Flash card and controller with integrated voltage converter for attachment to a bus that can operate at either of two power-supply voltages
First Claim
1. A dual-voltage protocol card comprising:
- a flash-memory chip for storing blocks of data in a non-volatile flash memory;
an insertable end for inserting into a protocol socket on a host;
a bus connection formed on the insertable end, for mating with connectors on the protocol socket on the host to connect to a host protocol bus on the host;
a host power line formed on the insertable end, for connecting to a host power connector on the protocol socket;
wherein the host power line receives a high power voltage from the host socket when the host is a legacy host;
wherein the host power line receives a reduced power voltage from the host socket when the host is a reduced-voltage host, wherein the reduced power voltage is less than the high power voltage;
a voltage regulator on the dual-voltage protocol card, the voltage regulator connected to the host power line, the voltage regulator generating an internal reduced voltage from the high power voltage from the legacy host or from the reduced power voltage from the reduced-voltage host;
a controller core on the dual-voltage protocol card that receives the internal reduced voltage from the voltage regulator to power internal circuitry;
a flash controller in the controller core for communicating with the flash-memory chip;
a protocol controller in the controller core for communicating with the host;
a voltage converter that receives the internal reduced voltage from the voltage regulator, the voltage converter generating a flash power voltage from the internal reduced voltage; and
a power-supply input of the flash-memory chip that receives the flash power voltage generated by the voltage converter, wherein the flash power voltage powers the flash-memory chip,whereby dual voltages from the legacy host or from the reduced-voltage host are converted to the internal reduced voltage to power the controller core, and to the flash power voltage to power the flash-memory chip.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A dual-voltage secure digital (SD) card can be inserted into a legacy host or a newer host. Legacy hosts drive a high voltage such as 3.3 volts onto the power line of the SD bus, while newer hosts drive the power line with a reduced voltage such as 1.8 volts. A flash and voltage controller chip on the SD card has a controller core that operates at the reduced voltage. A voltage regulator on the SD card, or a power management unit inside the controller chip generates an internal power voltage of 1.8 volts from the dual-voltage SD bus power line. The internal power voltage is applied to the controller core and to a voltage converter that generates a flash power voltage from the internal power voltage. The flash power voltage is applied to flash-memory chips on the SD card that operate at the higher voltage.
28 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A dual-voltage protocol card comprising:
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a flash-memory chip for storing blocks of data in a non-volatile flash memory; an insertable end for inserting into a protocol socket on a host; a bus connection formed on the insertable end, for mating with connectors on the protocol socket on the host to connect to a host protocol bus on the host; a host power line formed on the insertable end, for connecting to a host power connector on the protocol socket; wherein the host power line receives a high power voltage from the host socket when the host is a legacy host; wherein the host power line receives a reduced power voltage from the host socket when the host is a reduced-voltage host, wherein the reduced power voltage is less than the high power voltage; a voltage regulator on the dual-voltage protocol card, the voltage regulator connected to the host power line, the voltage regulator generating an internal reduced voltage from the high power voltage from the legacy host or from the reduced power voltage from the reduced-voltage host; a controller core on the dual-voltage protocol card that receives the internal reduced voltage from the voltage regulator to power internal circuitry; a flash controller in the controller core for communicating with the flash-memory chip; a protocol controller in the controller core for communicating with the host; a voltage converter that receives the internal reduced voltage from the voltage regulator, the voltage converter generating a flash power voltage from the internal reduced voltage; and a power-supply input of the flash-memory chip that receives the flash power voltage generated by the voltage converter, wherein the flash power voltage powers the flash-memory chip, whereby dual voltages from the legacy host or from the reduced-voltage host are converted to the internal reduced voltage to power the controller core, and to the flash power voltage to power the flash-memory chip. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A flash-and-voltage-controller chip comprising:
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a voltage regulator that generates an internal power voltage, the voltage regulator being connected to a power line to a host, the power line being driven to a high power voltage by a legacy host, the power line being driven to a reduced power voltage by a reduced-voltage host; wherein the reduced power voltage is at least 1 volt less than the high power voltage; a voltage converter receiving the internal power voltage from the voltage regulator, the voltage converter generating a flash power voltage that is above the internal power voltage; a flash power output for connecting the flash power voltage generated by the voltage converter to power a flash-memory chip; a flash bus for connecting to the flash-memory chip, the flash bus carrying address, data, and commands to the flash-memory chip; a controller core that is powered by the internal power voltage, the controller core comprising; a clocked-data interface to a host bus that connects to a host; a bus transceiver for detecting and processing commands sent over the host bus; a buffer for storing data sent over the host bus; an internal bus coupled to the buffer; a random-access memory (RAM) for storing instructions for execution, the RAM on the internal bus; a central processing unit (CPU), on the internal bus, the CPU accessing and executing instructions in the RAM; a flash-memory controller, on the internal bus, for generating flash-control signals and for buffering commands, addresses, and data to the flash bus; and a direct-memory access (DMA) engine, on the internal bus, for transferring data over the internal bus. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A dual-supply-voltage flash drive comprising:
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a flash-memory means for storing blocks of data in a non-volatile memory that retains data when power is lost; a Secure Digital (SD) interface that connects to a host over a SD host bus; a power signal in the SD interface, the power signal driven to a first power voltage by a first host, the power signal driven to a second power voltage by a second host, wherein the first power voltage and the second power voltage differ by at least one volt; voltage regulator means, receiving the power signal from the SD interface, for generating an internal power voltage that is lower than the first power voltage; voltage converter means, receiving the internal power voltage from the voltage regulator means, for generating a flash power voltage; flash powering means for driving a power-supply input to the flash-memory means with the flash power voltage generated by the voltage converter means; protocol interface means for extracting host commands from host transactions received over the SD host bus from the host; flash memory manager means for translating addresses in the host commands to physical addresses of blocks within the flash-memory means; flash interface means for generating erase, write, and read commands of blocks in the flash-memory means using the physical addresses from the flash memory manager means; and internal power means, receiving the internal power voltage from the voltage regulator means, for powering the protocol interface means, the flash memory manager means, and the flash interface means with the internal power voltage. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification