Abstract: On a single semiconductor package PK1, m semiconductor chips CP1 to CPm are mounted, and the semiconductor package PK1 has external terminals T shared by m pad electrodes PD1 to PDm of the m semiconductor chips CP1 to CPm. An electrostatic protection circuit CD is mounted on only one CPm of the m semiconductor chips CP1 to CPm.

Abstract: A method of controlling a nonvolatile semiconductor memory includes patrolling a first pool including a plurality of blocks/units with a first frequency, and when a first block/unit in the first pool satisfies a first condition, assigning the first block/unit to a second pool. The method includes patrolling the second pool with a second frequency, the second frequency being higher than the first frequency, and when a second block/unit in the second pool satisfies a second condition, moving data stored in the second block/unit to a free block/unit.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first arithmetic engine which executes a first arithmetic process in every cycle and outputs first data representing the result of the first arithmetic process and a first valid signal representing a first or second value in every cycle, and a second arithmetic engine which executes a second arithmetic process in every cycle and outputs second data representing the result of the second arithmetic process and a second valid signal representing the first or second value in every cycle. The device also includes an inter-arithmetic-engine buffer which is used to exchange the first data and the second data between the first and second arithmetic engines, enables write of the first or second data if the first or second valid signal indicates the first value, and inhibits write of the first or second data if the first or second valid signal indicates the second value.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory controlling device includes a write control unit that writes a predetermined number of pieces of first data and redundant information calculated by using the predetermined number of pieces of the first data and used for correcting an error in the first data into different semiconductor storage drives, respectively; a constructing unit that constructs a storage area for storing therein a table by using driver information, the table showing an association between a logical address and a physical address of the first data and identification information for associating the predetermined number of pieces of first data with the redundant information; and a table controlling unit that stores, into the storage area, the table associated with the identification information, the physical address and the logical address of the predetermined number of pieces of the first data, and a physical address of the redundant information.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes: plural semiconductor memory chips to store information depending on an amount of accumulated charge; plural parameter storage units provided in correspondence with the semiconductor memory chips, each parameter to store therein a parameter that defines an electrical characteristic of a signal used for writing information into or reading information from a corresponding one of the semiconductor memory chips; an error correction encoding unit configured to generate a first correction code capable of correcting an error in the information stored in a number of semiconductor memory chips no greater than a predetermined number out of the semiconductor memory chips, from the information stored in the semiconductor memory chips; and a parameter processing unit configured to change the parameters respectively corresponding to the number of semiconductor memory chips no greater than the predetermined number, and write the parameters changed into the parameter storage units, resp

Abstract: According to one embodiment, upon request from an information processor, a semiconductor storage controller writes pieces of data in predetermined units into storage locations in which no data has been written in erased areas within a semiconductor chip's storage area. A third table and a second table which is a subset thereof include physical addresses each indicating a storage location of each of pieces of the data within the semiconductor chip. The first table includes either information specifying a second table entry or information specifying a third table entry. The semiconductor storage controller records the first and the second tables into a volatile memory or records the first table into a volatile memory and the third table into a nonvolatile memory.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus which operates to substantially evenly distribute commands and/or data packets issued from a managed program or other entity over a given time period. The even distribution of these commands or data packets minimizes congestion in critical resources such as memory, I/O devices and/or the bus for transferring the data between source and destination. Any unmanaged commands or data packets are treated as in conventional technology.

Abstract: On a single semiconductor package PK1, m semiconductor chips CP1 to CPm are mounted, and the semiconductor package PK1 has external terminals T shared by m pad electrodes PD1 to PDm of the m semiconductor chips CP1 to CPm. An electrostatic protection circuit CD is mounted on only one CPm of the m semiconductor chips CP1 to CPm.

Abstract: A method of controlling a nonvolatile semiconductor memory including a plurality of blocks, each one of the plurality of blocks being a unit of data erasing, includes determining a monitored block as a candidate for refresh operation from among the plurality of blocks based on a predetermined condition. The method includes monitoring an error count of data stored in the monitored block and not monitoring an error count of data stored in blocks excluding the monitored block among the plurality of blocks. The method also includes performing the refresh operation on data stored in the monitored block in which the error count is larger than a first threshold value.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a write instructing unit instructs a data access unit to write, in a storage area of a data storage unit indicated by a first physical address, write object data, instructs a management information access unit to update address conversion information, and instructs a first access unit to update the first physical address. A compaction unit extracts a physical address of compaction object data, instructs the data access unit to read the compaction object data stored in a storage area of the data storage unit indicated by the physical address, instructs the data access unit to write the compaction object data in a storage area of the data storage unit indicated by a second physical address, instructs the management information access unit to update the address conversion information, and instructs a second access unit to update the second physical address.

