Executing Applications From a Semiconductor Nonvolatile Memory

• US 20110161572A1
• Filed: 03/07/2011
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: John C. Rudelic
• Original Assignee: John C. Rudelic
• Inventors: Rudelic, John C.
• Granted Patent: US 10,146,561 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/103
• 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 system comprising:

a computing device; and

a non-volatile memory coupled to said computing device, said memory to store an executable program in a non-fragmented manner separately from an associated database including program management information, said computing device to execute the program based on the program management information.

2. The system of claim 1, said device to execute the program based on the program management information in response to an update indication.

3. The system of claim 2, said controller to execute the program by linking the associated data base to the executable program in the non-volatile memory.

4. The system of claim 2, said memory storing meta information in the program management information of the associated database.

5. The system of claim 2, said memory storing an execute-in-place application in one or more objects for the executable program, each one of said one or more objects to hold a portion of the executable program.

6. The system of claim 5, said system further including a data base engine to run the execute-in-place application at said non-volatile memory using a schema in one or more objects.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said data base engine is adapted to store said one or more objects in a binary form at a different location than the program management information of the associated database.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said non-volatile memory is a flash memory and said system is a wireless communication system.

9. A communication system comprising:

a wireless-enabled computing device including a controller; and

a semiconductor nonvolatile memory operably couplable to said controller 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, linking the associated database to the executable program in said semiconductor nonvolatile memory.

10. The communication system of claim 9 wherein said semiconductor nonvolatile memory comprising:

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 non-volatile memory using a schema and one or more objects.

11. The communication system of claim 10 wherein said database engine is adapted 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.

12. A method comprising:

storing an executable program in a non-fragmented manner;

separately storing a database including registry information; and

executing the executable program based on the registry information.

13. The method of claim 12 including storing said executable program and said database on a random access memory.

14. The method of claim 13 including storing a database engine on a read only memory coupled to said random access memory and using said database engine to execute said program.

15. The method of claim 13 including logically linking the program with said data base in said random access memory.

16. The method of claim 12 including storing said program in linear fashion so that it may be directly executed.

17. The method of claim 16 including executing said program in place.

18. The method of claim 12 including upgrading said program in a random access memory.

19. The method of claim 12 including executing said program from a random access memory in response to an indication to upgrade said program or said database.

20. The method of claim 14 including using said database engine to store one or more objects in binary form at a different location than said registry information.

21. A method comprising:

receiving a request to update a program stored on a non-volatile memory separately from a database also stored in said memory; and

executing said program from said memory in response to said request, using information stored in said database.

22. The method of claim 21 including storing registry information in said database and using the registry information to execute said program.

23. The method of claim 21 including storing said program contiguously in said memory.

24. The method of claim 21 including executing said program using an engine stored on a read only memory coupled to said non-volatile memory.

25. The method of claim 21 including locally linking the program and the database within the non-volatile memory.