Patents Examined by Christopher Do
  • Patent number: 9477422
    Abstract: In a storage system including plural source storage devices, a target storage device selects which source storage device to accept a copy request from the target storage device so as to minimize the load on the entire system. The system calculates first and second load values for job loads being processed. System load values for the system are derived from job load value of a specific data, and respective load values for first and second source storage devices. The system compares the system load values to select a storage device to provide the data copy so as to minimize the load on the entire system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Norie Iwasaki, Katsuyoshi Katori, Takeshi Nohta, Kohei Taguchi, Eiji Tosaka
  • Patent number: 9384835
    Abstract: Circuits and methods for performing search operations in a content addressable memory (CAM) array are provided. A system for searching a CAM includes a circuit that selectively activates a main-search of a two stage CAM search while a pre-search of the two stage CAM search is still active.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Igor Arsovski, Daniel A. Dobson, Travis R. Hebig, Reid A. Wistort
  • Patent number: 9355929
    Abstract: A method includes, in a nonvolatile memory device that includes a plurality of dies, detecting that a first temperature associated with a first die is equal to or exceeds a temperature threshold. A metablock is defined to include a first plurality of storage blocks that includes a first storage block of the first die. Each storage block of the metablock resides in a distinct die of the plurality of dies. The method also includes, in response to detecting that the first temperature is equal to or exceeds the temperature threshold, redefining the metablock to exclude from the redefined metablock any storage block associated with the first die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventor: Yonatan Tzafrir
  • Patent number: 9348764
    Abstract: A system on chip (SoC) including a memory management unit (MMU) and a memory address translation method thereof are provided. The SoC includes a master intellectual property (IP) configured to output a request corresponding to each of a plurality of working sets; an MMU module comprising a plurality of MMUs, each of which is allocated for one of the working sets and translates virtual addresses corresponding to the request into physical addresses; a first bus interconnect configured to connect the MMU module with a memory device and to transmit the request, on which address translation has been performed in at least one of the MMUs, to the memory device; and a second bus interconnect configured to connect the master IP with the MMU module and to allocate one of the MMUs for each of the working sets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seok Min Kim, Kwan Ho Kim, Seong Woon Kim, Tae Sun Kim, Kyoung Mook Kim
  • Patent number: 9330004
    Abstract: The present invention provides a data processing method based on a cache node group for data caching, where each cache node in the group includes a local replacement-allowable data storage space for storing data accessed by a local client and a collaborative replacement-allowable data storage space for storing data content accessed by a non-local client. By using the data processing method to process data content stored in the local replacement-allowable data storage space and the collaborative replacement-allowable data storage space of the cache node, the clients can obtain data more accurately and directly during access to the cache node, thereby meeting different requirements for local optimization of the cache node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Youshui Long
  • Patent number: 9329978
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes methods, systems, and computer program products for measuring strength of a unit test. One computer-implemented method includes receiving software unit source code associated with a unit test, analyzing a line of the software unit source code for removability, initiating, by operation of a computer, modification of the software unit source code to remove the line of the software unit source code and create a modified software unit, initiating execution of the modified software unit using the unit test, determining success or failure of a unit test execution, and analyzing a next line of the software unit source code for removability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: SAP Portals Israel Ltd
    Inventor: Yotam Kadishay
  • Patent number: 9311007
    Abstract: An integrated circuit has registers which it can place in a low power condition in which their state is lost; a power domain capable of reading the registers, the current operating mode of the domain being dependent on the state of the registers; a memory; and a configuration controller for configuring the registers. The configuration controller has access to a set of mappings. Each mapping indicates for bits represented in the memory the state of other bits storable in the registers. The configuration controller is configured to perform a register configuration operation by reading bits from the memory and populating the registers with a corresponding bit state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL, LTD.
    Inventor: Paul Simon Hoayun
  • Patent number: 9292430
    Abstract: A method of writing data in a memory comprising a NAND cell array is disclosed, wherein a data output device completes the writing process only by transmitting the data and a start address for writing the data to the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: INDUSTRIAL BANK OF KOREA
    Inventors: Myoung Kyu Seo, Tae Sun Hwang
  • Patent number: 9280459
    Abstract: A block grouping method includes the following steps. Firstly, a link list is established. In the link list, plural blocks are classified into plural groups according to valid data counts of respective blocks. If a host refreshes a stored data of a flash memory of the solid state drive or adds a new data into the flash memory, the valid data count of the block corresponding to the refreshed data or the new data is changed, and the link list is updated according to the changed valid data count of the block. After the garbage collection is started by the solid state drive, the block to be subject to the garbage collection is selected according to the link list, and the garbage collection is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: LITE-ON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chung-Yi Su, Chia-Lun Li
  • Patent number: 9274883
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for storing a validity mask and operating apparatuses are described. A number of methods for operating an apparatus include storing a validity mask that is associated with a number of pages of memory cells in a group of pages and that provides validity information for the number of pages of memory cells in the group of pages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven R. Narum
  • Patent number: 9274961
    Abstract: A method for building a multi-processor system with nodes having multiple cache coherency domains. In this system, a directory built in a node controller needs to include processor domain attribute information, and the information can be acquired by configuring cache coherency domain attributes of ports of the node controller connected to processors. In the disclosure herein, the node controller can support the multiple physical cache coherency domains in a node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: INSPUR ELECTRONIC INFORMATION INDUSTRY CO., LTD
