Address Formation Patents (Class 711/200)
  • Patent number: 8271748
    Abstract: In an embodiment, an apparatus is provided that may include circuitry to generate, at least in part, and/or receive, at least in part, at least one request to access at least one portion of data. The at least one request may indicate, at least in part, at least one subset of the at least one portion of the data that is of relatively higher importance than one or more other subsets of the at least one portion of the data that are of relatively lower importance. The at least one request may be to request, at least in part, that the at least one subset be accessed prior to the one or more other subsets are accessed. The at least one request may be comprised, at least in part, in at least one packet in accordance with a protocol that permits variable packet size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Steen K. Larsen, Ramakrishna Huggahalli
  • Publication number: 20120233440
    Abstract: A data processing apparatus is provided comprising processing circuitry and an instruction decoder responsive to program instructions to control processing circuitry to perform the data processing. The instruction decoder is responsive to an address calculating instruction to perform an address calculating operation for calculating a partial address result from a non-fixed reference address and a partial offset value such that a full address specifying a memory location of an information entity is calculable from said partial address result using at least one supplementary program instruction. The partial offset value has a bit-width greater than or equal to said instruction size and is encoded within at least one partial offset field of said address calculating instruction. A corresponding data processing method, virtual machine and computer program product are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Inventors: Nigel John Stephens, David James Seal
  • Patent number: 8265084
    Abstract: A local network connecting system includes a first local network, a second local network, a mobile terminal. The first local network is connected with a gateway and a first server assigned with a first local address. The second local network is connected with a second server. The mobile terminal VPN “Virtual Private Network”-connect to the second server through the first local network. The gateway provide mapping of local address for a terminal connected to the first local network. When a packet is sent to the first server from mobile terminal, the mobile terminal assigns a second local address unused over the VPN-connection to a destination address of the packet instead of the first local address, and transmits the packet to the gateway. The gateway translate the second local address into the first local address as destination address of the packet, and transmits the packet to the first server based on the translated destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Shozo Fujino
  • Patent number: 8255665
    Abstract: A single instruction, multiple data (SIMD) processor including a plurality of addressing register sets, used to flexibly calculate effective operand source and destination memory addresses is disclosed. Two or more address generators calculate effective addresses using the register sets. Each register set includes a pointer register, and a scale register. An address generator forms effective addresses from a selected register set's pointer register and scale register; and an offset. For example, the effective memory address may be formed by multiplying the scale value by an offset value and summing the pointer and the scale value multiplied by the offset value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Richard J. Selvaggi, Larry A. Pearlstein
  • Patent number: 8245010
    Abstract: A method for memory address arrangement is provided. Data of different Y coordinates is moved to operation units divided by different X coordinates, or data of different X coordinates is moved to operation units divided by different Y coordinates, so as to realize the function of simultaneously longitudinally and laterally reading and writing a plurality of batches of data, thereby preventing the limitation of only longitudinally or laterally reading and writing a plurality of batches of data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Novatek Microelectronics
    Inventor: Shang-I Liu
  • Patent number: 8239652
    Abstract: Before arbitration is performed in an arbitration section, an access from a master is kept in a waiting state until update of a conversion table buffer is performed, and an address conversion section is provided in a subsequent stage of the arbitration section. Without waiting for the completion of buffer update, an access is issued in advance at a time when it is assured that update is completed at the completion of address conversion. Thus, influences of waiting buffer update on another master can be eliminated and access latency can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yuki Soga, Isao Kawamoto, Daisuke Murakami
  • Patent number: 8230239
    Abstract: A memory power management system and method supporting multiple power modes for powering memory channels. The power management system can include a memory controller that controls the memory channel; a throughput detector that detects a requested throughput of the memory channel; a power control logic that determines a desired power mode corresponding to the requested throughput; and a power control device that supplies a desired voltage of the desired power mode to the memory channel. The power management system can include multiple memory controllers for controlling a multi-channel memory independently. The method includes detecting a requested throughput for the memory channel; determining a desired voltage related to the requested throughput; requesting the desired voltage from a voltage device; and applying the desired voltage to the memory channel. In some embodiments, the method only applies the desired voltage if it does not change for a threshold time duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Feng Wang, Shiqun Gu
