Patents Assigned to Texas Memory Systems, Inc.
  • Patent number: 8386887
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to a Flash-based memory module having high-speed serial communication. The Flash-based memory module comprises, among other things, a plurality of I/O modules, each configured to communicate with an external device over one or more external communication links, a plurality of Flash-based memory cards, each comprising a plurality of Flash memory devices, and a plurality of crossbar switching elements, each being connected to a respective one of the Flash-based memory cards and configured to allow each one of the I/O modules to communicate with the respective one of the Flash-based memory cards. Each I/O module is connected to each crossbar switching element by a high-speed serial communication link, and each crossbar switching element is connected to the respective one of the Flash-based memory cards by a plurality of parallel communication links.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Texas Memory Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Holloway H. Frost, Rebecca J. Hutsell
  • Publication number: 20120223757
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses provide a clocked digital device having dynamically adjustable operating characteristics. The digital device comprises a digital clock management (“DCM”) circuit in which the amount of delay between receipt of an active edge of a clock signal at the input of the DCM circuit and appearance of an active edge of another clock signal at the output of the DCM circuit depends on a phase adjustment signal applied to the DCM circuit's phase adjust input. A phase adjustment circuit provides the phase adjustment signal to the DCM circuit's phase adjust input for controlling the amount of the delay between the clock signal at the input of the DCM circuit and the clock signal at the output of the DCM circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: Texas Memory Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles J. Camp
  • Patent number: 8255620
    Abstract: A Flash-based storage system, card, and/or module comprises a Flash controller configured to encrypt the data pages of a page stripe by shuffling the data pages, including loading each data page into a data shuffling buffer in a sequential order relative to other data pages in the page stripe, and thereafter unloading each data page in a non-sequential order relative to other data pages in the page stripe. The Flash controller is also configured to scramble the data pages of the page stripe by performing a bitwise logical operation on the data pages that are unloaded from the data shuffling buffer. A user key and one or more system keys are used to perform the shuffling and scrambling. The Flash controller is further configured to flush the user key by bypassing the system's backup power supply and performing an emergency system shutdown without backing up system data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Memory Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Holloway H. Frost, Charles J. Camp
  • Publication number: 20120166715
    Abstract: A Flash-based storage system, card, and/or module comprises a Flash controller configured to encrypt the data pages of a page stripe by shuffling the data pages, including loading each data page into a data shuffling buffer in a sequential order relative to other data pages in the page stripe, and thereafter unloading each data page in a non-sequential order relative to other data pages in the page stripe. The Flash controller is also configured to scramble the data pages of the page stripe by performing a bitwise logical operation on the data pages that are unloaded from the data shuffling buffer. A user key and one or more system keys are used to perform the shuffling and scrambling. The Flash controller is further configured to flush the user key by bypassing the system's backup power supply and performing an emergency system shutdown without backing up system data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: Texas Memory Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Holloway H. Frost, Charles J. Camp
  • Patent number: 8190842
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for reduction of Read Disturb errors in a NAND FLASH memory system comprise a controller configured to organize FLASH memory devices into blocks, each block having a plurality of pages, and each page defining an individually addressable physical memory location. The controller is further configured to accumulate a Block READ Count corresponding to the number of times any pages in a first block of pages have been read since the first block was last erased. Once the READ count reaches a predetermined number, the controller responds to subsequent READ requests for pages within the first block by moving data associated with a requested page to a page in a second, different block without moving data associated with other pages in the first block, and modifying a logical-to-physical translation table to associate the moved data with the physical address of the page in the second block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Memory Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Holloway H. Frost, Charles J. Camp, Timothy J. Fisher, James A. Fuxa, Lance W. Shelton
  • Patent number: 8189379
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for reduction of Read Disturb errors in a NAND FLASH memory system utilizing modified or extra FLASH memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Memory Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles J. Camp, Holloway H. Frost
  • Patent number: 8179182
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses provide a clocked digital device having dynamically adjustable operating characteristics. The digital device comprises a digital clock management (“DCM”) circuit in which the amount of delay between receipt of an active edge of a clock signal at the input of the DCM circuit and appearance of an active edge of another clock signal at the output of the DCM circuit depends on a phase adjustment signal applied to the DCM circuit's phase adjust input. A phase adjustment circuit provides the phase adjustment signal to the DCM circuit's phase adjust input for controlling the amount of the delay between the clock signal at the input of the DCM circuit and the clock signal at the output of the DCM circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Memory Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles J. Camp
  • Patent number: 8176284
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for enhanced protection of data stored in a FLASH memory system involve a controller capable of protecting data using different size page stripes. The controller is configured to store data in FLASH memory devices in the form of page stripes, each page stripe comprising a plurality of pages of information, each page of information being stored in a different FLASH memory chip. The controller stores the data in a manner such that the pages making up each page stripe includes a plurality of data pages and at least one data protection page. In one implementation, the page stripes stored by the controller include a first page stripe having N data pages and one data protection page, and a second page stripe having M data pages and one data protection page, where N is an integer greater than three and M is an integer less than N.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Memory Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Holloway H. Frost, James A. Fuxa, Charles J. Camp
  • Patent number: 8176360
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for enhanced protection of data stored in a FLASH memory system involve a controller capable of adapting to the failure of one or more FLASH memory devices in the memory system. The controller stores data in the form of page stripes, each page stripe composed of data pages, and each data page stored in a different FLASH memory device. The controller also detects failure of a FLASH memory device in which a data page of a particular page stripe is stored, reconstructs the data page, and stores the reconstructed data page in a new page stripe, where the number of data pages in the new page stripe is less than the number of data pages in the particular page stripe, and where no page of the new page stripe is stored in a memory location within the failed FLASH memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Memory Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Holloway H. Frost, James A. Fuxa, Charles J. Camp
