Open architecture flash driver

• US 7,533,214 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2002
• Issued: 05/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Aasheim, Jered Donald, Yang, Yongqi
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Matt
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, HETUL B
• Application Number:
  US10/087,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20030163632A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,631 Days
• Field of Search: 711/103, 711/203, 711/170
• US Class Current: 711/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1435 using file system or storage system metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1441 Resetting or repowering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1471 involving logging of persistent data for recovery
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1474 in transactions G06F16/20 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0246 in block erasable memory, e.g. flash memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/7201 Logical to physical mapping or translation of blocks or pages
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/7207 management of metadata or control data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0619 in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0643 Management of files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0679 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

A flash driver architecture openly compatible to operate as interface between most types of file systems and flash memory media regardless of the manufacturer. The flash driver includes a flash abstraction logic that serves as a manager for operating characteristics that are common to the plurality of different types flash memory media. The flash driver may also include a programmable flash medium logic that performs more specific operations in direct communication with the flash memory medium. A user/manufacturer of a computer device can optimally select a set of programmable entry points associated with the flash medium logic to ensure congruent and seamless operation between the file system and flash memory medium selected by the user/manufacturer of the computer.

Claims

1. One or more computer storage media comprising a flash memory driver that is executable by a computer to interface between a file system and one or more flash memory media, the flash memory driver comprising:

flash abstraction logic that is invokable by the file system to manage flash memory operations without regard to the type of the one or more flash memory media; and

flash media logic configured to interact with different types of the flash memory media, wherein the flash media logic is programmable to permit users to match particular medium requirements of a specific manufacturer;

wherein the flash abstraction logic invokes the flash media logic to perform memory operations that are potentially performed in different ways depending on the type of the flash memory media, and further wherein the flash memory driver is flash memory medium agnostic, and wherein one of the flash memory operations includes performing wear-leveling operations associated with the flash memory medium by way of circular and continuous advancement of a write pointer, and wherein the flash memory driver resides as a component within an operating system of the computer.

2. The computer storage media of claim 1, wherein one of the flash memory operations includes maintaining data integrity of the flash memory medium.

3. The computer storage media of claim 1, wherein one of the flash memory operations includes handling recovery of data associated with the flash memory medium after a power-failure.

4. The computer storage media of claim 1, wherein one of the flash memory operations includes mapping status information associated with physical sectors of the flash memory medium for use by the file system.

5. The computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the flash medium logic is further configured to translate commands received from the file system to physical sector commands for issuance to the flash memory media.

6. The computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the flash medium logic is user programmable to read, write and erase data to and from the flash memory media.

7. The computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the flash media logic is configured to perform error code correction associated with the flash memory media.

8. A flash driver embodied on a computer-readable storage medium, comprising:

flash abstraction logic, interposed between a file system and a flash memory medium, configured to;

(a) map a logical sector status from the file system to a physical sector status of the flash memory medium; and

(b) maintain memory requirements associated with operating the flash memory medium;

wherein the flash driver is located remote from the flash memory medium, and wherein the memory requirements include managing wear-leveling operations associated with the flash memory medium by way of circular and continuous advancement of a write pointer, and wherein the flash driver resides as a component within an operating system of a computer;

flash medium logic that is programmable to permit users to match particular medium requirements of a specific manufacturer.

9. The flash driver as recited in claim 8, wherein the programmable flash medium logic is configured to read, write and erase data to and from the flash memory medium.

10. The flash driver as recited in claim 8, wherein the programmable flash medium logic is configured to receive and translate specific operational commands from the file system associated with reading and writing data to the flash memory medium.

11. The flash driver as recited in claim 8, wherein the memory requirements include maintaining data integrity of the flash memory medium.

12. The flash driver as recited in claim 8, wherein the memory requirements include handling recovery of data associated with flash memory medium after a power-failure.

13. The flash driver as recited in claim 8, wherein the flash medium logic is programmably configurable by a user to perform error code correction associated with the flash memory medium.

14. A flash driver embodied on a computer-readable storage medium, comprising:

user programmable flash medium logic, configured to read, write and erase data to and from a flash memory medium, wherein the flash medium logic is programmable to permit users to match particular flash medium requirements of a specific manufacturer; and

flash abstraction logic, interposed between a file system and flash memory medium to maintain universal requirements for the operation of the flash memory medium;

wherein the flash memory driver is flash memory medium agnostic, and wherein the universal requirements include managing wear-leveling operations associated with the flash memory medium by way of circular and continuous advancement of a write pointer, and wherein the flash driver is defined as a component within an operating system.

15. The flash driver as recited in claim 14, wherein the flash abstraction logic passes specific commands associated with certain types of flash memory media directly to the flash medium logic for translation and execution.

16. The flash driver as recited in claim 14, wherein the flash abstraction logic is an interface between the flash medium logic and the file system.

17. The flash driver as recited in claim 14, wherein the universal requirements include maintaining data integrity of the flash memory medium.

18. The flash driver as recited in claim 14, wherein the universal requirements include handling recovery after a power-failure.

19. The flash driver as recited in claim 14, wherein the flash medium logic comprises a set of programmable entry points that can be implemented by a user to interface with the type of flash memory medium selected.

20. A computer device that uses a flash memory medium for storage of data, comprising:

a file system, configured to control data storage for the computer device;

flash media logic, configured to perform physical sector operations to a flash memory medium based on physical sector commands, wherein the flash medium logic comprises a set of programmable entry points that can be implemented by a user to interface with any type of flash memory medium selected, wherein the flash media logic is programmable to permit users to match particular flash medium requirements of a specific manufacturer; and

flash abstraction logic, configured to maintain flash memory requirements that are necessary to operate the flash memory medium, wherein the flash memory requirements include managing wear-leveling operations associated with the flash memory medium by way of circular and continuous advancement of a write pointer, wherein the flash media logic and the flash abstraction logic comprise a flash driver.

21. The computer device as recited in claim 20, wherein the flash abstraction logic passes physical logic commands associated with certain types of flash memory medium directly to the flash memory medium logic for translation and execution.

22. The computer device as recited in claim 20, wherein the flash abstraction logic is an interface between the flash medium logic and the file system.

23. The computer device as recited in claim 20, wherein the flash memory requirements include maintaining data integrity of the flash memory medium.

24. The computer device as recited in claim 20, wherein the flash memory requirements include handling recovery after a power-failure.

25. The computer device as recited in claim 20, wherein the requirements are common to a plurality of different flash memory media.

26. The computer device as recited in claim 20, wherein the flash medium logic comprises a set of programmable entry points that can be implemented by a user to perform error code correction with the type of flash memory medium used in the computer device.

27. The computer device as recited in claim 20, whereby the flash medium logic relieves the flash abstraction logic from performing translation of the physical sector commands received from the file system.

28. The computer device as recited in claim 20, wherein the physical sector operations include read, write and error code correction commands associated with the flash memory medium.

29. In a computer device that uses a flash memory medium for storage of data, a method for driving the flash memory medium, comprising:

managing rules associated with operating the flash memory medium in a flash abstraction logic, wherein the flash abstraction logic comprises part of a flash driver; and

issuing physical sector commands directly to the flash memory medium from a flash medium logic, wherein the flash medium logic is programmable to permit users to match particular flash medium requirements of a specific manufacturer, and wherein the flash medium logic comprises part of the flash driver;

wherein the method is flash memory medium agnostic, and wherein one of the rules includes managing wear-leveling operations associated with the flash memory medium by way of circular and continuous advancement of a write pointer, and wherein the method is performed by way of a component residing within an operating system of the processing device.

30. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein one of the rules includes maintaining data integrity of the flash memory medium.

31. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein one of the rules includes handling recovery of the media after a power-failure.

32. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein issuing physical sector commands directly to the flash memory medium comprises receiving read and write commands from a file system and translating them into the physical sector commands.

33. The method as recited in claim 29, further comprising issuing a set of programmable entry points that can be implemented by a user to perform error code correction with the type of flash memory medium used in the computer device.

34. The method as recited in claim 29, further comprising issuing a set of programmable entry points that can be optionally selected by a user to interface with the type of flash memory medium used in the computer device.

35. The method as recited in claim 29, further comprising receiving read and write commands from a file system.

36. One or more computer-readable storage media comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, perform the method as recited in claim 29.

37. A computer storage media for a flash driver, comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct the flash driver to provide an interface between a file system, selected from one of a plurality of different file systems, and a flash memory medium, selected from one of a plurality of different flash memory media, wherein the flash driver is located as a component within an operating system and is remote from the flash memory medium, and wherein wear-leveling of the flash memory medium is performed by way of circular and continuous advancement of a write pointer, and wherein the flash driver comprises programmable flash medium logic that is programmable to permit users to match particular flash medium requirements of a specific manufacturer.

38. A computer storage media for a flash driver, comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct the flash driver to:

provide an interface between a file system, selected from one of a plurality of different files systems, and a flash memory medium, selected from one of a plurality of different flash memory media; and

manage a set of characteristics that are common to the plurality of different flash memory media at a flash abstraction logic;

wherein the flash driver is flash memory medium agnostic, and wherein wear-leveling of the flash memory medium is performed by way of circular and continuous advancement of a write pointer, and wherein the flash driver resides as a component within an operating system, wherein the instructions provide programmable flash medium logic that is programmable to permit users to match particular flash medium requirements of a specific manufacturer, wherein the flash abstraction logic and the flash medium logic comprise the flash driver.

39. A computer storage media for a flash driver, comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct the flash driver to:

provide an interface between a file system, selected from one of a plurality of different files systems, and a flash memory medium, selected from one of a plurality of different flash memory media;

manage a set of characteristics that are common to the plurality of different flash memory media at a flash abstraction logic; and

provide programmable entry points that can be optionally selected by a user to interface with the type of flash memory medium selected;

wherein the flash driver is located as a component within an operating system and is remote from the flash memory medium and the flash driver is flash memory medium agnostic, and wherein wear-leveling of a flash memory medium is performed by way of circular and continuous advancement of a write pointer, wherein the instructions provide flash medium logic that is programmable to permit users to match particular flash medium requirements of a specific manufacturer, wherein the flash abstraction logic and the flash medium logic comprise the flash driver.