Patents Assigned to Silicon Motion, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20220224339
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fractional frequency divider, wherein the fractional frequency divider includes a plurality of registers, a counter, a control signal generator and a clock gating circuit. Regarding the plurality of registers, at least a portion of the registers are set to have values The counter is configured to sequentially generate a plurality of counter values, wherein the plurality of counter values correspond to the at least a portion of the registers, respectively, and the plurality of counter values are generated repeatedly The control signal generator is configured to generate a control signal based on the received counter value and the value of the corresponding register. The clock gating circuit is configured to refer to the control signal to mask or not mask an input clock signal to generate an output clock signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2022
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Applicant: Silicon Motion, Inc.
    Inventors: Tien-Hsing Yao, Chun-Cheng Lee, Sheng-I Hsu
  • Patent number: 11386952
    Abstract: A method for performing memory access of a Flash cell of a Flash memory includes: performing a first sensing operation corresponding to a first sensing voltage to generate a first digital value of the Flash cell; according to a result of the first sensing operation, performing a plurality of second sensing operations to generate a second digital value of the Flash cell representing at least one candidate threshold voltage of the Flash cell; determining the threshold voltage of the memory Flash cell according to the at least one candidate threshold voltage; determining soft information of a bit stored in the Flash cell according to the threshold voltage of the Flash cell; and using the soft information to perform soft decoding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Silicon Motion, Inc.
    Inventors: Tsung-Chieh Yang, Hsiao-Te Chang, Wen-Long Wang
  • Patent number: 11385906
    Abstract: The invention is related to a non-transitory computer program product, a method and an apparatus for controlling access to a flash storage. The method, performed by a processing unit of a bridge integrate circuit (IC), includes: receiving a host write command from a host side; determining whether the flash storage needs to enter a hibernate state based on at least information regarding a length of data that has been programmed into the flash storage and/or a quantity of host write commands that have been executed after executing the host write command; and instructing the flash storage to enter the hibernate state when the length of data and/or the quantity of host write command meets a triggering condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: SILICON MOTION, INC.
    Inventors: Chun-Chieh Chang, Hsing-Lang Huang
  • Publication number: 20220214808
    Abstract: The present invention provides a control method of a flash memory controller, wherein the flash memory controller is configured to access a flash memory module, and the control method includes the steps of : receiving a settling command from a host device to configure a portion space of the flash memory module as a zoned namespace; receiving a write command from the host device to write data corresponding a first zone into a plurality of blocks of the flash memory module, wherein an access mode chose by the flash memory controller is determined based on a size of each zone and a size of each block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2021
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Applicant: Silicon Motion, Inc.
    Inventor: Ching-Hui Lin
  • Patent number: 11373723
    Abstract: The present invention provides an encoder built-in self-test (BIST) circuit applied in a flash memory controller, wherein the encoder BIST circuit includes a control circuit and an encoder. In operations of the encoder BIST circuit, without accessing any flash memory, the control circuit generates input data to the encoder, and the encoder encodes the input data to generate a check code to the control circuit, wherein the check code is arranged to determine whether functions of the encoder fail or not.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Silicon Motion, Inc.
    Inventor: Tsung-Chieh Yang
  • Patent number: 11372800
    Abstract: The present invention provides a SoC including a first CPU, a first tightly-coupled memory, a second CPU and a second tightly-coupled memory is disclosed. The first CPU includes a first core circuit, a first level one memory interface and a first level two memory interface. The first tightly-coupled memory is directly coupled to the first level one memory interface, and the first tightly-coupled memory includes a first mailbox. The second CPU includes a second core circuit, a second level one memory interface and a second level two memory interface. The second tightly-coupled memory is directly coupled to the second level one memory interface, and the second tightly-coupled memory includes a second mailbox. When the first CPU sends a command to the second mailbox within the second tightly-coupled memory, the second core circuit directly reads the command from the second mailbox, without going through the second level two memory interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Silicon Motion, Inc.