  • Patent number: 8225005
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for a high speed peripheral component interconnect input/output virtualization configuration creates a set of virtual function path authorization tables, receives a request including a virtual function, from a requester, to provide requested data, and identifies a source address in the source system and a target address in each target system of the target set of systems. A virtual function work queue entry for the source system is created containing the source and the target address and responsive to determining the virtual function is authorized, write the requested data from the source address of the source system through a firewall of an intermediate device into the target address of each target system, wherein the intermediate device is one of a multi-root peripheral component interconnect device and a single root peripheral component interconnect device, and issuing a notice of completion to the requester.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas M. Freimuth, Steven M. Thurber
  • Patent number: 8219780
    Abstract: Systems, methodologies, media, and other embodiments associated with mitigating the effects of context switch cache and TLB misses are described. One exemplary system embodiment includes a processor configured to run a multiprocessing, virtual memory operating system. The processor may be operably connected to a memory and may include a cache and a translation lookaside buffer (TLB) configured to store TLB entries. The exemplary system may include a context control logic configured to selectively copy data from the TLB to the data store for a first process being swapped out of the processor and to selectively copy data from the data store to the TLB for a second process being swapped into to the processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: James R. Callister, Eric R. Delano, Rohit Bhatia, Shawn Kenneth Walker, Mark M. Gibson
  • Patent number: 8214422
    Abstract: Sending content between client devices connected to a computer network is described. According to one described aspect, a server maintains a database correlating unique identifiers for client devices to their network address information. A first client device may query the server for network address information of a second client device by sending the unique identifier to the server. The server returns the network address of the second client device, which is used to send a message directly from the first client device to the second client device, indicating the availability of content. Also, the message is preferably formatted such that it automatically populates a content guide of the second client device, with an entry used to initiate a transmission of the content from the first client device to the second client device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: The DirecTV Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald R. Woodward, Jr., Alain Regnier
  • Patent number: 8209476
    Abstract: The embodiments described herein can be used to enable one-time or few-time programmable memories to work with existing consumer electronic devices (such as those that work with flash—an erasable, non-volatile memory) without requiring a firmware upgrade, thereby providing backwards compatibility while minimizing user impact. As such, these embodiments are a viable way to bridge one-time or few-time programmable memories with existing consumer electronic devices that have flash card slots. These embodiments also allow future consumer electronic devices to be designed without updating firmware to include a file system customized for a one-time or few-time programmable memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: SanDisk 3D LLC
    Inventors: Christopher S. Moore, Adrian Jeday, Matt Fruin, Chia Yang, Derek Bosch
  • Patent number: 8190821
    Abstract: A cache control apparatus determines whether to adopt or not data acquired by a speculative fetch by monitoring a status of the speculative fetch which is a memory fetch request output before it becomes clear whether data requested by a CPU is stored in a cache of the CPU and time period obtained by adding up the time period from when the speculative fetch is output to when the speculative fetch reaches a memory controller and time period from completion of writing of data to a memory which is specified by a data write command that has been issued, before issuance of the speculative fetch, for the same address as that for which the speculative fetch is issued to when a response of the data write command is returned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Shinichi Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 8185683
    Abstract: Transparency of resources is provided and ordering in an access is guaranteed between nodes on a computer network. In an information processing system in which a plurality of processor units are connected to each other by a switch, a global address space is introduced into which effective addresses of the processor units are mapped and which is shared by the plurality of processor units. In response to an access request packet issued by a processor unit and designating an effective address of a target node, a bridge for routing an input and output bus of a processor unit to an input and output bus of the switch converts the effective address of the target node into a global address by appending to the packet a node identification number identifying the target node, and outputs the access request packet designating the global address to the switch. After an access request packet for a write operation is output, the bridge confirms whether the write operation is completed in a target node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Takeshi Yamazaki, Hideyuki Saito, Yuji Takahashi, Hideki Mitsubayashi
