Protection of non-volatile memory component against data corruption due to physical shock

• US 8,015,444 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2007
• Issued: 09/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Longhorn HD LLC (Alpha Alpha Intellectual Partners LLC)
• Original Assignee: Spyder Navigations LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Ahvenainen, Marko, Makela, Jakke
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Yolanda L
• Application Number:
  US11/955,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20080089162A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,363 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 714/22
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0891 with indication of predetermined acceleration values G01P15/135 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/18 in two or more dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1441 Resetting or repowering

Abstract

A device, a computer readable medium, and a method are provided. The device includes, but is not limited to, a sensor, a processor, a non-volatile memory, and a computer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium includes, but is not limited to, computer-readable instructions stored therein that, upon execution by the processor, perform operations comprising initiating a write operation of data to the non-volatile memory; during the initiated write operation, monitoring the sensor to determine if the electronic device is falling; and if the electronic device is determined to be falling, interrupting the initiated write operation and executing a non-volatile memory shutdown procedure.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

initiating a write operation of data to a solid-state memory device of an electronic device;

during the initiated write operation, monitoring a sensor to determine if the electronic device is accelerating, wherein the monitoring occurs at a sampling rate selected based on at least one of a type of the solid-state memory device, an amount of time to execute a solid-state memory device shutdown procedure, or a threshold distance over which the electronic device can move; and

if the electronic device is determined to be accelerating, interrupting the initiated write operation and executing the solid-state memory device shutdown procedure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor is further monitored at a sampling rate selected to minimize sensor power consumption within constraints imposed by at least one characteristic of the solid-state memory device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, before initiating the write operation, checking the sensor to determine if the electronic device is accelerating.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising, before initiating the write operation, partitioning the data into one or more memory segments, wherein a size of the one or more memory segments is selected based on an acceleration time.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

initiating a read operation of data from the solid-state memory device;

during the initiated read operation, monitoring the sensor to determine if the electronic device is accelerating; and

if the electronic device is determined to be accelerating, interrupting the initiated read operation and executing the solid-state memory device shutdown procedure.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the solid-state memory device is comprised of at least one of a flash memory device, a multimedia card, and a subscriber identity module.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is one of a mobile telephone, a gaming device, a digital camera, a personal digital assistant, a navigation device, a data logging device, a portable bar code scanner, and an Internet appliance.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of an acceleration sensor, a barometer, an altimeter, an acoustic proximity sensor, and an optical proximity sensor.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is determined to be accelerating due to falling.

9. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, if executed by an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform a method comprising:

initiating a write operation of data to a solid-state memory device of the electronic device;

during the initiated write operation, monitoring a sensor to determine if the electronic device is accelerating, wherein the monitoring occurs at a sampling rate selected based on at least one of a type of the solid-state memory device, an amount of time to execute a solid-state memory device shutdown procedure, or a threshold distance over which the electronic device can move; and

if the electronic device is determined to be accelerating, interrupting the initiated write operation and execute the solid-state memory device shutdown procedure.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the sensor is further monitored at a sampling rate selected to minimize sensor power consumption within constraints imposed by at least one characteristic of the solid-state memory device.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the electronic device to check the sensor to determine if the electronic device is accelerating before initiating the write operation.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the electronic device to partition the data into one or more memory segments before initiating the write operation, wherein a size of the one or more memory segments is selected based on an acceleration time.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the electronic device to:

initiate a read operation of data from the solid-state memory device;

during the initiated read operation, monitor the sensor to determine if the electronic device is accelerating; and

if the electronic device is determined to be accelerating, interrupt the initiated read operation and execute the solid-state memory device shutdown procedure.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the electronic device is determined to be accelerating due to falling.

14. An electronic device comprising:

a sensor;

a processor;

a solid-state memory device; and

a computer-readable storage medium including computer-readable instructions stored therein that, upon execution by the processor, perform operations comprising

initiating a write operation of data to the solid-state memory device;

during the initiated write operation, monitoring the sensor to determine if the electronic device is accelerating, wherein the monitoring occurs at a sampling rate selected based on at least one of a type of the solid-state memory device, an amount of time to execute a solid-state memory device shutdown procedure, or a threshold distance over which the electronic device can move; and

if the electronic device is determined to be accelerating, interrupting the initiated write operation and executing the solid-state memory device shutdown procedure.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the computer-readable medium includes the solid-state memory device.

16. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the sensor is further monitored at a sampling rate selected to minimize sensor power consumption within constraints imposed by at least one characteristic of the solid-state memory device.

17. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the electronic device to check the sensor to determine if the electronic device is accelerating before initiating the write operation.

18. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the electronic device to partition the data into one or more memory segments before initiating the write operation, wherein a size of the one or more memory segments is selected based on an acceleration time.

19. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the electronic device to:

initiate a read operation of data from the solid-state memory device;

during the initiated read operation, monitor the sensor to determine if the electronic device is accelerating; and

if the electronic device is determined to be accelerating, interrupt the initiated read operation and execute the solid-state memory device shutdown procedure.

25. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the electronic device is determined to be accelerating due to falling.

20. An electronic device comprising:

a sensing means for sensing an acceleration condition of the electronic device; and

a processing means configured to initiate a write operation of data to a solid-state memory device;

during the initiated write operation, monitor the sensing means to determine if the electronic device is accelerating, wherein the monitoring occurs at a sampling rate selected based on at least one of a type of the solid-state memory device, an amount of time to execute a solid-state memory device shutdown procedure, or a threshold distance over which the electronic device can move; and

if the electronic device is determined to be accelerating, interrupt the initiated write operation and execute the solid-state memory device shutdown procedure.

21. The electronic device of claim 20, wherein the processing means is further configured to check the sensor to determine if the electronic device is accelerating before initiating the write operation.

22. The electronic device of claim 20, wherein the processing means is further configured to partition the data into one or more memory segments before initiating the write operation, wherein a size of the one or more memory segments is selected based on an acceleration time.

26. The electronic device of claim 20, wherein the electronic device is determined to be accelerating due to falling.