    Inventor: An-Pang Li
  • Patent number: 11374410
    Abstract: The present invention provides a chip comprising a circuit module, a power switch and a detection and control circuit. The power switch is coupled between a supply voltage and the circuit module, and is used to selectively connect the supply voltage to the circuit module, and control a current amount flowing into the circuit module according to at least a control signal. The detection and control circuit is coupled to the power switch, and is used to detect a first signal generated by a first circuit positioned surrounding the circuit module, and compare the first signal with a second signal in a real-time manner to generate the control signal to adjust the current amount flowing into the circuit module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Silicon Motion, Inc.
    Inventor: Cheng-Kai Huang
  • Patent number: 11372718
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for accessing a flash memory module, wherein the method comprises: receiving data and a corresponding metadata from a host device; performing a CRC operation upon the data to generate a CRC code; encoding the metadata and the CRC code to generate an adjusted parity code; encoding the data and the adjusted parity code to generate encoded data, wherein the encoded data comprises the data, the adjusted parity code and an error correction code corresponding to the data and the adjusted parity code; and writing the encoded data and the metadata to a page of a block of a flash memory module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Silicon Motion, Inc.
    Inventor: Tsung-Chieh Yang
  • Patent number: 11372578
    Abstract: A control method of a flash memory controller, wherein the control method includes the steps of: when data is written to a page of any block of a flash memory module, recording a write time in the page; create a write time table, wherein the write time table records block numbers of blocks having data written therein and corresponding write time; compress the write time table to generate a compressed write time table, wherein the compressed write time table contains multiple time ranges and corresponding indexes, each index corresponds to a page of the flash memory module, and the page records block numbers of all blocks whose writing time is within the corresponding time range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Silicon Motion, Inc.
    Inventor: Ching-Hui Lin
  • Patent number: 11372592
    Abstract: The present invention provides a memory controller configured to access a plurality of channels, wherein each of the channels includes a plurality flash memory chips, and the memory controller includes a flash translation layer and a plurality of control modules. The flash translation layer is configured to generate commands with corresponding physical addresses of at least one of the channels. The plurality of control modules are connected to the plurality of channels, respectively, and each of the control modules operates independently to receive the corresponding command with the corresponding physical address from the flash translation layer, to access the flash memory chips within the corresponding channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Silicon Motion, Inc.
    Inventor: Tsung-Chieh Yang
  • Patent number: 11372589
    Abstract: A method used in a flash memory controller includes: using a watchdog timer to automatically count a number and to generate a reset trigger signal to a processor if the number counted by the watchdog timer is higher than a threshold; after receiving the reset trigger signal from the watchdog timer, using the processor to copy registry information from at least one of processor, flash memory interface controller, and protocol controller, and then to control the memory controller to write the copied registry information into the dynamic random access memory device without rebooting a system of the flash memory controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Silicon Motion, Inc.
    Inventors: Kuan-Hui Li, Shang-Ta Yang
  • Patent number: 11372812
    Abstract: A method utilized in a mobile device includes: sending a file management command from the mobile device to a flash memory controller; receiving a file entry table from the flash memory controller; calculating a sum of data amounts of a plurality of entries corresponding to file(s) and/or sub-directory(s) in a specific directory; and comparing the sum of data amounts with a specific maximum data amount to determine a message reported to the specific application of the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Silicon Motion, Inc.
    Inventor: Shang-Ta Yang
  • Publication number: 20220197818
    Abstract: The invention introduces a method for performing operations to namespaces of a flash memory device, by a processing unit of a storage device, at least including the steps: receiving a cross-namespace data-movement command from a host, requesting to move user data of a first logical address of a first namespace to a second logical address of a second namespace; cutting first physical address information corresponding to the first logical address of a first logical-physical mapping table corresponding to the first namespace; and storing the first physical address information in an entry corresponding to a second logical address of a second logical-physical mapping table corresponding to the second namespace.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2022
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Applicant: Silicon Motion, Inc.
    Inventor: Sheng-Liu LIN
  • Patent number: 11366596
    Abstract: A data storage device utilized for accessing boot data includes a flash memory, a controller and a RAM. The flash memory includes several blocks, and each block includes several pages. The controller is coupled to the flash memory and the RAM. The controller receives a write command from a host and determines whether the data of the write command is system data or normal data. If the data to be written is system data, the controller transmits a confirm message to the host after the system data has been completely stored on the data storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: SILICON MOTION, INC.
