Accessing file data stored in non-volatile re-programmable semiconductor memories

• US 7,519,632 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2004
• Issued: 04/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Ketrenos, James P., Rhoads, Edward R.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEWIS, CHERYL RENEA
• Application Number:
  US10/803,320
• Publication Number:
  US 20040230573A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,853 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 2, 707100-102, 707/200, 707/204, 711/3, 711/101, 711/103, 711/202, 711/161, 711/162, 714/38
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1794 Details of file format conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/441 Multiboot arrangements, i.e. selecting an operating system to be loaded
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

File data for an operating system may be stored in a compressed format in a re-programmable semiconductor memory. The memory may be provided with a header and data for one or more file systems all stored in a compressed format. A device driver also stored in the memory may be utilized to decompress the data and to convert it to a format suitable for a particular file system or operating system.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a flash memory coupled to said processor, said flash memory to store a primary operating system, a backup operating system for use when the primary operating system fails or needs updating, compressed file data, and information for use in locating said compressed file data in said flash memory.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is a cellular telephone.

3. The system of claim 2 including a basic input/output system stored in a compressed format on said flash memory.

4. The system of claim 2 including a device driver to decompress said compressed data in said flash memory and to provide said compressed file data in a format used by the operating system.

5. The system of claim 4 including a file system driver to organize said compressed file data received from said device driver into a file system.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein said flash memory stores an allocation table to indicate the length of entries stored in said flash memory and the number of entries in said allocation table.

7. The system of claim 2 wherein said compressed file data stored in compressed form on said flash memory is formed into compressed blocks of unequal length.

8. The system of claim 7 including a loader and a kernel for an operating system stored on said flash memory.

9. The system of claim 2 including data for more than one file system stored on said flash memory.

10. The system of claim 2 including a network connection to download additional data from a network.