Methods and systems for updating content including a compressed version

• US 20070083571A1
• Filed: 10/06/2006
• Published: 04/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Bend Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Red Bend Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Meller, Evyatar, Peleg, Sharon
• Granted Patent: US 8,418,167 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/654 using techniques specially adapted for alterable solid state memories, e.g. for EEPROM or flash memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/658 Incremental updates; Differential updates
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 7/30 Compression speech analysis-synthesis for redundancy reduction G10L19/00; for image communication H04N; Expansion; Suppression of unnecessary data, e.g. redundancy reduction

Abstract

Methods and systems for in-place updating an original version of content to an updated version in a non volatile storage device including blocks, where the original version and/or the updated version are compressed on the storage device.

Claims

1. A method for in-place updating of an original version of content stored in a non-volatile storage device with storage blocks to yield an updated version of content, the method comprising:

obtaining an update package;

copying said original version or part thereof to volatile memory;

updating said original version or part thereof to provide an uncompressed updated version or part thereof;

compressing said uncompressed updated version or part thereof so as to compress independently each amount of uncompressed updated content; and

writing said compressed updated version or part thereof in place of said original version or part thereof in said storage device, wherein each said independently compressed amount is written to a separate storage block.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said original version is compressed, said copying said original version or part thereof including:

decompressing said original version or part thereof.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said compressed original version using a different compression algorithm or compression ratio than said compressed updated version.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least part of the content of each one of n (n>

1) blocks of the original version is modified in the updated version, and wherein said updating and said writing include performing m block storage operations, each block storage operation including writing content to a block in the non-volatile storage device;

the block storage operations include update block storage operations storing updated content of the updated version in the non-volatile storage device, the updated content is generated in accordance with at least the update package;

wherein 2<

=m<

2n.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least part of the content of each one of n (n>

1) blocks of the original version is modified in the updated version, and wherein said updating and said writing include performing block storage operations, each block storage operation including writing content to a block in the non-volatile storage device, and wherein the block storage operations include also at least one backup block storage operation wherein each backup block storage operation includes storing protected content in a non-volatile protection buffer.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said update package includes transforming commands and wherein said protected content includes data associated with a transforming command.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein during said writing said volatile memory is erased, further comprising:

copying remaining original content or part thereof from said storage device to volatile memory;

updating said remaining original content or part thereof, including retrieving at least some of said protected content which is required for said updating;

compressing said updated remaining content or part thereof so as to compress independently each amount of uncompressed updated original content; and

writing said updated remaining content or part thereof in place of said original remaining content or part thereof in said storage device wherein each said independently compressed amount is written to a separate storage block.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein

the update package is associated with an update sequence, and wherein

the size of the protected content in said non-volatile protection buffer depends on said update sequence;

said size is smaller than an arbitrary size of a protected content that depends on an arbitrary updated sequence associated with the update package;

said arbitrary update sequence is selected arbitrarily from among all possible update sequences which can be associated with said update package.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein

the update package is associated with an update sequence, and wherein

the size of the protected content in said non-volatile protection buffer depends on said update sequence;

said size is smallest size among sizes of protected content that depend on any updated sequence of all possible update sequences which can be associated with the update package.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said each amount of uncompressed updated content when compressed substantially equals a size of a storage block.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said update package includes data for delineating said each amount of uncompressed updated content.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein one of said each amount is updated, compressed and written prior to updating, compressing and writing another of said each amount.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said original version is entirely updated and then compressed prior to writing said compressed updated version to said storage device.

14. A method for generating an update package for in place updating of an original version of content stored in a non-volatile storage device with storage blocks to yield an updated version of content, the method comprising:

decompressing into virtual blocks any of said original and updated versions which comprised separate storage blocks for each independently compressed content; and

simulating protection in a protection buffer of data required for performing transforming commands.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

storing virtual block delineation for any of said original version and updated version in said update package.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the update package is associated with an update sequence for updating said storage blocks, and wherein

the total size of data relating to transforming commands which require protection depends on said update sequence;

said size is smaller than an arbitrary size of a protected content that depends on an arbitrary updated sequence associated with the update package;

said arbitrary update sequence is selected arbitrarily from among all possible update sequences which can be associated with said update package.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein if said protection buffer is not sufficient, protecting in the update package data required for performing transforming commands is protected in the update package.