    Inventors: Kuan-Yu Ke, Shen-Ting Chiu
  • Patent number: 11368313
    Abstract: A data storage device including a non-volatile memory and a micro-controller is provided. The non-volatile memory stores a firmware file. The micro-controller is coupled to the non-volatile memory, and performs an encryption procedure on the firmware file. The encryption procedure includes: using a first key and a first algorithm to encrypt the firmware file to generate a signature, using the first key and a second algorithm to scramble the signature to generate a scrambled signature, and attaching the scrambled signature to the firmware file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Silicon Motion, Inc.
    Inventors: Ching-Ke Chen, Yu-Han Hsiao
  • Patent number: 11366618
    Abstract: The present invention provides a control method of a server, wherein the control method includes the steps of: setting a first node within the server as a master device; setting a second node within the server as a slave device; controlling the first node to receive data from another device via network; storing the data into a first write buffer within the first node; performing a cache mirroring operation to copy the data stored in the first write buffer into a second write buffer within the second node; setting a first tail register and a first head register within the first node, and setting a second tail register and a second head register within the second node; and referring to the first tail register and the first head register to determine if the data stored in the first write buffer is successful written into the second write buffer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Silicon Motion, Inc.
    Inventor: Li-Sheng Kan
  • Patent number: 11366616
    Abstract: A method for performing storage control in a storage server may include: regarding any memory device of a plurality of memory devices installed at the storage server, assigning a channel of multiple channels within the memory device for access control corresponding to a thread of a plurality of threads running on the storage server, wherein the storage server configures the plurality of memory devices to form a RAID of the storage server; and during storing a series of logical access units (LAUs) into the RAID, writing information into respective sets of pages of the plurality of memory devices as pages in a LAU of the series of LAUs according to a predetermined arrangement rule, to make the respective sets of pages be sequentially written into the plurality of memory devices respectively with aid of the assignment of the channel of the multiple channels to the thread. Associated apparatus are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Silicon Motion, Inc.
    Inventor: Tsung-Chieh Yang
  • Patent number: 11366674
    Abstract: A method for performing dynamic throttling control with aid of configuration setting and associated apparatus such as a host device, a data storage device and a controller thereof are provided. The method includes: utilizing the host device to provide a user interface, to allow a user to select any of a plurality of throttling control configurations of the data storage device; and in response to the selection of said any of the plurality of throttling control configurations by the user, utilizing the host device to send throttling control information corresponding to said any of the plurality of throttling control configurations toward the data storage device, to perform the dynamic throttling control on the data storage device during programming the NV memory, for limiting power consumption of the data storage device during programming the NV memory, wherein the throttling control information indicates performing the dynamic throttling control is required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Silicon Motion, Inc.
    Inventor: Sheng-I Hsu
  • Patent number: 11366775
    Abstract: An efficient control technology for non-volatile memory. In a controller, a host bridge controller and a master computing unit are coupled to a system memory via an interconnect bus, and then coupled to a non-volatile memory interface controller. In response to a read command issued by a host, the non-volatile memory interface controller temporarily stores data read from a non-volatile memory to the system memory and, accordingly, asserts a flag in the system memory. Through a first channel provided by the interconnect bus, the host bridge controller confirms that the flag is asserted to correctly read the data from system memory and returns the data to the host. The master computing unit reads the system memory through a second channel provided by the interconnect bus, without being delayed by the status checking of the flag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: SILICON MOTION, INC.
    Inventor: An-Pang Li
  • Publication number: 20220189518
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method, an apparatus and a computer program product for reading data from multiple flash dies. The method is performed by a processing unit when loading and executing program code to include: issuing a read instruction to a flash interface to drive the flash interface to activate a data read operation for reading data from a location in a die; calculating an output time point corresponding to the read instruction; and issuing a random out instruction corresponding to the read instruction to the flash interface to drive the flash interface to store the data in a random access memory (RAM) when a current time reaches to, or is later than the output time point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2021
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Applicant: Silicon Motion, Inc.
    Inventor: Mei-Yu HSU