Patents by Inventor Walter Allen

Walter Allen has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8854758
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for storing a disk drive media defect table or list. Defect table entries for a subject disk track are stored on the subject track and retrieved for determining defective sectors only when the subject track is accessed for a data read or write operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: AGERE Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Walter Allen, Robert Alan Reid
  • Patent number: 8788740
    Abstract: A system and methodology that can prevent errors during data commit on multicycle pass complete associated with a memory is provided. The system employs a transaction buffer component in the memory that receives and temporarily stores information associated with a transaction. A controller component programs subsets of data to respective memory locations once the entire transaction is completed based on the information stored in the transaction buffer component. Thus, if the transaction is interrupted during the transfer of the user data into the buffer, the data stored in the memory is not affected and can still contain the original data when power is regained. If the data transfer between the transaction buffer component and memory array is interrupted, the controller component can complete the transfer from the point of interruption on regaining power and can avoid partial storage of data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventors: Sunil Atri, Robert Brent France, Walter Allen
  • Patent number: 8464021
    Abstract: Systems and/or methods that facilitate logical block address (LBA) to physical block address (PBA) translations associated with a memory component(s) are presented. The disclosed subject matter employs an optimized block address (BA) component that can facilitate caching the LBA to PBA translations within a memory controller component based in part on a predetermined optimization criteria to facilitate improving the access of data associated with the memory component. The predetermined optimization criteria can relate to a length of time since an LBA has been accessed, a number of times the LBA has been access, a data size of data related to an LBA, and/or other factors. The LBA to PBA translations can be utilized to facilitate accessing the LBA and/or associated data using the cached translation, instead of performing various functions to determine the translation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventors: Walter Allen, Sunil Atri, Robert France
  • Publication number: 20120271991
    Abstract: Methods that can facilitate more optimized relocation of data associated with a memory are presented. In addition to a memory controller component, a memory manager component can be employed to increase available processing resources to facilitate more optimal execution of higher level functions. Higher level functions can be delegated to the memory manager component to allow execution of these higher level operations with reduced or no load on the memory controller component resources. A uni-bus or multi-bus architecture can be employed to further optimize data relocation operations. A first bus can be utilized for data access operations including read, write, erase, refresh, or combinations thereof, among others, while a second bus can be designated for higher level operations including data compaction, error code correction, wear leveling, or combinations thereof, among others.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: SPANSION LLC
    Inventors: Walter Allen, Robert France
  • Patent number: 8239875
    Abstract: Systems and/or methods that facilitate transferring data between a processor component and memory components are presented. A transfer controller component facilitates controlling data transfers in part by receiving respective subsets of data from respective memory components and arranging the respective subsets of data based in part on a desired predefined data order. The processor component generates a transfer map that includes information to facilitate arranging data in a predefined order. The processor component generates respective subsets of commands that are provided to queue components in respective memory components to retrieve desired data from the respective memory components. Each memory component services the commands in its queue component in an independent and parallel manner, and transfers the data retrieved from memory to the transfer controller component, which can arrange the received data in a predefined order for transfer to the processor component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventors: Walter Allen, Sunil Atri, Joseph Khatami
  • Patent number: 8239611
    Abstract: Systems and methods that can facilitate more optimized relocation of data associated with a memory are presented. In addition to a memory controller component, a memory manager component can be employed to increase available processing resources to facilitate more optimal execution of higher level functions. Higher level functions can be delegated to the memory manager component to allow execution of these higher level operations with reduced or no load on the memory controller component resources. A uni-bus or multi-bus architecture can be employed to further optimize data relocation operations. A first bus can be utilized for data access operations including read, write, erase, refresh, or combinations thereof, among others, while a second bus can be designated for higher level operations including data compaction, error code correction, wear leveling, or combinations thereof, among others.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventors: Walter Allen, Robert France
  • Patent number: 7979667
    Abstract: Systems and/or methods that facilitate a search of a memory component(s) to locate a desired logical block address (LBA) associated with a memory location in a memory component are presented. Searches to locate a desired LBA(s) in a memory component(s) associated with a processor component are offloaded and controlled by the memory component(s). A search component searches pages in the memory array to facilitate locating a page of data associated with an LBA stored in the memory component. The search component can retrieve a portion of a page of data in a block in the memory component to facilitate determining whether the page contains an LBA associated with a command based in part on command information. The search component can search pages in the memory component until a desired page is located or a predetermined number of searches is performed without locating the desired page.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventors: Walter Allen, Robert France
