MEMORY STORAGE VIA AN INTERNAL COMPRESSION ALGORITHM

• US 20080228998A1
• Filed: 03/16/2007
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Original Assignee: Spansion LLC (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Sartori, Gabriele, Colecchia, Roberto
• Application Number:
  US11/687,479
• Publication Number:
  US 20080228998A1
• 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 21/79 in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/401 Compressed data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0608 Saving storage space on storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/064 Management of blocks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0665 at area level, e.g. provisioning of virtual or logical volumes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0679 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]

Abstract

The subject specification discloses flash memory device with the capability of performing both internal compression as well as internal de-compression. Each of these actions takes place through appropriate algorithms. In normal operation, the compression occurs prior to a writing of data in a flash memory device. The compressed data travels to a storage location. The de-compression occurs after the reading of stored data and de-compressed data travels to an external system.

Claims

1. A flash memory, comprising:

a compression component that compresses data; and

a writing component that writes the compressed data to a storage component within flash memory.

2. The flash memory of claim 1, further comprising a register component that tracks data written to the storage component.

3. The flash memory of claim 1, further comprising a de-compression component that de-compresses compressed data stored in the storage component.

4. The flash memory of claim 1, further comprising a mapping component that maps memory blocks in the storage component for writing compressed data.

5. The flash memory of claim 4, wherein the mapping component uses virtual bad blocks to map memory blocks.

6. The flash memory of claim 1, further comprising a compression check component that determines if data is compressed prior to operation of the compression check component.

7. The flash memory of claim 1, further comprising an optimization component that determines an algorithm for obtaining a highest compression ratio for compressed data.

8. The flash memory of claim 1, further comprising an authorization component that checks if a host system is allowed to enter data into flash memory.

9. The flash memory of claim 1, further comprising a security component that checks authorization information entered from a host system to allow data input into flash memory.

10. The flash memory of claim 1, further comprising an aging component that removes data from the storage component to allow for writing of new compressed data.

11. The flash memory of claim 10, wherein the aging component further comprises an artificial intelligent component that makes inferences as to which data to remove, and when to remove the data.

12. The flash memory of claim 10, wherein the aging component further comprises a policy component that selects data removal based on a set of policies.

13. The flash memory of claim 1, further comprising a notification component that transmits a notification when compressed data is written to the storage component.

14. The flash memory of claim 1, further comprising a locating component that locates compressed data in the storage component.

15. A method of flash memory storage, comprising:

compressing data; and

writing the compressed data to a storage component within a flash memory.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising de-compressing data stored in the storage component.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising mapping data into respective memory blocks of the storage component.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising updating a reference location with storage component information.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising substantiating that a host device can send data to the flash memory.

20. A flash memory, comprising:

means for compressing data;

means for storing compressed data within flash memory; and

means for de-compressing compressed data stored within flash memory.