Flash file management system
First Claim
1. A computer-readable memory with a particular data structure for enabling a computer to access data from a stored data file, the memory having bits capable of being erased only in blocks, comprising:
- at least one separately erasable block organized to include two or more data sectors; and
each one of said data sectors for storing a data segment of said file, a file identification for identifying said file, and a sequence number for indicating a sequential position of said data segment within said file, the file identification and sequence number for enabling a computer to store, update, and subsequently read said data file without the use of a pointer to point from one said data segment to another said data segment.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A flash memory using branded sectors for managing data files. The flash memory is divided into separately erasable blocks where each block may only be erased in its entirety. Each erasable block includes several file sectors, a sector allocation table (SAT) including an SAT record for each file sector, and a block information record (BIR) including status and an erasure count for the block. Each file sector may be designated as a file data sector, a file header sector, or block erasure sector. The data sectors include a data segment of one of the data files and is branded by a file identification and a sequence number. The brand and the size of the file sectors are used for locating the data sector for accessing the data segment. In order to prevent data from being lost during an update or a consolidation, each SAT record includes a pre-discard indicator for indicating when the associated data sector is being modified or consolidated and a discard indicator for indicating that the modification or consolidation has been completed. In order to prevent block information from being lost during an erasure, the block erasure sector includes the status and erasure counts for each of the erasure blocks.
145 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A computer-readable memory with a particular data structure for enabling a computer to access data from a stored data file, the memory having bits capable of being erased only in blocks, comprising:
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at least one separately erasable block organized to include two or more data sectors; and each one of said data sectors for storing a data segment of said file, a file identification for identifying said file, and a sequence number for indicating a sequential position of said data segment within said file, the file identification and sequence number for enabling a computer to store, update, and subsequently read said data file without the use of a pointer to point from one said data segment to another said data segment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A computing machine for storing, updating, and reading a data file, comprising:
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a data memory having bits capable of being erased only in separately erasable blocks, at least one of said erasable blocks organized to include two of more data sectors, each one of said data sectors for storing a data segment of said file, a file identification for identifying said file, and a sequence number for indicating a sequential position of said data segment within said file; a program memory having instructions for using said file identification and said sequence number for storing, updating, and reading said file; and a processor coupled to the data memory and the program memory for executing said instructions. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method in a computing machine for accessing a data file in a memory having bits capable of being erased only in blocks, comprising steps of:
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organizing said memory into sectors; designating one or more sectors as data sectors; storing a data segment of said data file, a file identification for said data file, and a sequence number for a sequential position of said data segment within said data file in a first of said data sectors; and using information based upon said file identification, said sequence number, and a size of said data sectors for retrieving said data segment. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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Specification