Abstract: A memory system includes a volatile first storing unit, a nonvolatile second storing unit, and a controller. The controller performs data transfer, stores management information including a storage position of data stored in the second storing unit into the first storing unit, and performs data management while updating the management information. The second storing unit stores management information in a latest state and a storage position of the management information. The storage position information is read by the controller during a startup operation of the memory system and includes a second pointer indicating a storage position of the management information in a latest state and a first pointer indicating a storage position of the second pointer. The first pointer is stored in a fixed area in the second storing unit and the second pointer is stored in an area excluding the fixed area in the second storing unit.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory controlling device includes a write control unit that writes a predetermined number of pieces of first data and redundant information calculated by using the predetermined number of pieces of the first data and used for correcting an error in the first data into different semiconductor storage drives, respectively; a constructing unit that constructs a storage area for storing therein a table by using driver information, the table showing an association between a logical address and a physical address of the first data and identification information for associating the predetermined number of pieces of first data with the redundant information; and a table controlling unit that stores, into the storage area, the table associated with the identification information, the physical address and the logical address of the predetermined number of pieces of the first data, and a physical address of the redundant information.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a controller controls writing into and reading from a storage apparatus that includes a first data-storage unit and a second data-storage unit. The second data-storage unit stores user data and parity data of the user data. The first data-storage unit stores the parity data. The controller includes a parity updating unit and a parity writing unit. When parity data is updated, the parity updating unit writes the updated parity data into the first data-storage unit. When a certain requirement is satisfied, the parity writing unit reads the parity data written in the first data-storage unit, and writes the parity data thus read into the second data-storage unit.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a controller is connected to an external storage device and controls access to a semiconductor storage device including blocks each including memory cell groups each having memory cells. The block includes pages associated with each memory cell group. A writing process for each memory cell group includes writing stages. The controller includes a determining unit configured to determine data to be transferred to the page required in the writing process for a first memory cell group before the writing stage first starts when the writing stage is performed; a reading unit configured to read the determined data from the semiconductor storage device and to store the read data in the external storage device before the writing stage starts; and a writing unit configured to perform the writing process using the data stored in the external storage device when the writing stage is performed.

Abstract: According to an embodiment of a controller, a bit string manipulating unit manipulates a bit string of manipulation target data based on a predetermined rule. A special data setting unit generates a magic number based on a special data setting request from a host interface, obtains an error detecting code for the magic number, and sends the magic number and the error detecting code as manipulation target data to the bit string manipulating unit to obtain a manipulated manipulation target data. The special data setting unit also extracts logical block address information from the special data setting request, and instructs an access unit to write the magic number in the manipulated manipulation target data to a user data storage area and to write the error detecting code in the manipulated manipulation target data to a redundant area in a storage area located by the logical block address information.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes semiconductor memory chips in which data requested to be written. The data has one or more pieces of first data in a predetermined unit. The device includes a write controller that writes the first data and redundancy information calculated by using a predetermined number of pieces of the first data and used for correcting an error in the predetermined number of pieces of the first data into different semiconductor memory chips; and a storage unit that stores identification information and region specifying information so as to be associated with each other. The identification information associates the first data and the redundancy information, and the region specifying information specifies a plurality of storage regions in the semiconductor memory chips to which the pieces of the first data and the redundancy information associated with each other are written.

Abstract: A controller includes a storage for a translation table showing logical and physical addresses in a flash memory in correspondence with one another; another storage storing FAT information indicating the state of data stored in each of pages contained in each of blocks and FAT information identifiers each identifying a block to which pages each storing therein the data in the state indicated by the FAT information belong, while keeping them in correspondence with one another; yet another storage for a block management table showing block identifiers, use-state judging information indicating whether the corresponding block is used/unused, and the FAT information identifiers corresponding to all the blocks indicated as being used by the use-state judging information, while keeping them in correspondence with one another; and a controller controlling unit managing data stored in the flash memory by using the translation table, the FAT information, and the block management table.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a write instructing unit instructs a data access unit to write, in a storage area of a data storage unit indicated by a first physical address, write object data, instructs a management information access unit to update address conversion information, and instructs a first access unit to update the first physical address. A compaction unit extracts a physical address of compaction object data, instructs the data access unit to read the compaction object data stored in a storage area of the data storage unit indicated by the physical address, instructs the data access unit to write the compaction object data in a storage area of the data storage unit indicated by a second physical address, instructs the management information access unit to update the address conversion information, and instructs a second access unit to update the second physical address.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus which operates to substantially evenly distribute commands and/or data packets issued from a managed program or other entity over a given time period. The even distribution of these commands or data packets minimizes congestion in critical resources such as memory, I/O devices and/or the bus for transferring the data between source and destination. Any unmanaged commands or data packets are treated as in conventional technology.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes semiconductor memory chips having writable storage regions in which data is written. The data has one or more pieces of first data, and one or more pieces of the first data includes second data. The device includes a determining unit that determines a prescribed number or fewer of semiconductor memory chips to which the first data is written; a write controller that writes the the first data and redundant information calculated from the second data and used for correcting an error in the second data into the writable storage regions in the determined semiconductor memory chips; and a storage unit that stores identification information and region specifying information associated with each other.