Accessing file data stored in non-volatile re-programmable semiconductor memories

• US 20040230573A1
• Filed: 03/18/2004
• Published: 11/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Edward R. Rhoads, James P. Ketrenos
• Original Assignee: Edward R. Rhoads, James P. Ketrenos
• Inventors: Ketrenos, James P., Rhoads, Edward R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,519,632 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1794 Details of file format conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/441 Multiboot arrangements, i.e. selecting an operating system to be loaded
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

File data for an operating system may be stored in a compressed format in a re-programmable semiconductor memory. The memory may be provided with a header and data for one or more file systems all stored in a compressed format. A device driver also stored in the memory may be utilized to decompress the data and to convert it to a format suitable for a particular file system or operating system.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

accessing a semiconductor memory storing compressed file data; and

locating said file data on said semiconductor memory using information stored in said semiconductor memory.

2. The method of claim 1 further including decompressing said compressed file data.

3. The method of claim 2 including using a device driver to format the decompressed data in a format compatible with a file system utilized by said operating system.

4. The method of claim 3 including storing the decompressed data in a buffer for use by a file system driver.

5. The method of claim 1 including forming a file system image of blocks of data of substantially equal size.

6. The method of claim 5 including compressing each of said blocks to form a compressed file system image formed of blocks of unequal size.

7. The method of claim 6 including affixing a header to said file system image which provides information about how to locate each block.

8. The method of claim 7 including providing in said header information about the number of entries in an allocation table and providing in said allocation table information about the length of each of said compressed blocks in said file system image.

9. The method of claim 1 including accessing an operating system stored in said semiconductor memory.

10. An article comprising a medium storing instructions that cause a processor-based system to:

access a semiconductor memory storing compressed file data; and

locate said file data on said semiconductor memory using information stored in said semiconductor memory.

11. The article of claim 10 further storing instructions that cause a processor-based system to decompress said compressed file data.

12. The article of claim 11 further storing instructions that cause a processor-based system to use a device driver to format the de-compressed data in a format compatible with a file system utilized by said operating system.

13. The article of claim 12 further storing instructions that cause a processor-based system to store the de-compressed data in a buffer for use by a file system driver.

14. The article of claim 10 further storing instructions that cause a processor-based system to form a file system image of blocks of data of substantially equal size.

15. The article of claim 14 further storing instructions that cause a processor-based system to compress each of said blocks to form a compressed file system image formed of blocks of unequal size.

16. The article of claim 15 further storing instructions that cause a processor-based system to affix a header to said file system image which provides information about how to locate each block.

17. The article of claim 16 further storing instructions that cause a processor-based system to provide in a header a block allocation table including information about the length of each of said compressed blocks in said file system image.

18. The article of claim 17 further storing instructions that cause a processor-based system to provide in said header information about the number of entries in said allocation table.

19. The article of claim 10 further storing instructions that cause a processor-based system to access an operating system stored in said semiconductor memory.

20-30. -30. (Canceled).

31. A method comprising:

receiving a request from an operating system for file data;

accessing a flash memory storing compressed file data; and

locating said file data on said flash memory using information stored in said flash memory.

32. The method of claim 31 further including decompressing said compressed file data.

33. The method of claim 32 including using a device driver to format the decompressed data in a format compatible with a file system utilized by said operating system.

34. The method of claim 33 including storing the decompressed data in a buffer for use by a file system driver.

35. The method of claim 31 including forming a file system image of blocks of data of substantially equal size.

36. The method of claim 35 including compressing each of said blocks to form a compressed file system image formed of blocks of unequal size.

37. The method of claim 36 including affixing a header to said file system image which provides information about how to locate each block.

38. The method of claim 37 including providing in said header information about the number of entries in an allocation table and providing in said allocation table information about the length of each of said compressed blocks in said file system image.

39. The method of claim 31 including accessing an operating system stored in said semiconductor memory.

40. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a flash memory coupled to said processor, said flash memory to store an operating system, compressed file data, and information for use in locating said file data in said flash memory.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the system is a cellular telephone.

42. The system of claim 41 including a basic input/output system stored in a compressed format on said flash memory.

43. The system of claim 42 including, stored on said flash memory, a primary operating system and a backup operating system for use when the primary operating system fails or needs updating.

44. The system of claim 41 including a device driver to decompress said compressed data in said flash memory and to provide said data in a format used by the operating system.

45. The system of claim 44 including a file system driver to organize the data received from said device driver into a file system.

46. The system of claim 41 wherein said flash memory stores an allocation table to indicate the length of entries stored in said flash memory and the number of entries in said allocation table.

47. The system of claim 41 wherein said file data stored in compressed form on said flash memory is formed into compressed blocks of unequal length.

48. The system of claim 41 including data for more than one file system stored on said flash memory.

49. The system of claim 47 including a loader and a kernel for an operating system stored on said flash memory.

50. The system of claim 41 including a network connection to download additional data from a network.