  • Publication number: 20120124314
    Abstract: A recording medium according to an embodiment includes: a storing section including a first area in which a number-of-reproductions limited file is written and a second area in which at least one determination address in an address range of the first area, in which the number-of-reproductions limited file is written, and a number of readable times of the number-of-reproductions limited file are written; and a control section configured not to perform, after the number of readouts of reading out of data in the at least one determination address reaches the number of readable times, output of the number-of-reproductions limited file in response to a readout request for the number-of-reproductions limited file.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Takafumi ITO
  • Patent number: 8180994
    Abstract: During a programming data transfer process in a non-volatile storage system, recording units of data are transferred from a host to a memory device, such as a memory card. For each recording unit, pages of data are arranged in an order such that a page which takes longer to write to a memory array of the memory device is provided before a page which takes less time to write. Overall programming time for the recording unit is reduced since a greater degree of parallel processing occurs. While the page which takes longer to program is being programmed to the memory array, the page which takes less time to program is being transferred to the memory device. After programming is completed, the memory device signals the host to transfer a next recording unit. The pages of data may include lower, middle and upper pages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Sprouse, Jianmin Huang, Chris Avila, Yichao Huang, Emilio Yero
  • Patent number: 8180988
    Abstract: A system provided for authenticating a storage device includes a computer system, an intermediate converter and a storage device. The computer system stores an application program to execute functions of a storage device. The intermediate converter connects the computer system and the storage device. The storage device store multiple predetermined sector addresses and an order of the predetermined sector addresses. The computer system authenticates the storage device using the application program and sector data stored at the predetermined sector addresses. The predetermined sector addresses may be predetermined by both the storage device and the application program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Moon-sang Kwon, Chang-eun Choi, Sung-joo Kim
  • Publication number: 20120117354
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a storage device includes a plurality of memory nodes. Each of memory nodes includes a plurality of input ports, a plurality of output ports, a selector, a packet controller and a memory. The selector outputs a packet input to the input port to one of the output ports. The packet controller controls the selector. The memory stores data. The memory nodes are mutually connected at the input ports and the output ports. The memory node has an address that is determined by its physical position. The packet controller switches the output port that outputs the packet based on information including at least a destination address of the packet and an address of the memory node having the packet controller when receiving a packet that is not addressed to the memory node having the packet controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Inventors: Kosuke Tatsumura, Atsuhiro Kinoshita, Hirotaka Nishino, Masamichi Suzuki, Yoshifumi Nishi, Takao Marukame, Takahiro Kurita
  • Patent number: 8171176
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method and a SAS controller device that abstract access from one or more virtual machines operating on a host system to SAS physical devices connected to the SAS controller without a routing table for port-to-port messaging on the SAS controller. An embodiment may create a virtual expander for each physical port of the SAS controller and further create virtual ports within the virtual expanders to provide abstracted access to SAS physical devices for the virtual machines. The SAS physical devices may be replicated/cloned within the virtual ports. Each replicated/cloned SAS physical device may be assigned a unique SAS address for the SAS controller (i.e., unique for the SAS controller such that other replicates/clones on other virtual ports have a different SAS address).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventors: Sayantan Battacharya, Lawrence J. Rawe, Edoardo Daelli
  • Patent number: 8171256
    Abstract: A method for preventing subversion of address space layout randomization (ASLR) in a computing device is described. An unverified module attempting to load into an address space of memory of the computing device is intercepted. Attributes associated with the unverified module are analyzed. A determination is made, based on the analyzed attributes, whether a probability exists that the unverified module will be loaded into a number of address spaces that exceeds a threshold. The unverified module is prevented from loading into the address space if the probability exists that the unverified module will be loaded into a number of address spaces that exceeds the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Symantec Corporation
    Inventors: Sourabh Satish, William E. Sobel, Bruce McCorkendale
  • Patent number: 8171243
    Abstract: A data control apparatus is connected to a central processing unit that processes data and to a main storage unit that stores therein the data, and controls output of the data. The data control apparatus includes a data storage unit that stores therein data output from the central processing unit to the main storage unit and data output from the central processing unit to other central processing unit, an information addition unit that adds information indicating an output enabled state to the data when the data stored in the data storage unit is in the output enabled state, and a data output unit that outputs the data with the information added thereto by the information addition unit from oldest stored data in order of storage in the data storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Hiroshi Asakai