  • Patent number: 7953919
    Abstract: Systems and/or methods that facilitate accessing data to/from a memory are presented. An electronic memory component can operate with reduced data access times by eliminating/reducing the use of logical block addressing and employing physical block addressing. Data access is thereby directly associated with the physical location of the stored bits and the need to translate between a logical address and the physical address is reduced or eliminated. This can be even more efficient under asymmetric data access patterns. Further, legacy support for logical block addressing can be included to provide backward compatibility, mixed mode operation, or complimentary mode operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventors: Walter Allen, Sunil Atri, Joseph Khatami
  • Patent number: 7949851
    Abstract: Systems and/or methods that facilitate PBA and LBA translations associated with a memory component(s) are presented. A memory controller component facilitates determining which memory component, erase block, page, and data block contains a PBA in which a desired LBA and/or associated data is stored. The memory controller component facilitates control of performance of calculation functions, table look-up functions, and/or search functions to locate the desired LBA. The memory controller component generates a configuration sequence based in part on predefined optimization criteria to facilitate optimized performance of translations. The memory controller component and/or associated memory component(s) can be configured so that the translation attributes are determined in a desired order using the desired translation function(s) to determine a respective translation attribute based in part on the predefined optimization criteria. The LBA to PBA translations can be performed in parallel by memory components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Spansion LLC
    Inventors: Walter Allen, Sunil Atri, Robert France
  • Patent number: 7675776
    Abstract: Systems and methods that facilitate bad block management in a memory device that comprises nonvolatile memory are presented. One or more memory blocks of a memory device are each associated with one or more additional, dedicated bits that facilitate indicating whether the associated memory block is defective. These additional bits, called bad block bits, can be stored in a hardware-based storage mechanism within the memory device. Once a defect is detected in a memory block, at least one of the associated bad block bits can be set to indicate that the memory block is defective. If at least one of the bad block bits associated with a memory block indicates a memory block is defective, access to the memory block can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Spansion, LLC
    Inventors: Walter Allen, Robert France, Sunil Atri
  • Publication number: 20090300318
    Abstract: Systems and/or methods that facilitate logical block address (LBA) to physical block address (PBA) translations associated with a memory component(s) are presented. The disclosed subject matter employs an optimized block address (BA) component that can facilitate caching the LBA to PBA translations within a memory controller component based in part on a predetermined optimization criteria to facilitate improving the access of data associated with the memory component. The predetermined optimization criteria can relate to a length of time since an LBA has been accessed, a number of times the LBA has been access, a data size of data related to an LBA, and/or other factors. The LBA to PBA translations can be utilized to facilitate accessing the LBA and/or associated data using the cached translation, instead of performing various functions to determine the translation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Applicant: SPANSION LLC
    Inventors: Walter Allen, Sunil Atri, Robert France
  • Publication number: 20090172250
    Abstract: Systems and methods that can facilitate more optimized relocation of data associated with a memory are presented. In addition to a memory controller component, a memory manager component can be employed to increase available processing resources to facilitate more optimal execution of higher level functions. Higher level functions can be delegated to the memory manager component to allow execution of these higher level operations with reduced or no load on the memory controller component resources. A uni-bus or multi-bus architecture can be employed to further optimize data relocation operations. A first bus can be utilized for data access operations including read, write, erase, refresh, or combinations thereof, among others, while a second bus can be designated for higher level operations including data compaction, error code correction, wear leveling, or combinations thereof, among others.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: SPANSION LLC
    Inventors: Walter Allen, Robert France
  • Publication number: 20090172345
    Abstract: Systems and/or methods that facilitate PBA and LBA translations associated with a memory component(s) are presented. A memory controller component facilitates determining which memory component, erase block, page, and data block contains a PBA in which a desired LBA and/or associated data is stored. The memory controller component facilitates control of performance of calculation functions, table look-up functions, and/or search functions to locate the desired LBA. The memory controller component generates a configuration sequence based in part on predefined optimization criteria to facilitate optimized performance of translations. The memory controller component and/or associated memory component(s) can be configured so that the translation attributes are determined in a desired order using the desired translation function(s) to determine a respective translation attribute based in part on the predefined optimization criteria. The LBA to PBA translations can be performed in parallel by memory components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: SPANSION LLC
    Inventors: Walter Allen, Sunil Atri, Robert France
  • Publication number: 20090164750
