Back up power embodied non-volatile memory device

• US 6,707,748 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2002
• Issued: 03/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RITEK Corporation
• Original Assignee: RITEK Corporation
• Inventors: Lin, Yu-Chuan, Wu, Chien-Hua, Chen, Chun-Chieh, Hung, Hsin-Chih, Chiu, Sheng-Lin, Shen, Hung-Ju, Wang, Huan-Tung
• Primary Examiner(s): Elms, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HIEN N
• Application Number:
  US10/248,251
• Publication Number:
  US 20030210601A1
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: 365/228, 365/229, 365/222, 365/185.05, 365/226, 365/189.08
• US Class Current: 365/228
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/30 Power supply circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 5/141 Battery and back-up supplies

Abstract

A back up power embodied non-volatile memory device including a connection port, a power supply unit and a memory system. A host machine provides data and power to the connection port through an external bus. The memory system holds the data received from the connection port temporarily and transfers the data to a non-volatile memory unit inside the memory system. The power supply unit provides necessary power to complete the transfer of temporarily stored data inside the memory system to the non-volatile memory unit to become readable data when host power suddenly fails.

Claims

1. A back up power embodied non-volatile memory device, comprising:

a connection port connected electrically to a host machine, wherein the host machine provides host data and power to the connection port through an external bus;

a battery for providing back up power;

a buffer unit for holding data from the connection port temporarily;

a non-volatile memory unit; and

a memory controller for scheduling the writing of data from the buffer unit to the non-volatile memory unit, monitoring the presence or absence of host power and supplying back up power to write the remaining data into the non-volatile memory unit if the host power disappears before data is completely written.

2. The non-volatile memory device of claim 1, wherein the connection port may link up with an interface connection device selected from a group consisting of the universal serial bus interface, the 1394 interface, the serial transmission interface, the parallel transmission interface, the personal computer memory card interface, the flash card memory interface, the safety digital memory card interface, the multimedia memory card interface and the memory stick interface.

3. The non-volatile memory device of claim 1, wherein the device further includes a voltage feedback module for detecting the absence of host power and provides back up power when the host power fails.

4. The non-volatile memory device of claim 1, wherein the device further includes a charging module for receiving host power and using the host power to charge up the battery.

5. The non-volatile memory device of claim 4, wherein the charging module further includes a battery protection module that protects the battery against a heightened voltage.

6. The non-volatile memory device of claim 1, wherein the memory controller also provides back up power to complete a file allocation table refresh operation if the host power disappears in the middle of the file allocation table refresh operation.

7. The non-volatile memory device of claim 1, wherein the device further includes a power regulator for adjusting host power to a suitable voltage before driving the buffer unit, the non-volatile memory unit and the memory controller.

8. The non-volatile memory device of claims 1, wherein the battery includes a non-rechargeable battery.

9. The non-volatile memory device of claims 1, wherein the battery includes a chargeable battery.

10. A back up power embodied non-volatile memory device, comprising:

a connection port connected electrically to a host machine, wherein the host machine provides host data and power to the connection port through an external bus;

a memory system for holding data from the connection port temporarily and writing the data into a non-volatile memory unit; and

a power supply unit for providing back up power to the memory system so that the temporarily stored data is written into the non-volatile memory unit to become readable data if host power suddenly fails.

11. The non-volatile memory device of claim 10, wherein the connection port may link up with an interface connection device selected from a group consisting of the universal serial bus interface, the 1394 interface, the serial transmission interface, the parallel transmission interface, the personal computer memory card interface, the flash card memory interface, the safety digital memory card interface, the multimedia memory card interface and the memory stick interface.

12. The non-volatile memory device of claim 10, wherein back up power to the memory system is cut after all temporarily stored data is written into the non-volatile memory unit to become readable data.

13. The non-volatile memory device of claim 10, wherein the power supply unit further includes a charging module for receiving host power and using the host power to charge up the back up power.

14. The non-volatile memory device of claim 10, wherein the memory system also utilizes the back up power to complete a file allocation table refresh operation if the host power disappears in the middle of the file allocation table refresh operation.

15. The non-volatile memory device of claim 10, wherein the device further includes a power regulator for adjusting host power to a suitable voltage level before being sent to the memory system.

16. The non-volatile memory device of claims 10, wherein the power supply unit includes a non-rechargeable battery.

17. The non-volatile memory device of claims 10, wherein the power supply unit includes a chargeable battery.

18. The non-volatile memory device of claims 10, wherein power supply unit includes a circuit selected from a group consisting of a capacitor circuit, a capacitor/inductor circuit and a capacitor/inductor/resistor circuit.

19. A back up power embodied non-volatile memory device, comprising:

a connection port connected electrically to a host machine, wherein the host machine provides host data and power to the connection port through an external bus;

a battery for providing back up power;

a buffer unit for holding data from the connection port temporarily;

a non-volatile memory unit; and

a memory controller for scheduling the writing of data from the buffer unit to the non-volatile memory unit.

20. The non-volatile memory device of claim 19, wherein the connection port may link up with an interface connection device selected from a group consisting of the universal serial bus interface, the 1394 interface, the serial transmission interface, the parallel transmission interface, the personal computer memory card interface, the flash card memory interface, the safety digital memory card interface, the multimedia memory card interface and the memory stick interface.

21. The non-volatile memory device of claim 19, wherein the device further includes a power regulator for adjusting host power to a suitable voltage level before driving the buffer unit, the non-volatile memory unit and the memory controller.

22. The non-volatile memory device of claims 19, wherein the battery includes a non-rechargeable battery.

23. The non-volatile memory device of claims 19, wherein the battery includes a chargeable battery.

24. A back up power embodied non-volatile memory device, comprising:

a connection port connected electrically to a host machine, wherein the host machine provides host data and power to the connection port through an external bus;

a memory system for holding data from the connection port temporarily and writing the data into a non-volatile memory unit; and

a power supply unit for providing back up power to the memory system if host power suddenly fails.

25. The non-volatile memory device of claim 24, wherein the connection port may link up with an interface connection device selected from a group consisting of the universal serial bus interface, the 1394 interface, the serial transmission interface, the parallel transmission interface, the personal computer memory card interface, the flash card memory interface, the safety digital memory card interface, the multimedia memory card interface and the memory stick interface.

26. The non-volatile memory device of claim 24, wherein the power supply unit further includes a charging module for receiving host power and using the host power to charge up the back up power.

27. The non-volatile memory device of claim 24, wherein the device further includes a power regulator for adjusting host power to a suitable voltage level before being sent to the memory system.

28. The non-volatile memory device of claims 24, wherein the power supply unit includes a non-rechargeable battery.

29. The non-volatile memory device of claims 24, wherein the power supply unit includes a chargeable battery.

30. The non-volatile memory device of claims 24, wherein the power supply unit includes a circuit selected from a group consisting of a capacitor circuit, a capacitor/inductor circuit and a capacitor/inductor/resistor circuit.