  • Publication number: 20120102293
    Abstract: A transmission device includes a plurality of memory units storing requests for processing information stored in a memory. Moreover, when a request from a first device is received, the transmission device analyzes the received request to specify an address range including a memory address storing data to be subjected to the requested processing. The transmission device stores requests in different memory units for each address range. Moreover, the transmission device determines for each memory unit whether the stored requests are being executed by a second device. The transmission device transmits a request which is stored in a memory unit and which is determined to be not being executed, to the second device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Tatsuhiko NEGISHI, Kenji Shirase, Shogo Ogami
  • Patent number: 8161261
    Abstract: A totaling device includes a first specification unit comprising a first storage unit for storing first dividing information and first interpolation value information, a second storage unit for storing second dividing information and second interpolation value dividing information and a third storage unit for storing information of a totaling information storage unit for storing totaling information; a second specification unit for specifying the third storage unit related to the second dividing information which coincides with second total dividing information or the third storage unit related to the second interpolation value dividing information which coincides with the second total dividing information; and a totaling unit for specifying a totaling information storage unit and storing the totaling information of the totaling target information in the totaling information storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Kinomura, Kiichi Yamada
  • Patent number: 8161208
    Abstract: A processing apparatus which is capable of preventing an priority reservation for a particular period from being set for all of a plurality of apparatuses and improving convenience for a general user who does not use an priority reservation service, in a system for which the priority reservation is available. Reservation information about a reservation for priority use of peripherals (MFP-A, B, and C) is stored. The number of peripherals that are not reserved for priority use during a particular period in the peripherals with reference to the reservation information is detected. When the number of peripherals is one, an instruction not to accept a reservation for priority use during the particular period to the single peripheral that are not reserved for priority use during the particular period in the peripheral is issued.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshihisa Okutsu
  • Publication number: 20120089802
    Abstract: A method for data distribution, including distributing logical addresses among an initial set of devices so as provide balanced access, and transferring the data to the devices in accordance with the logical addresses. If a device is added to the initial set, forming an extended set, the logical addresses are redistributed among the extended set so as to cause some logical addresses to be transferred from the devices in the initial set to the additional device. There is substantially no transfer of the logical addresses among the initial set. If a surplus device is removed from the initial set, forming a depleted set, the logical addresses of the surplus device are redistributed among the depleted set. There is substantially no transfer of the logical addresses among the depleted set. In both cases the balanced access is maintained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ofir ZOHAR, Yaron REVAH, Haim HELMAN, Dror COHEN
  • Patent number: 8151038
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) channel, a plurality of second SATA channels, and a channel multiplier. The first SATA channel is configured to be coupled to a corresponding serial data bus of a host device. Each of the plurality of SATA channels is configured to be coupled to a respective separate memory device channel. The channel multiplier is configured to couple the first SATA channel to each of the plurality of second SATA channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Initio Corporation
    Inventors: Jianjun Luo, ChuanJen Tsu, Jui Chuan Liang, Minhorng Ko
  • Patent number: 8140818
    Abstract: Processing data samples may comprise partitioning the data samples in a first set of data bits and a second set of data bits and utilizing at least some of the first and second set of data bits while operating under a first condition. Only at least some of the first set of data bits may be utilized while operating under a second condition. The first condition may be a normal operating condition, while the second condition may be a performance restricted condition. The first set of data bits may be more significant bits and the second set of bits may be less significant bits. At least some of the first and second set of data bits may be utilized while bandwidth is available. Under the second condition, other values may be substituted for the data values from the second set that were not read in a read operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Alexander Garland MacInnis
  • Patent number: 8135923
