Abstract: Upon the arrival at a memory device of one or more data chunks associated with respective logical addresses, each data chunk is assigned a signature, stored in a first location, and copied to a second location. The copy is assigned a signature that matches the signature of its parent data chunk. Before erasing a memory block that includes one or more data chunks, it first is verified that those data chunks have been copied, i.e., that copies of all the data chunks in the block, with matching signatures, exist in the memory device.

Abstract: To store, in a memory block whose word lines are written successively in a word line writing order, a plurality of data pages that are ordered by logical page address, the pages are written to the word lines so that every page that is written to any one of the word lines has a higher logical page address than any page that is written to a subsequently written word line, regardless of the sequence in which the pages are received for writing. Alternatively, the pages are written to the word lines so that for every pair of written word lines, the word line of the pair that is earlier in the writing order has written thereto a page having a higher logical page address than at least one page written to the other word line of the pair.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and computer readable medium for writing data into a flash memory device are disclosed. In some embodiments, the data is written in a writing mode selected in accordance with an extent to which the flash memory storage device or a flash die thereof is full of previously-stored data. The presently disclosed techniques may be implemented on the “device-side” (for example, by a device controller of the flash device) and/or on the “host-side.” In some embodiments, the selected writing mode is a bits-per-cell density mode. In some embodiments, the selected writing mode is a “slower” or “faster” writing mode. The presently disclosed techniques relate to SBC as well as MBC devices.

Abstract: A portable storage device having a memory and a wireless remote control receiver is equipped for connection to a digital content player, which is controllable by a wireless remote control transmitter. The memory stores digital content data. The remote control transmitter communicates with the remote control receiver to play the digital content data on the digital content player. Accordingly, an additional remote control transmitter is not necessary for the remote control playing of digital content data residing on the portable storage device. The digital content data may be loaded from an external source, such as a personal computer. The personal computer can also be controlled to play the digital content data by using remote control transmitter using a known protocol. Thus, a user wishing to play the digital content data stored in the portable storage device does not need to acquire an additional specially-matched remote control transmitter.

Abstract: User data are stored in a memory that includes one or more blocks of pages by, for one of the blocks, and optionally for all of the blocks, whenever writing any of the user data to that block, writing the block according to a predefined plan for specifying, with respect to each page of that block, a portion of the user data that is to be written to that page. Alternatively or additionally, each page that stores user data has associated therewith a metadatum related to the age of the user data stored therein; and, for one of the blocks, at any time that two or more of the pages of that block store user data, a common value of the metadatum is associated with all such pages.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and computer readable medium for handling error correction in a memory are disclosed. In some embodiments, after an attempt is made to write original data to a ‘target’ memory, data is read back from the target memory in a ‘first read operation’, thereby generating first read data. After the first read operation, the first read data is compared to the original data and/or an indication of a difference between the original data and the first data is determined. The information obtained by effecting the data-comparison and/or information related to the difference indication is used when correcting errors in data read back from the target memory in a ‘second read operation.’. The presently-disclosed teachings are applicable to any kind of memory including (i) non-volatile memories such as flash memory, magnetic memory and optical storage and (ii) volatile memory such as SRAM or DRAM.

Abstract: In a nonvolatile memory, that includes cells organized in a plurality of bit lines and a plurality of word lines, user data are stored in respective portions of each of two of the word lines. Control information is stored in a cell that is common to one of the bit lines and one of the two word lines. A cell that is common to the bit line and the other word line is used as a reference cell. A flash memory, that includes a plurality of primary cells and a plurality of spare cells, is interrogated to determine which spare cells have been used to replace respective primary cells. At least some of the other spare cells are used as reference cells.

Abstract: A storage device includes a plurality of memory elements and a controller. The controller is configured to receive measured characteristics of the memory elements. The measured characteristics correspond to a plurality of values including a first value stored at a first memory element of the plurality of memory elements and a second value stored at a second memory element of the plurality of memory elements. The controller is configured to test whether at least some of the plurality of values match a particular pattern correlated to a disturb condition at the first memory element. The controller is configured to provide a data value corresponding to the first memory element, where the data value is determined at least in part based on a result of the test.

Abstract: The embodiments described herein provide methods for executing a command to write data from a source location to a destination location in a memory device. In one embodiment, a memory device receives, from a host device, a command to write data from a source location to a destination location in the memory device. The memory device executes the command by changing the memory device's logical-to-physical address map without reading the data from the source location and writing the data to the destination location and without a need of further involvement of the host device after the host device sends the command to the memory device.

Abstract: Systems and methods of device identifier selection are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a method includes, at a hub device having a plurality of ports including a first port, a second port, and a third port, receiving a first message from a host device. The first message including a broadcast indicator. The method also includes, in response to determining that the first message requests enumeration, emulating a ring communication topology by serially propagating messages including an enumeration indicator to a first device via the first port and to a second device via the second port. The method further includes, in response to determining that the first message does not request enumeration, selectively sending the first message to the first device substantially concurrently with sending the first message to the second device.