    Inventors: Endong Wang, Leijun Hu, Jicheng Chen, Dong Zhang, Weifeng Gong, Feng Zhang
  • Patent number: 9274940
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method and an apparatus for allocating a memory space with a write-combine attribute, including: determining, when resources of devices are scanned, a type and a size of a resource required by each device; determining, after the scanning of the resources of the devices is completed, a total size of write-combine memory spaces required by all first devices; then determining a starting address used to allocate a write-combine memory space to the first devices; and allocating one memory space jointly to all the first devices and allocating, from the one memory space, a sub-memory space to each first device. According to the embodiments of the present invention, a memory space with a write-combine attribute can be allocated to devices in a more reliable manner and by using a relatively simple allocation method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shengyong Peng
  • Patent number: 9268600
    Abstract: A transactional memory (TM) includes a selectable bank of hardware algorithm prework engines, a selectable bank of hardware lookup engines, and a memory unit. The memory unit stores result values (RVs), instructions, and lookup data operands. The transactional memory receives a lookup command across a bus from one of a plurality of processors. The lookup command includes a source identification value, data, a table number value, and a table set value. In response to the lookup command, the transactional memory selects one hardware algorithm prework engine and one hardware lookup engine to perform the lookup operation. The selected hardware algorithm prework engine modifies data included in the lookup command. The selected hardware lookup engine performs a lookup operation using the modified data and lookup operands provided by the memory unit. In response to performing the lookup operation, the transactional memory returns a result value and optionally an instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Netronome Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Gavin J. Stark
  • Patent number: 9262321
    Abstract: A storage controller that includes a cache receives a command from a host, wherein a set of criteria corresponding to read and write response times for executing the command have to be satisfied. The storage controller determines ranks of a first type and ranks of a second type corresponding to a plurality of volumes coupled to the storage controller, wherein the command is to be executed with respect to the ranks of the first type. Destage rate corresponding to the ranks of the first type are adjusted to be less than a default destage rate corresponding to the ranks of the second type, wherein the set of criteria corresponding to the read and write response times for executing the command are satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael T. Benhase, Lokesh M. Gupta, Christopher J. Strauss, Will A. Wright
  • Patent number: 9256367
    Abstract: A data storage system comprises a controller, a first lower performance storage medium and a second higher performance storage medium. The controller is connected to the storage mediums and is arranged to control Input/Output (IO) access to the storage mediums. In operation, the controller is arranged to store an image on the first storage medium, initiate a copy function from the first storage medium to the second storage medium, direct all IO access for the image to the second storage medium, and periodically age data from the second storage medium to the first storage medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Carlos Francisco Fuente, William James Scales, Barry Douglas Whyte
  • Patent number: 9256533
    Abstract: A storage controller that includes a cache receives a command from a host, wherein a set of criteria corresponding to read and write response times for executing the command have to be satisfied. The storage controller determines ranks of a first type and ranks of a second type corresponding to a plurality of volumes coupled to the storage controller, wherein the command is to be executed with respect to the ranks of the first type. Destage rate corresponding to the ranks of the first type are adjusted to be less than a default destage rate corresponding to the ranks of the second type, wherein the set of criteria corresponding to the read and write response times for executing the command are satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael T. Benhase, Lokesh M. Gupta, Christopher J. Strauss, Will A. Wright
  • Patent number: 9250808
    Abstract: A data storage system comprises a controller, a first lower performance storage medium and a second higher performance storage medium. The controller is connected to the storage mediums and is arranged to control Input/Output (IO) access to the storage mediums. In operation, the controller is arranged to store an image on the first storage medium, initiate a copy function from the first storage medium to the second storage medium, direct all IO access for the image to the second storage medium, and periodically age data from the second storage medium to the first storage medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Carlos F. Fuente, William J. Scales, Barry D. Whyte
  • Patent number: 9250810
    Abstract: Exemplary method, system, and computer program product embodiments for priority based depopulation of ranks in a computing storage environment are provided. In one embodiment, by way of example only, multiple ranks selected for depopulation are prioritized. The highest priority rank of the multiple ranks is depopulated to a target rank. Additional system and computer program product embodiments are disclosed and provide related advantages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Juan A. Coronado, Jennifer S. Shioya, Todd M. Tosseth
  • Patent number: 9218141
    Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for managing write operations to an extent of tracks migrated between storage device. An operation to migrate an extent of tracks from the second storage to the first storage is processed. A determination is made of the tracks in the extent having a write indicator indicating that the track was updated in the second storage since the previous time. The data for the determined tracks is copied from the second storage to free locations in the first storage. An extent object for the extent is updated to indicate the free locations to which the data for the tracks were copied as an active address for the track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: David Montgomery
  • Patent number: 9213629
    Abstract: A block management method for a rewritable non-volatile memory module having a plurality of physical blocks, and a memory controller and memory storage apparatus using the same are provided. The method includes logically grouping the physical blocks at least into a data area, a free area and a replacement area and configuring a plurality of logical blocks for mapping to the physical blocks of the data area. The method also includes assigning bad physical blocks into the data area and marking the logical blocks mapping to the bad physical blocks as bad logical addresses, thereby forbidding the access of the logical blocks mapping to the bad physical blocks. According, the method can effectively use the rewritable non-volatile memory module having too many bad physical blocks to store data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: PHISON ELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventor: Chih-Kang Yeh