    Abstract: In a method for enabling a root device to access a plurality of memory locations in an address space in an endpoint device, a first access is sent to the endpoint device by transmitting a first header and a first address. The header includes a continue bit that is set at a first state that indicates that the first access is accessing a selected first memory location that the address is being sent. A first memory location is accessed when the continue bit is in the first state. A second access, which accesses accessing a second memory location that is contiguous to an immediately previously accessed memory location, is sent to the endpoint device by transmitting a header that includes a continue bit set to a second state and not sending an address. The second memory location corresponds to the first address plus a predetermined address offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ryan S. Haraden, Adalberto G. Yanes
  • Patent number: 8135873
    Abstract: An information processing device includes: an address converter including a base address register in which address conversion information is stored and a conversion circuit that converts a PCI Express standard bus address of an inputted packet to a non-PCI Express standard bus address; and a packet generator. When first configuration information of a first device that has a device-unique unique address, is connected to a non-PCI Express standard bus and is unaware of the unique address is stored, the packet generator generates an address setting-use configuration write request packet, and when second configuration information including change information for changing the base address register to a base address register of a second device where at least one of an address width and an internal memory address is a device-unique unique value, the packet generator generates a change setting-use configuration write request packet and outputs the generated packet to the address converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Oki Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Teruaki Uehara
  • Patent number: 8135922
    Abstract: A method is disclosed to validate the configuration of an information storage and retrieval system. The method provides a source information storage and retrieval system, a target information storage and retrieval system, and a master controller capable of communicating with the source information storage and retrieval system and with the target information storage and retrieval system. The method sequentially determines if each of the physical objects and logical objects disposed in the source information storage and retrieval system is also found in the target information storage and retrieval system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Jeremy A. Cohn
  • Publication number: 20120059971
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for handling critical blocking of store-to-load forwarding. One embodiment of the method includes recording a load that matches an address of a store in a store queue before the store has valid data. The load is blocked because the store does not have valid data. The method also includes replaying the load in response to the store receiving valid data so that the valid data is forwarded from the store queue to the load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Inventors: DAVID KAPLAN, Tarun Nakra, Christopher D. Bryant, Bradley Burgess
  • Publication number: 20120059976
    Abstract: A storage array controller provides a method and system for autonomously issuing trim commands to one or more solid-state storage devices in a storage array. The storage array controller is separate from any operating system running on a host system and separate from any controller in the solid-state storage device(s). The trim commands allow the solid-state storage device to operate more efficiently.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Inventors: Daniel L. Rosenband, Michael John Sebastian Smith
  • Patent number: 8131913
    Abstract: A method and system for the selective broadcasting of commands to a subset of a plurality of devices connected in series to a memory controller, where each of the plurality of devices has a unique identification number (ID). The memory controller designates the subset of devices to execute the command, excluding the non-selected devices from executing the command. The memory controller encodes the ID numbers of the designated devices into a single coded address, and sends the command along with the coded address in a packet to the series connected devices. Each device receives the packet in a serial bitstream and decodes the coded address using its ID number in order to determine whether it is selected or not. If the device is selected, the command is executed. Otherwise, the packet is forwarded without executing the command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: MOSAID Technologies Incorporated
    Inventor: Hong Beom Pyeon
  • Publication number: 20120054425
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a processor includes an address generation unit having a memory context logic to determine whether a memory context identifier associated with an address of a memory access request corresponds to an agent memory context identifier for the processor, and to handle the memory address request based on the determination. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Inventor: Ramon Matas
  • Patent number: 8117380
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory system of a type having blocks of memory cells erased together and which are programmable from an erased state in units of a large number of pages per block. If the data of only a few pages of a block are to be updated, the updated pages are written into another block provided for this purpose. The valid original and updated data are then combined at a later time, when doing so does not impact on the performance of the memory. If the data of a large number of pages of a block are to be updated, however, the updated pages are written into an unused erased block and the unchanged pages are also written to the same unused block. By handling the updating of a few pages differently, memory performance is improved when small updates are being made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Sandisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin M. Conley, Carlos J. Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 8117374
    Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for controlling a flash memory, which includes a memory for storing a plurality of flash translation layers; and a control block for, when an access is requested from outside, determining a pattern of the access, selecting one of the flash translation layers stored in the memory based on the determination result, and managing mapping data of the flash memory based on the selected flash translation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin-Hyuk Kim, Young-Joon Choi, Chan-Ik Park
  • Patent number: 8117381
    Abstract: The present invention presents techniques for the linking of physical blocks of a non-volatile memory into composite logical structures or “metablocks”. After determining an initial linking of good physical blocks into metablocks, a record of the linking is maintained in the non-volatile memory where it can be readily accessed when needed. In one set of embodiments, the initially linking is deterministically formed according to an algorithm and can be optimized according to the pattern of any bad blocks in the memory. As additional bad blocks arise, the linking is updated using by replacing the bad blocks in a linking with good blocks, preferably in the same sub-array of the memory as the block that they are replacing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Carlos J. Gonzalez, Alan Douglas Bryce, Sergey Anatolievich Gorobets, Alan David Bennett
  • Patent number: 8117421
    Abstract: A data structure for enforcing consistent per-physical page cacheability attributes is disclosed. The data structure is used with a method for enforcing consistent per-physical page cacheability attributes, which maintains memory coherency within a processor addressing memory, such as by comparing a desired cacheability attribute of a physical page address in a PTE against an authoritative table that indicates the current cacheability status. This comparison can be made at the time the PTE is inserted into a TLB. When the comparison detects a mismatch between the desired cacheability attribute of the page and the page's current cacheability status, corrective action can be taken to transition the page into the desired cacheability state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Inventors: Alexander C. Klaiber, David Dunn
  • Patent number: 8117420
    Abstract: A buffer management structure for processing systems is described. In one embodiment, the buffer management structure includes a storage module and a control module. The storage module includes a read position and can store a bit indicating a valid state of a transaction request in a write entry. The control module can receive an invalidation request and modify the bit to indicate an invalid state for the transaction request and discard the transaction request when the transaction request is in the read position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Jian Shen, Robert Allan Lester
  • Patent number: 8112569
    Abstract: An IC (100) for communicating over a data communication bus (220) comprising a first pair of conductors including a data signal conductor (SDA) and a synchronization signal conductor (SCL), e.g. an I2C bus, is disclosed. The IC comprises a group of address pins (106a-c) for defining the bus address of the integrated circuit (100), each address pin being arranged to be coupled to a conductor from a group of conductors comprising the first pair of conductors and a second pair of conductors including a conductor for carrying a fixed high potential (Vdd) and a conductor for carrying an fixed low potential (GND).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventor: Mihai Vitanescu
  • Patent number: 8108588
    Abstract: A memory device includes an executable flash memory partition and a non-executable partition, both partitions being fabricated on a common die. Preferably, both partitions are fabricated using the same flash memory technology. Most preferably, the flash cells of both partitions have insulating floating gates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Sandisk IL Ltd.
    Inventors: Dana Gross, Menahem Lasser
  • Publication number: 20120017063
    Abstract: A page service request is received from a peripheral device requesting that a memory page be loaded into system memory. Page service request information corresponding to the received page service request is written as a queue entry into a queue structure in system memory. The processor is notified that the page request is present in the queue. The processor may be notified with an interrupt of a new queue entry. The processor processes the page service request and the peripheral device is notified of the completion of the processing of the request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Inventors: Mark D. Hummel, Andrew G. Kegel
  • Publication number: 20120017053
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a nonvolatile memory apparatus are disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, the nonvolatile memory apparatus may include: a host interface; a memory controller coupled to the host interface; and a memory area including a plurality of chips controlled by the memory controller. The memory controller may be configured to assign logical addresses to the plurality of chips to form a plurality of virtual logical groups, set a plurality of threshold values and a plurality of scan ranges depending on the total erase count (TEC) of each logical group, and perform wear-leveling in stages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Wun Mo YANG, Yi Chun Liu
  • Patent number: 8095769