  • Patent number: 8024426
    Abstract: Described are computer-based methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, for non-disruptive data path modification using target mobility. A management server is in communication with a switching fabric. The switching fabric is in communication with a host and a data storage element. The management server creates a takeover target based on a primary target, where the primary target is part of a virtual data path between the host and the data storage. The switching fabric, through the direction of the server, modifies metadata associated with the virtual data path to expose the takeover target so that the takeover target becomes part of the virtual data path. The management server unexposes the primary target so that the primary target is no longer part of the virtual data path. The delay between exposing the takeover target and unexposing the primary target is sufficiently small to prevent an error condition from occurring at the host.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Memory Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Dmitry Trikoz, Tom Middleton, Robert Mulcahy, Ric Calvillo, Jr., Nicos Vekiarides
  • Publication number: 20110213919
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for enhanced protection of data stored in a FLASH memory system involve a controller capable of protecting data using page stripes and auxiliary protection stripes. The controller stores the data in a manner such that the pages making up each page stripe include a plurality of data pages and at least one data protection page and the pages making up each auxiliary protection stripe include a plurality of data pages and an auxiliary protection page. At least a plurality of data pages are within one page stripe and one auxiliary protection stripe such that each data page is protected both by a data protection page in the page stripe and an auxiliary protection page in the auxiliary protection stripe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Publication date: September 1, 2011
    Applicant: Texas Memory Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Holloway H. Frost, Charles J. Camp
  • Patent number: 7941696
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for enhanced protection of data stored in a FLASH memory system involve a controller capable of protecting data using page stripes and auxiliary protection stripes. The controller stores the data in a manner such that the pages making up each page stripe include a plurality of data pages and at least one data protection page and the pages making up each auxiliary protection stripe include a plurality of data pages and an auxiliary protection page. At least a plurality of data pages are within one page stripe and one auxiliary protection stripe such that each data page is protected both by a data protection page in the page stripe and an auxiliary protection page in the auxiliary protection stripe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Memory Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Holloway H. Frost, Charles J. Camp
  • Patent number: 7928791
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses provide a clocked digital device having dynamically adjustable operating characteristics. The digital device comprises a digital clock management (“DCM”) circuit in which the amount of delay between receipt of an active edge of a clock signal at the input of the DCM circuit and appearance of an active edge of another clock signal at the output of the DCM circuit depends on a phase adjustment signal applied to the DCM circuit's phase adjust input. A phase adjustment circuit provides the phase adjustment signal to the DCM circuit's phase adjust input for controlling the amount of the delay between the clock signal at the input of the DCM circuit and the clock signal at the output of the DCM circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Memory Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles J. Camp
  • Publication number: 20110038203
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for reduction of Read Disturb errors in a NAND FLASH memory system utilizing modified or extra FLASH memory cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2009
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Applicant: Texas Memory Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles J. Camp, Holloway H. Frost
  • Publication number: 20110040925
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for enhanced protection of data stored in a FLASH memory system involve a controller capable of adapting to the failure of one or more FLASH memory devices in the memory system. The controller stores data in the form of page stripes, each page stripe composed of data pages, and each data page stored in a different FLASH memory device. The controller also detects failure of a FLASH memory device in which a data page of a particular page stripe is stored, reconstructs the data page, and stores the reconstructed data page in a new page stripe, where the number of data pages in the new page stripe is less than the number of data pages in the particular page stripe, and where no page of the new page stripe is stored in a memory location within the failed FLASH memory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2009
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Applicant: Texas Memory Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Holloway H. Frost, James A. Fuxa, Charles J. Camp
  • Publication number: 20110040926
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for enhanced protection of data stored in a FLASH memory system involve a controller capable of protecting data using different size page stripes. The controller is configured to store data in FLASH memory devices in the form of page stripes, each page stripe comprising a plurality of pages of information, each page of information being stored in a different FLASH memory chip. The controller stores the data in a manner such that the pages making up each page stripe includes a plurality of data pages and at least one data protection page. In one implementation, the page stripes stored by the controller include a first page stripe having N data pages and one data protection page, and a second page stripe having M data pages and one data protection page, where N is an integer greater than three and M is an integer less than N.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2009
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Applicant: Texas Memory Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Holloway H. Frost, James A. Fuxa, Charles J. Camp
  • Patent number: 7856528
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for enhanced protection of data stored in a FLASH memory system involve a controller capable of using variable size page stripes in the memory system. The controller is configured to store data such that each page stripe comprises a plurality of data pages, with each data page in the page stripe being stored in a different FLASH memory chip. The controller is also configured to maintain one or more buffers containing information reflecting blocks of memory within the FLASH memory chips that have been erased and are available for information storage, and to dynamically determine the number of data pages to be included in a page stripe based on the information in the one or more buffers such that a first page stripe and a second page strip can have different numbers of data pages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Texas Memory Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Holloway H. Frost, James A. Fuxa, Charles J. Camp
  • Patent number: D669465
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Memory Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Holloway H. Frost, Daniel E. Scheel, John R. Harris
  • Patent number: D669466
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Memory Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Holloway H. Frost, Daniel E. Scheel, John R. Harris
  • Patent number: D679272
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Texas Memory Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Holloway H. Frost, Daniel E. Scheel, John R. Harris