on the configuration category.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: SMART Storage Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernardo Rub, James Fitzpatrick, Sheunghee Park, Yi-Ching Wu, Robert W. Ellis
  • Patent number: 8566505
    Abstract: Disclosed are techniques for flash memory management, including receiving data from a host, writing the data to a flash memory device in the order it was received from the host, and providing at least one data structure configured to locate the data written to the flash memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: SMART Storage Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin L. Kilzer, Robert W. Ellis, Rudolph J. Sterbenz
  • Publication number: 20130275795
    Abstract: A storage control system and method of operation thereof includes: a control unit for initiating a hardening process beginning at a power-down signal; a counter module, coupled to the control unit for tracking a recorded time beginning at the power-down signal; a completion module, coupled to the counter module, for generating a work-complete entry in memory devices at a conclusion of the hardening process; and a calculation module, coupled to the completion module, for calculating a power down margin by determining the recorded time between the work-complete entry and a complete power loss of a hold-up power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: SMART Storage Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert W. Ellis, Theron Wayne Virgin, Scott Creasman
  • Publication number: 20130205102
    Abstract: A method of operation of a storage control system includes: partitioning memory channels with memory devices; selecting a super device with one of the memory devices from one of the memory channels, the super device having a super chip select connected to chip selects of the memory devices; and selecting a super block associated with the super device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: SMART STORAGE SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventor: Smart Storage Systems, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130060994
    Abstract: A method of operation of a non-volatile memory management system includes: selecting a specific time period by a unit controller; establishing a first time pool having super blocks written during the specific time period; and promoting to a second time pool, the super blocks from the first time pool, at the lapse of the specific time period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicant: SMART STORAGE SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: James Higgins, James Fitzpatrick, Mark Dancho
  • Publication number: 20130061019
    Abstract: A method of operation of a storage control system includes: partitioning logical addresses into a number of subdrives, the logical addresses associated with a memory device; and monitoring a data write measure of one of the subdrives.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicant: SMART STORAGE SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: James Fitzpatrick, Bernardo Rub, Mark Dancho, James Higgins, Ryan Jones
  • Publication number: 20130061101
    Abstract: A method of operation of a non-volatile memory system includes: generating a test stimulus for a page in a memory array; measuring a test response from the page in the memory array based on the test stimulus; calculating a measured effective life of the page from the test response; and determining a use plan according to the measured effective life for accessing the page.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicant: SMART STORAGE SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: James Fitzpatrick, Bernardo Rub, James Higgins, Ryan Jones, Robert W. Ellis
  • Publication number: 20130054881
    Abstract: A method of operation of an electronic system includes: forming a superblock by organizing an erase block according to a wear attribute; detecting a trigger count of the wear attribute of the superblock; updating a metadata table with the trigger count; and triggering a recycling event of the superblock based on the metadata table.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: SMART STORAGE SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Robert W. Ellis, James Fitzpatrick, James Higgins
  • Publication number: 20120317433
    Abstract: A method of operation of a data storage system includes: providing a power monitor module for detecting a loss of host power; interrupting a unit controller by the power monitor module; configuring a memory controller by the unit controller; and writing a non-volatile memory array for storing in-flight data and contents of a system control random access memory in a multi-level cell NAND flash device in response to detecting the loss of the host power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: SMART STORAGE SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Robert W. Ellis, Scott Creasman
  • Publication number: 20120254519
    Abstract: A method of operation of a data storage system includes: identifying a target block; configuring a command setting for maximizing a data retention period of the target block for refreshing the target block; writing a pre-archived memory block to the target block based on the command setting; and updating an archive status for sending to a host device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: SMART STORAGE SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventor: Robert W. Ellis
  • Patent number: 8271722
    Abstract: A method for flash memory management comprises providing a head pointer configured to define a first location in a flash memory, and a tail pointer configured to define a second location in a flash memory. The head pointer and tail pointer define a payload data area. Payload data is received from a host, and written to the flash memory in the order it was received. The head pointer and tail pointer are updated such that the payload data area moves in a circular manner within the flash memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: SMART Storage Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin L Kilzer, Robert W. Ellis, Rudolph J. Sterbenz
  • Publication number: 20120203958
    Abstract: A method of operation of a storage control system including: providing a memory controller; accessing a volatile memory table by the memory controller; writing a non-volatile semiconductor memory for persisting changes in the volatile memory table; and restoring a logical-to-physical table in the volatile memory table, after a power cycle, by restoring a random access memory with a logical-to-physical partition from a most recently used list.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: SMART STORAGE SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Ryan Jones, Robert W. Ellis, Joseph Taylor
  • Publication number: 20120203993
    Abstract: A method of operation of a memory system includes: providing a memory array having a dynamic queue and a static queue; and grouping user data by a temporal locality of reference having more frequently handled data in the dynamic queue and less frequently handled data in the static queue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: SMART STORAGE SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Theron Virgin, Ryan Jones
  • Patent number: 8185778
    Abstract: Disclosed are techniques for flash memory management, including storing metadata and/or error correcting information separately from payload data. In various embodiments, metadata and/or error correcting information are stored in a random access memory within a solid state drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: SMART Storage Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin L Kilzer, Robert W Ellis, Rudolph J Sterbenz