    Abstract: A method for address comparison, the method includes: (i) receiving an input address; (ii) determining whether the input address is within a memory segment out of a group of memory segments by comparing, in parallel, the input address to memory segment boundaries of each memory segment of the group; (iii) wherein a comparison between the input address and a memory segment boundary comprises: (a) applying a XOR operation on bits of a most significant portion of the input address and corresponding bits of a most significant portion of the memory segment boundary; (b) ignoring bits of a least significant portion of the input address and corresponding bits of a least significant portion of the memory segment boundary; and (c) comparing, by utilizing a set of full comparators, between bits of an intermediate portion of the input address and corresponding bits of an intermediate portion of the memory segment boundary; wherein a location of bits that form the intermediate portion of the input address and of the memo
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Rotem Porat, Moshe Anschel, Itay Peled, Erez Steinberg, Ziv Zamsky
  • Patent number: 8086820
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for highly efficient data queries. In accordance with various embodiments, a data structure is provided in a memory space with a first portion characterized as a virtual data space storing non-sequential entries and a second portion characterized as a first data array of sequential entries. At least a first sequential entry of the data array points to a skip list, at least a second sequential entry of the data array points to a second data array, and at least a third sequential entry points to a selected non-sequential entry in the first portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Clark Edward Lubbers, Randy L. Roberson
  • Patent number: 8074047
    Abstract: A system and method for effectively increasing the amount of data that can be stored in the main memory of a computer, particularly, by a hardware enhancement of a memory controller apparatus that detects duplicate memory contents and eliminates duplicate memory contents wherein the duplication and elimination are performed by hardware without imposing any penalty on the overall performance of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bulent Abali, Mohammad Banikazemi
  • Patent number: 8074026
    Abstract: A scatter/gather technique optimizes unstructured streaming memory accesses, providing off-chip bandwidth efficiency by accessing only useful data at a fine granularity, and off-loading memory access overhead by supporting address calculation, data shuffling, and format conversion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Daehyun Kim, Christopher J. Hughes, Yen-Kuang Chen, Partha Kundu
  • Patent number: 8073884
    Abstract: A method (and corresponding system and computer program product) detects modified files and/or directories in a storage device. The method builds a file-sector coordination table for files in the storage device before relinquishing access control of the storage device to a host computer. The method passively monitors write transactions in the storage device from the host computer. The method identifies sectors affected by the monitored write transactions and stores in a sector list. The method regains access control of the storage device from the host computer and builds a list of modified files by intersecting the sector list with the file-sector coordination table. The method may optionally share the list of modified files with related applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Paul Mercer
  • Patent number: 8069402
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to method, device and system for detecting errors in a communication system. A signal is received from a transmitter at a receiver wherein the signal includes a data portion and a result of a hash function. The hash function is computed in part from a transmitter identification code. The receiver determines if the result of the hash function matches both the data portion and the transmitter identification code. The receiver discards the signal if the result of the hash function does not match both the data portion and the transmitter identification code of the transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: On-Ramp Wireless, Inc.
    Inventors: Theodore J. Myers, Daniel Thomas Werner
  • Patent number: 8065495
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus for recording data onto a recording medium, includes an access controller for outputting, to a medium-specific controller, record data input from an application and directed to the recording medium. The access controller performs a read-modify-write (RMW) operation by verifying whether one of a record start position and a record end position of the record data input by a logical sector unit from the application is different from a delimitation position of a physical sector as an access unit of the recording medium, acquiring the record data by the physical sector unit and storing the record data onto a memory if one of the record start position and the record end position is different from the delimitation position, updating logical sector data as part of stored physical sector data with the input record data, and outputting the updated physical sector data to the medium-specific controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Ryogo Ito, Hiroshi Shimono, Junichi Yokota, Tatsuya Hine
  • Patent number: 8055877
    Abstract: A method of responding to an attempt to write a memory address including a target instruction which has been translated to a host instruction for execution by a host processor including the steps of marking a memory address including a target instruction which has been translated to a host instruction, detecting a memory address which has been marked when an attempt is made to write to the memory address, and responding to the detection of a memory address which has been marked by protecting a target instruction at the memory address until it has been assured that translations associated with the memory address will not be utilized before being updated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Inventors: Edmund J. Kelly, Robert F. Cmelik, Malcolm J. Wing