Enhanced host interfacing methods

• US 20070033326A1
• Filed: 12/21/2005
• Published: 02/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Sinclair, Alan
• Application Number:
  US11/316,577
• Publication Number:
  US 20070033326A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0246 in block erasable memory, e.g. flash memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1847 specifically adapted to static storage, e.g. adapted to flash memory or SSD
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/7202 Allocation control and policies
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/7205 Cleaning, compaction, garbage collection, erase control
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0605 by facilitating the interaction with a user or administrator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0608 Saving storage space on storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0613 in relation to throughput
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/064 Management of blocks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0643 Management of files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0644 Management of space entities, e.g. partitions, extents, pools
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0652 Erasing, e.g. deleting, data cleaning, moving of data to a wastebasket
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0679 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/0483 comprising cells having several storage transistors connected in series
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/102 External programming circuits, e.g. EPROM programmers; In-circuit programming or reprogramming; EPROM emulators

Abstract

A memory system that is compatible with hosts using different protocols includes protocol adapters for the different protocols. Protocol adapters allow a common backend system to be used for data that is provided in different formats. A protocol adapter generates responses to a host and generates commands for a backend as appropriate.

Claims

1. A method of operating a memory system to be compatible with multiple host protocols, the memory system including a block erasable memory array and a controller, comprising:

detecting a host protocol when connected to a host and selecting a protocol adapter from a plurality of protocol adapters in response to the host protocol detected, the plurality of protocol adapters including at least a first, a second and a third protocol adapter;

selecting the first protocol adapter in response to detection of a first host protocol that sends files of predetermined length preceded by indicators of file length, individual files having unique file identifiers;

selecting the second protocol adapter in response to detection of a second host protocol that sends files without indicators of file length, individual files having unique file identifiers; and

selecting the third protocol adapter in response to detection of a third host protocol that sends sectors of data, each sector having a logical address from a logical address range defined for the memory system.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing a first file received through the first protocol adapter in a first plurality of blocks of the memory array and recording a first association between the first file identifier and the first plurality of blocks;

storing a second file received through the second protocol adapter in a second plurality of blocks of the memory array and recording a second association between the second file identifier and the second plurality of blocks; and

storing a plurality of sectors received through the third protocol adapter in a third plurality of blocks and recording a third association between the third file identifier and the third plurality of blocks.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first protocol adapter generates a response to the first host after the predetermined length of data has been received.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first protocol adapter generates an end of file indicator in response to receiving the predetermined length of data, the indicator causing the file to be closed and scheduled for garbage collection.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising selecting only one of the first, second or third protocol adapters at any one time.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising alternately selecting different ones of the first, second and third protocol adapters at different times to allow interleaved access by more than one host application.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the memory system is embodied in a removable memory card.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the memory card conforms to a standard selected from:

CompactFlash, MultiMediaCard, SecureDigital, miniSD, Memory Stick, SmartMedia or TransFlash.

9. A method of operating a nonvolatile memory system on a removable memory card, comprising:

receiving metadata from a host, the metadata including an indication of the amount of data in an object;

subsequently receiving the object from the host and determining if the entire object has been received by comparing an amount of object data received from the host with the amount of data indicated by the metadata; and

in response to determining that the entire object has been received, sending a response to the host and closing a file in the memory system that corresponds to the object, the file being marked for garbage collection as a result of being closed.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising storing the metadata in the nonvolatile memory system.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the host maintains a hierarchy that includes the object and the location of the object within the hierarchy is provided by the metadata.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the file is stored in the memory system without regard to its location in the hierarchy.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein subsequently, when the file is requested by a host, the metadata is used to recreate the hierarchy.

14. A method of operating a removable memory system to be compatible with multiple host protocols, the memory system including a block erasable memory array and a controller, comprising:

detecting a host protocol when connected to a host and selecting a protocol adapter from a plurality of protocol adapters in response to the host protocol detected, the plurality of protocol adapters including at least a first protocol adapter and a second protocol adapter;

selecting the first protocol adapter in response to detection of a first host protocol that sends files of predetermined length preceded by indicators of file length, individual files having unique file identifiers; and

selecting the second protocol adapter in response to detection of a second host protocol that sends files without indicators of file length, individual files having unique file identifiers.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising storing a first file received through the first protocol adapter in a first plurality of blocks of the memory array and recording a first association between a first file identifier and the first plurality of blocks;

and

storing a second file received through the second protocol adapter in a second plurality of blocks of the memory array and recording a second association between a second file identifier and the second plurality of blocks.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the first protocol adapter generates a response to the first host after the predetermined length of data has been received.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the first protocol adapter generates an end of file indicator in response to receiving the predetermined length of data, the indicator causing a file to be closed and scheduled for garbage collection.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising selecting only one of the first or second protocol adapters at any one time.

19. The method of claim 14 further comprising selecting alternate ones of a first or second protocol adapter where the removable memory system is in communication with more than one host.