Abstract: A method of managing operation of a plurality of devices that includes receiving operational information that pertains to each of a plurality of device and managing operation of at least one of the plurality of devices. Each of the plurality of devices is configured to perform operations, the operations including sub-operations. The operation management includes associating parameters for a given sub-operation of a device based on 1) operational information pertaining to at least one of the plurality of devices and on 2) a maximum allowable current consumption level. Also provided is a system that includes a plurality of devices and a controller that is operationally connected to each of the plurality of devices for setting values for parameters of a device for a given sub-operation based on 1) operational information pertaining to at least one of the devices and on 2) a maximum allowable current consumption level of the system.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and computer code for effecting flash policy configuration operations in accordance with an end-user identifier and/or a host-instance identifier are disclosed herein. Exemplary flash policy configuration operations include (i) configuring a flash error-correction policy, (ii) configuring a flash-management table storage policy; (iii) configuring a wear-leveling policy; (iv) configuring a bad-block management policy and (v) configuring a flash-programming voltage parameter. Exemplary end-user identifiers include but are not limited to email account identifiers, logon user names, and International Mobile Subscriber Identities (IMSI). Exemplary host-instance identifiers may include but are not limited to International Mobile EQUIPMENT Identifiers (IMEI). Optionally, the flash policy configuration is contingent on authentication context data—for example, strength of the authentication (e.g. login/password vs.

Abstract: The present invention enables a user to increase storage capacity for a host by using multiple storage devices. File systems are virtualized regardless of any difference in file system format. The invention may be embodied as a device for integrating file systems or as a method of integrating file systems. The device has one or more storage device interfaces for storage devices, a host interface, and a hub connected to the interfaces. The hub creates a virtual file system that aggregates the storage device file systems of storage devices that are connected to the storage device interfaces. The method of integrating file systems includes reading file systems, interpreting them, creating a logical structure containing data of the file systems, and generating in a memory sectors that map the logical structure into a virtual file system.

Abstract: The present invention teaches the recycling of a faulty multi-die memory package by isolating the functional part of the package and using it as a smaller memory package.

Abstract: The present invention discloses methods for protecting a peripheral device in a computing system from electrical surge currents, the method including the steps of: providing a controller operationally connected to a host system; and reversibly conductively connecting, via the controller, wires of the device to the host system. Preferably, the device is connected to the host system via a connector. Preferably, the device is hard-wired to the host system. Preferably, at least some wires of the device are isolated from the host system via a mechanical contactor. Preferably, at least some wires of the device are isolated from the host system via an optical isolator. Preferably, the method further includes the step of: charging a switching battery when the device is disconnected from the host system. Most preferably, the method further includes the step of: powering the device using the battery when the device is connected to the host system.

Abstract: A method of managing operation of a plurality of storage devices includes receiving current consumption information from at least one of the plurality of storage devices; and managing operation of at least one storage device, the operation management including permitting current consumption of a first one of the storage devices based on current consumption information that pertains to at least a second one of the storage devices. Also provided is a storage system that includes a plurality of storage devices, where each storage devices is configured to store data. A state machine, connected to each of the storage devices, is operative to permit current consumption of a first storage device based on current consumption information pertaining to at least a second storage device.

Abstract: A data storage device includes a controller and storage elements. The controller is configured to read a threshold voltage of each of a plurality of the storage elements to generate read threshold data and to assign reference voltages defining each of a plurality of voltage threshold states based on the read threshold data.

Abstract: A plurality of memory cells are managed by obtaining values of one or more environmental parameters of the cells and adjusting values of one or more reference voltages of the cells accordingly. Alternatively, a statistic of at least some of the cells, relative to a single reference parameter that corresponds to a control parameter of the cells, is measured, and the value of the reference voltage is adjusted accordingly. Examples of environmental parameters include program-erase cycle count, data retention time and temperature. Examples of reference voltages include read reference voltages and program verify reference voltages. Examples of statistics include the fraction of cells whose threshold voltages exceed initial lower bounds or initial medians.

