Executing applications from a semiconductor nonvolatile memory

• US 20040031031A1
• Filed: 08/08/2002
• Published: 02/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Numonyx BV (Micron Technology, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rudelic, John C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,904,897 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/175
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44573 Execute-in-place [XIP]

Abstract

A processor-based device (e.g., a wireless device) may include a processor and a semiconductor nonvolatile memory to directly execute an application (e.g., an execute-in-place application) using an associated database. Within a flash memory, in one embodiment, an executable program may be separately stored in a non-fragmented manner from a resident database that includes program management information for use in an execution that does not involve a random access memory, saving time and resources.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

storing within a semiconductor nonvolatile memory an executable program in a non-fragmented manner separately from an associated database that includes program management information; and

executing the executable program from said semiconductor nonvolatile memory based on the program management information.

2. The method of claim 1, including contiguously storing the executable program in a linear fashion.

3. The method of claim 2, including linking the associated database to the executable program in said semiconductor nonvolatile memory.

4. The method of claim 3, including:

forming a schema of the program management information; and

forming an execute-in-place application of the executable program.

5. The method of claim 4, including:

providing a flash memory for said semiconductor nonvolatile memory, said flash memory to be located in a portable device;

detecting at said portable device an indication to update the flash memory; and

in response to the indication, using said execute-in-place application and schema to execute the executable program from the flash memory.

6. A method comprising:

contiguously storing an executable program in a linear fashion within a semiconductor nonvolatile memory;

using a reference link to associate a meta-information database resident in said semiconductor nonvolatile memory with the executable program;

receiving an update indication for said semiconductor nonvolatile memory; and

in response to the update indication, using both the meta-information database and the reference link to execute the executable program from said semiconductor nonvolatile memory.

7. The method of claim 6, including:

storing registry information in the meta-information database; and

forming a schema of the registry information in the meta-information database.

8. The method of claim 7, including:

providing for the executable program an execute-in-place application in one or more objects, each of said one or more objects to hold a portion of the executable program; and

using a database engine, said one or more objects and said schema to run the execute-in-place application at said semiconductor nonvolatile memory.

9. The method of claim 8, including storing in said database engine said one or more objects in a binary format at a different location than the registry type information of the meta-information database at said semiconductor nonvolatile memory.

10. The method of claim 6, including directly executing the executable program from said semiconductor nonvolatile memory without copying said one or more objects for reassembly in a random access memory.

11. A device comprising:

a controller; and

a semiconductor nonvolatile memory operably couplable to said controller, said semiconductor nonvolatile memory to store an executable program in a non-fragmented manner separately from an associated database that includes program management information for execution of the executable program in said non-volatile memory based on the program management information.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein said semiconductor nonvolatile memory to store the executable program in a contiguous and linear fashion.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein a reference indication links the associated database with the executable program within said semiconductor nonvolatile memory.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the program management information includes a schema and the executable program corresponds to an execute-in-place application.

15. The device of claim 14, said semiconductor nonvolatile memory is a flash memory operably couplable to a portable device to:

detect an update indication at said portable device; and

in response to the update indication, use said execute-in-place application and schema to execute the executable program.

16. A wireless communication device comprising:

a controller; and

a semiconductor nonvolatile memory operably couplable to said controller, said semiconductor nonvolatile memory to contiguously store an executable program in a linear fashion, use a reference link to associate a meta-information database with the executable program to enable leveraging of both the meta-information database and the reference link in an execution of the executable program at said semiconductor nonvolatile memory in response to receiving an update indication for said semiconductor nonvolatile memory.

17. The wireless communication device of claim 16, wherein said semiconductor nonvolatile memory to comprise:

registry information in the meta-information database;

an execute-in-place application in one or more objects for the executable program, each of said one or more objects to hold a portion of the executable program; and

a database engine to run the execute-in-place application at said semiconductor nonvolatile memory using said schema and one or more objects.

18. The wireless communication device of claim 17, wherein said database engine to store said one or more objects in a binary format at a different location than the registry information of the meta-information database.

19. The wireless communication device of claim 18, wherein said execute-in-place application to directly execute the executable program from said semiconductor nonvolatile memory without copying said one or more objects for reassembly of in a random access memory.

20. The wireless communication device of claim 16, said semiconductor nonvolatile memory is a flash memory capable of storing said database engine to update contents in at least one of a file management and storage flash locations over a wireless link.

21. An article comprising a medium storing instructions that, when executed, result in:

storing within a semiconductor nonvolatile memory an executable program in a non-fragmented manner separately from an associated database that includes program management information; and

executing the executable program from said semiconductor nonvolatile memory based on the program management information.

22. The article of claim 21, comprising a medium storing instructions that, when executed, result in contiguously storing the executable program in a linear fashion.

23. The article of claim 22, comprising a medium storing instructions that, when executed, result in linking the associated database to the executable program in said semiconductor nonvolatile memory.

24. The article of claim 23, comprising a medium storing instructions that, when executed, result in:

forming a schema of the program management information; and

forming an execute-in-place application of the executable program..

25. The article of claim 24, comprising a medium storing instructions that, when executed, result in:

providing a flash memory for said semiconductor nonvolatile memory, said flash memory to be located in a portable device;

detecting at said portable device an indication to update the flash memory; and

in response to the indication, using said execute-in-place application and schema to execute the executable program from the flash memory.

26. The article of claim 25, comprising a medium storing instructions that, when executed, result in:

contiguously storing an executable program in a linear fashion within a semiconductor nonvolatile memory;

using a reference link to associate a meta-information database resident in said semiconductor nonvolatile memory with the executable program;

receiving an update indication for said semiconductor nonvolatile memory; and

in response to the update indication, using both the meta-information database and the reference link to execute the executable program from said semiconductor nonvolatile memory.

27. The article of claim 26, comprising a medium storing instructions that, when executed, result in:

storing registry information in the meta-information database; and

forming a schema of the registry information in the meta-information database.

28. The article of claim 27, comprising a medium storing instructions that, when executed, result in:

providing for the executable program an execute-in-place application in one or more objects, each of said one or more objects to hold a portion of the executable program; and

using a database engine, said one or more objects and said schema to run the execute-in-place application at said semiconductor nonvolatile memory.

29. The article of claim 28, comprising a medium storing instructions that, when executed, result in storing in said database engine said one or more objects in a binary format at a different location than the registry type information of the meta-information database at said semiconductor nonvolatile memory.

30. The article of claim 26, comprising a medium storing instructions that, when executed, result in directly executing the executable program from said semiconductor nonvolatile memory without copying said one or more objects for reassembly in a random access memory.

31. A communication system comprising:

a wireless-enabled computing device including a controller;

a dipole antenna operably couplable to the wireless-enabled computing device; and

a semiconductor nonvolatile memory operably couplable to said controller and said dipole antenna to store an executable program in a non-fragmented manner separately from an associated database that includes program management information and execute the executable program based on the program management information in response to an update indication.

32. The communication system of claim 31, wherein said semiconductor nonvolatile memory to comprise:

meta-information in the program management information of the associated database;

an execute-in-place application in one or more objects for the executable program, each of said one or more objects to hold a portion of the executable program; and

a database engine to run the execute-in-place application at said semiconductor nonvolatile memory using a schema and one or more objects.

33. The communication system of claim 32, wherein said database engine to store said one or more objects in a binary format at a different location than the meta-information in the program management information of the associated database.