MEMORY SYSTEM CAPABLE OF CONTROLLING WIRELESS COMMUNICATION FUNCTION

• US 20130318282A1
• Filed: 08/02/2013
• Published: 11/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kioxia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: WAKUTSU, Takashi, Sakurai, Shuichi, Ito, Kuniaki, Tsumagari, Yasufumi
• Granted Patent: US 9,501,399 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/102
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0246 in block erasable memory, e.g. flash memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/3804 Memory card connected to a computer port directly or by means of a reader/writer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/3814 Wireless link with a computer system port
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/06 Digital input from, or digital output to, record carriers , e.g. RAID, emulated record carriers or networked record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/061 Improving I/O performance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0658 Controller construction arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0659 Command handling arrangements, e.g. command buffers, queues, command scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0664 at device level, e.g. emulation of a storage device or system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0679 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07732 the record carrier having a housing or construction similar to well-known portable memory devices, such as SD cards, USB or memory sticks housings for electrical equipment in general, see H05K5/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07733 the record carrier containing at least one further contact interface not conform ISO-7816
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3827 Portable transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0254 comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/47 using near field communication [NFC] or radio frequency identification [RFID] modules

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a memory system includes a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, controller, memory, wireless communication function section, and extension register. The controller controls the nonvolatile semiconductor memory device. The memory is serving as a work area of the controller. The wireless communication module has a wireless communication function. The extension register is provided in the memory. The controller processes a first command to read data from the extension register, and a second command to write data to the extension register. The extension register records, an information specifying the type of the wireless communication function in a specific page, and an address information indicating a region on the extension register to which the wireless communication function is assigned.

Claims

1. A memory system comprising:

a nonvolatile semiconductor memory;

a controller configured to control the nonvolatile semiconductor memory;

a memory serving as a work area of the controller;

a wireless communication module having a wireless communication function; and

an extension register to be provided in the memory,

wherein the controller processes a first command to read data from the extension register, and a second command to write data to the extension register, and

the extension register records,

an information specifying the type of the wireless communication function in a specific page, and

an address information indicating a region on the extension register to which the wireless communication function is assigned,

wherein the extension register to which the wireless communication function is assigned, comprising;

a first register which indicates the wireless communication function to support;

a second register for writing a third command to perform a wireless communication;

a third register for reading a processing state of the third command; and

a fourth register for reading an execution result of the third command.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the third command is constituted by one or more command, and

the controller writes a processing state to the third register while a command written to the second register is sequentially processed, and writes one or more responses corresponding to a command which execution has completed, to the fourth register.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein

the third command controls the wireless communication function, and the controller transfers a file stored in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory or data stored in the second register, to a server, and writes a response supplied from the server to a file stored in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory or to the fourth register.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the extension register includes a data port for writing a command for the wireless communication function and an argument.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the extension register records a status information for the wireless communication function.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the extension register records information indicating an execution situation of a command for the wireless communication function.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the extension register includes a data port for acquiring a response as an execution result of a command for the wireless communication function.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is conformed to at least one of the SD card specifications.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the system is capable of being inserted to a digital steel camera which has no wireless communication function.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the wireless communication module is conformed to at least one of the IEEE802.11b, 11g and 11n standards.

11. A memory system comprising:

a memory device connected to a host, comprising;

a nonvolatile semiconductor memory;

a controller configured to control the nonvolatile semiconductor memory;

a memory serving as a work area of the controller;

a wireless communication module having a wireless communication function; and

an extension register to be provided in the memory capable of defining the wireless communication function,

wherein the extension register records,

first information specifying the type of the wireless communication function,

second information indicating a region of the extension register to which the wireless communication function is assigned, and

third information including contents of the wireless communication function.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein

at the time of start-up, the host

issues a first command to read at least one of the first and second information recorded in the extension register,

enables a function of the host corresponding to the wireless communication function when the host supports the wireless communication function.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein

when the host issues a command for the wireless communication function to the memory device, the host issues a second command to write information about the command for the wireless communication function to a first region of the extension register.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein

the controller records information indicating whether or not the command for the wireless communication function could have been received in a second region of the extension register.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein

the host issues the first command to read the information recorded in the second region, and confirm whether or not the memory device could have received the command for the wireless communication function.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein

the controller records response status information of the command for the wireless communication function in the second region of the extension register.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein

the host issues the first command to read the response status information from the second region, and confirm whether or not the command for the wireless communication function could have been processed.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein

the host successively deletes information items for which processing has already been completed among information items in the second region.

19. The system according to claim 11, wherein the system is conformed to at least one of the SD card specifications.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the wireless communication module is conformed to at least one of the IEEE802.11b, 11g and 11n standards.