Abstract: Methods, devices and computer readable code for reading data from one or more flash memory cells, and for recovering from read errors are disclosed. In some embodiments, in the event of an error correction failure by an error detection and correction module, the flash memory cells are re-read at least once using one or more modified reference voltages, for example, until a successful error correction may be carried out. In some embodiments, after successful error correction a subsequent read request is handled without re-writing data (for example, reliable values of the read data) to the flash memory cells in the interim. In some embodiments, reference voltages associated with a reading where errors are corrected may be stored in memory, and retrieved when responding to a subsequent read request. In some embodiments, the modified reference voltages are predetermined reference voltages.

Abstract: A computing system having a host device and at least one client device having a lock used to prevent modification of data in the client device. A lock clear signal from the host device causes the client device to clear a lock used to prevent modification of data stored in at least a protected portion of the client device where the client device remains fully operational.

Abstract: An improved smart card is provided, which is adapted for easy extraction from a smart card socket, or example, in a mobile telephone. Facilitating the easy extraction is a structural deviation in the plane of at least one of the sides of the smart card to enable an increase of an external force on the smart card to thereby cause the extraction of the smart card from a socket. The structural deviation may be a change in the thickness of the smart card or a roughened surface in the smart card's enclosure. The smart card may be a SIM card. Also provided is a method of extracting a smart card from a socket, which method may include the steps of engaging a structural deviation in the plane of at least one side of the smart card's enclosure and applying a force to the engaged structural deviation.

Abstract: Read throughput is increased in a non-volatile memory device by sensing storage elements which are of interest as soon as a word line voltage has propagated to them, but before the word line voltage has propagated to other storage elements which are not of interest. The delay which would be incurred by waiting for the voltage to propagate along the entire word line is avoided. The sensing can occur during programming, as a verify operation, or after programming, as where user data is read. Further, the storage elements may be sensed concurrently, e.g., via sense amplifiers. Data from the storage elements of interest is processed and data from the other storage elements is discarded. A time for sensing the storage elements of interest can be set by identifying which storage elements are being verified or include data which is requested by a read command.

Abstract: A memory card includes a non-volatile memory, a connector configured to enable the memory card to be operatively coupled to a host computer, and a housing enclosing the non-volatile memory. The housing has a customized physical contour that is determined according to a user-selected value.

Abstract: One or more groups of charge-storing memory cells are selected from a plurality of regular charge-storing memory cells of a storage device. The selected memory cells are initialized with initial binary data, by charging them with corresponding amounts of electric charge, or the selected memory cells are simply used as is containing user data. Then, while the selected memory cells undergo a self discharge process, collective changes in the binary states of the selected memory cells are used to estimate discharge-determining conditions such as elapsed time, wear rate or wear level of the memory cells. The adverse effects of the erratic behavior of individual charge-storing memory cells on such estimations is mitigated by using a large group of charge-storing memory cells, and the effect of temperature on the aforesaid estimations is reduced by using two or more large groups of charge-storing memory cells.

Abstract: A portable storage device including a microprocessor and a secure user data area, the microprocessor operable to perform on-the-fly encryption/decryption of secure data stored on the storage device under a user password, the microprocessor also operable to exclude access to the secure user data area unless the user password is provided.

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: 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: To store input data in a plurality of memory cells, a mapping function of bit sequences to physical parameter states of the cells is provided. The cells are programmed, in accordance with the mapping function, to store the input data, in a way that would store uniformly distributed data with a programming state distribution other than any native state distribution of the mapping function. To store input data in a single memory cell, a mapping function of bit sequences to states of a physical parameter of the cell, such that if uniformly distributed data were stored in a plurality of such memory cells then the states of the physical parameter of the cells would be distributed non-uniformly, is provided. The memory cell is programmed to store the input data in accordance with the mapping function.

Abstract: A storage unit made of flash array and a USB controller, is implemented to be compatible with then the USB specification. The unit includes memory modules which can accept write commands and read commands and are erasable and non-volatile herein referred to as flash modules. The USB/flash controller is configured to provide USB functionality and compatibility alone along with common flash operations such as programming reading and erasing the above mentioned components.

Abstract: A storage unit made of flash array and a USB controller, is implemented to be compatible with then the USB specification. The unit includes memory modules which can accept write commands and read commands and are erasable and non-volatile herein referred to as flash modules. The USB/flash controller is configured to provide USB functionality and compatibility alone along with common flash operations such as programming reading and erasing the above mentioned components.