Abstract: A method for data integrity protection includes storing items of data in a plurality of data blocks in a storage medium. Respective block signatures are stored in an integrity structure in the storage medium. A block signature of the given data block is computed in response to a first request to read a first data item from a given data block, and the computed signature is verified against a stored signature read from the integrity structure. The verified block signature is saved in a secure cache. The block signature is recomputed upon receiving a second request to read a second data item, subsequent to the first request, and is verified against the verified block signature in the secure cache. The data item is output from the storage medium in response to verifying the recomputed block signature.

Abstract: A method of storing a set of metadata bits associated with each of multiple data words includes combining the set of metadata bits with each of the multiple data words to generate multiple extended data words. The method includes encoding each of the multiple extended data words to generate multiple codewords and puncturing each of the multiple codewords to generate multiple punctured codewords, where in each of the punctured codewords the set of metadata bits is removed. The method includes storing the multiple punctured codewords, transforming the set of metadata bits to generate a set of transformed metadata bits, and storing the set of transformed metadata bits.

Abstract: A method and system for enhanced electronic delivery and sale of a content item. In order to speed delivery and avoid congestion of a delivery channel, a potential customer is identified and the item delivered prior to solicitation by the customer. Delivery is at a time when communication resources available prior to a critical time of peak demand. Delivery of the item may be enhanced via multicasting. Sale of the item is encouraged through one click context sensitive buying.

Abstract: A host device is provided comprising an interface configured to communicate with a storage device having a public memory area and a private memory area, wherein the public memory area stores a virtual file that is associated with content stored in the private memory area. The host device also comprises a cache, a host application, and a server. The server is configured to receive a request for the virtual file from the host application, send a request to the storage device for the virtual file, receive the content associated with the virtual file from the private memory area of the storage device, wherein the content is received by bypassing the cache, generate a response to the request from the host application, the response including the content, and send the response to the host application. In one embodiment, the server is a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) server.

Abstract: A host device is provided comprising an interface configured to communicate with a storage device having a public memory area and a private memory area, wherein the public memory area stores a virtual file that is associated with content stored in the private memory area. The host device also comprises a cache, a host application, and a server. The server is configured to receive a request for the virtual file from the host application, send a request to the storage device for the virtual file, receive the content associated with the virtual file from the private memory area of the storage device, wherein the content is received by bypassing the cache, generate a response to the request from the host application, the response including the content, and send the response to the host application. In one embodiment, the server is a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) server.

Abstract: A bridge includes a host interface via which data/commands are received from and transferred to a host, and a storage device interface via which data/commands are received from and transferred to a storage device. The bridge also includes one SDPC, a controller and a switching system that is configurable by the controller to connect the protocol converter to the host interface and the storage device interface if the storage device protocol used by the host device differs from the storage device protocol used by the storage device, and to connect the host device interface to the storage device interface, not via the bi-directional protocol converter, if the two storage device protocols are the same. The bridge may include two SDPCs, each for converting a different protocol to the host protocol and vice versa, with the switching system being configurable to switch between the two SDPCs.

Abstract: A storage device with a memory, a controller, a storage device interface and a host interface, and a method of data transfer to and from a storage device are provided. The storage device is operative to connect with a host device and the storage device interface is operative to couple with an add-on memory. When the host interface is connected to a host device, the controller is configured to receive a data transfer command specifying a memory address from the host interface; and if the memory address is beyond the address space of the memory, to route the data transfer command to the storage device interface for access to the add-on memory. The address space of the memory and an address space of the add-on memory are addressed as one integral address space transparently to the host.

Abstract: A decoder is disclosed that can reduce power consumption at different stages of a decoding process. At a first stage where the decoder calculates residual values, the decoder can reduce power consumption by calculating residual values using less than a full set of division circuits. A reduced number of division circuits may be sufficient to successfully calculate residuals associated with the codeword to complete the decoding process. Division circuits that are not used may be disabled to reduce power consumption. At another stage of the decoding process where the decoder generates coefficients that are used to identify locations of errors in the codeword, the decoding process can limit power consumption by reducing the number of iterations of a polynomial generator by incorporating termination decision circuitry.

Abstract: Data stored in memory is decoded using iterative probabilistic decoding and multiple decoders. A first decoder attempts to decode a representation of a codeword. If the attempt is unsuccessful, a second decoder attempts to decode the representation of a codeword. The second decoder may have a lower resolution than the first decoder. Probability values such as logarithmic likelihood ratio (LLR) values may be clipped in the second decoder. This approach can overcome trapping sets while exhibiting low complexity and high performance. Further, it can be implemented on existing decoders such as those used in current memory devices.

Abstract: A method includes defining a host capability; creating for a storage device a second directory tree from a first directory tree of the storage device that is included in a file system within the storage device; and, for a data file that is stored in the storage device and is selectable for consumption by a host through the first directory tree that is included in the storage device's file system, determining whether the data file requires for consumption a host having the defined host capability. If the data file requires a host having the defined host capability, an entry is created in the second directory tree in which the data file is not selectable for consumption by the host. Otherwise, an entry is created in the second directory tree in which the data file is selectable for consumption by the host.