    Abstract: A system and methodology that can prevent errors during data commit on multicycle pass complete associated with a memory is provided. The system employs a transaction buffer component in the memory that receives and temporarily stores information associated with a transaction. A controller component programs subsets of data to respective memory locations once the entire transaction is completed based on the information stored in the transaction buffer component. Thus, if the transaction is interrupted during the transfer of the user data into the buffer, the data stored in the memory is not affected and can still contain the original data when power is regained. If the data transfer between the transaction buffer component and memory array is interrupted, the controller component can complete the transfer from the point of interruption on regaining power and can avoid partial storage of data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicant: SPANSION LLC
    Inventors: Sunil Atri, Robert Brent France, Walter Allen
  • Publication number: 20090164696
    Abstract: Systems and/or methods that facilitate accessing data to/from a memory are presented. An electronic memory component can operate with reduced data access times by eliminating/reducing the use of logical block addressing and employing physical block addressing. Data access is thereby directly associated with the physical location of the stored bits and the need to translate between a logical address and the physical address is reduced or eliminated. This can be even more efficient under asymmetric data access patterns. Further, legacy support for logical block addressing can be included to provide backward compatibility, mixed mode operation, or complimentary mode operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicant: Spansion LLC
    Inventors: Walter Allen, Sunil Atri, Joseph Khatami
  • Publication number: 20090161430
    Abstract: Systems and methods that facilitate bad block management in a memory device that comprises nonvolatile memory are presented. One or more memory blocks of a memory device are each associated with one or more additional, dedicated bits that facilitate indicating whether the associated memory block is defective. These additional bits, called bad block bits, can be stored in a hardware-based storage mechanism within the memory device. Once a defect is detected in a memory block, at least one of the associated bad block bits can be set to indicate that the memory block is defective. If at least one of the bad block bits associated with a memory block indicates a memory block is defective, access to the memory block can be prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicant: SPANSION LLC
    Inventors: Walter Allen, Robert France, Sunil Atri
  • Publication number: 20090165020
    Abstract: Systems and/or methods that facilitate transferring data between a processor component and memory components are presented. A transfer controller component facilitates controlling data transfers in part by receiving respective subsets of data from respective memory components and arranging the respective subsets of data based in part on a desired predefined data order. The processor component generates a transfer map that includes information to facilitate arranging data in a predefined order. The processor component generates respective subsets of commands that are provided to queue components in respective memory components to retrieve desired data from the respective memory components. Each memory component services the commands in its queue component in an independent and parallel manner, and transfers the data retrieved from memory to the transfer controller component, which can arrange the received data in a predefined order for transfer to the processor component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicant: SPANSION LLC
    Inventors: Walter Allen, Sunil Atri, Joseph Khatami
  • Publication number: 20090150646
    Abstract: Systems and/or methods that facilitate a search of a memory component(s) to locate a desired logical block address (LBA) associated with a memory location in a memory component are presented. Searches to locate a desired LBA(s) in a memory component(s) associated with a processor component are offloaded and controlled by the memory component(s). A search component searches pages in the memory array to facilitate locating a page of data associated with an LBA stored in the memory component. The search component can retrieve a portion of a page of data in a block in the memory component to facilitate determining whether the page contains an LBA associated with a command based in part on command information. The search component can search pages in the memory component until a desired page is located or a predetermined number of searches is performed without locating the desired page.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Applicant: SPANSION LLC
    Inventors: Walter Allen, Robert France
  • Publication number: 20080029107
    Abstract: A smoke conditioning and filtration system is disclosed. The system mixes smoke created from a burnable substance, such as tobacco or other herbal substances, with liquid vapor. This causes expanding of the inherent hot gases and moisturizing and cooling of the smoke, thereby creating a more pleasurable smoking experience. The system also conditions the smoke produced from tobacco or other herbal substances by filtering out a portion of the particulates and congeals a portion of the oil contained within the smoke. Furthermore, the system blows smoke from a spout, eliminating the need to put one's mouth on the spout, thus creating a more sanitary smoking experience.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2007
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Inventors: Bruce Alan Ruff, Steven Walter Allen
  • Patent number: 7193798
    Abstract: One or more bits are added to the embedded repeatable runout correction (ERRC) bit pattern of a servo field so that errors in ERRC bit patterns can be detected and in certain cases corrected. If four bits are added, a single bit error in an ERRC bit pattern can be detected and corrected. If five bits are added, two bit errors in the ERRC bit pattern can be detected. In accordance with the preferred embodiment, the invention uses a single encode table and a single decode table to encode the ERRC pattern to be written to the disk and to decode the ERRC pattern read back from the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Agere Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: James Byrd, Walter Allen