18. A method for in-place updating of an original version of content stored in a storage device with storage blocks to yield an updated version of content, the method comprising:

obtaining an update package;

copying said original version to volatile memory wherein if said original version includes content in more than one storage block which was compressed interdependently, then said copying includes decompressing said original version into volatile memory and protecting at least some content which is required for decompressing said original version;

updating the original version to provide an uncompressed updated version; and

copying said updated version back to non-volatile memory in place of the original version wherein if said updated version is to be stored compressed where blocks are compressed interdependently, then said copying includes protecting at least some content which is required for decompressing said updated version and compressing interdependently updated blocks;

wherein at least one of said original version and said updated version includes content in more than one storage block which was compressed interdependently.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said protected content includes actual content in a version which is unrelated to compression.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said protected content includes content added to a version relating to compression.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein said protected content includes data required for decompression of a block of a version which is virtually associated with an immediately preceding block of said version.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

said update package includes transforming commands and wherein said updating including protecting data relating to a transforming command.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein at least part of the content of each one of n (n>

1) blocks of the original version is modified in the updated version, and wherein said copying, compressing, updating and writing include performing m block storage operations, each block storage operation including writing content to a block in the non-volatile storage device;

the block storage operations include update block storage operations storing updated content of the updated version in the non-volatile storage device, the updated content is generated in accordance with at least the update package;

wherein 2<

=m<

2n.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the update package is associated with an update sequence for updating said storage blocks, and wherein said protected content which is required for decompression of a storage block containing updated content is associated with another storage block containing updated content which is updated later than said storage block according to said update sequence.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the update package is associated with an update sequence for updating said storage blocks and wherein said protected content which is required for decompression of a storage block containing original content is associated with another storage block containing original content which is updated earlier than said storage block according to said update sequence.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein at least part of the content of each one of n (n>

1) blocks of the original version is modified in the updated version, and wherein said copying, compressing, and writing include performing m block storage operations, each block storage operation including writing content to a block in the non-volatile storage device;

the block storage operations include update block storage operations storing updated content of the updated version in the non-volatile storage device, the updated content is generated in accordance with at least the update package;

wherein 2<

=m<

2n.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein during said writing said volatile memory is erased, further comprising:

copying remaining original content from said storage device to volatile memory, wherein if said remaining original content is stored compressed in said storage device, said copying includes decompressing said remaining original content;

updating said remaining original content;

copying updated content from said storage device to volatile memory, wherein if said updated content is stored compressed in said storage device said copying includes decompressing said updated content; and

using said protected content when decompressing any of said remaining original content or said updated content.

28. The method of claim 18, wherein said original version was compressed using a different compression algorithm or compression ratio than used to compress said updated version.

29. The method of claim 18, wherein one of said original version and said updated version includes separate storage blocks for each independently compressed content.

30. A method for generating an update package for in place updating of an original version of content stored in a non-volatile storage device with storage blocks to yield an updated version of content, the method comprising:

obtaining uncompressed old and uncompressed new versions of content;

obtaining dependencies between storage blocks of any of old and new versions resulting from any of transforming commands and decompression of one or both versions; and

simulating protection in a protection buffer of data required for performing any of transforming commands and decompressing one or both versions.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein if said protection buffer is not sufficient, protecting in the update package data required for performing any of transforming commands and decompressing one or both versions.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

storing virtual block delineation and decompression records for any of said uncompressed old and uncompressed new versions in said update package.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein the update package is associated with an update sequence for updating said storage blocks, and wherein the total size of data requiring protection depends on said update sequence;

said size is smaller than an arbitrary size of a protected content that depends on an arbitrary updated sequence associated with the update package;

said arbitrary update sequence is selected arbitrarily from among all possible update sequences which can be associated with said update package.

34. The method of claim 30, wherein said data required for decompression includes actual content in a version which is unrelated to compression.

35. The method of claim 30, wherein said data required for decompression includes content added to a version relating to compression.

36. The method of claim 30, wherein said data required for decompression includes data required for decompression of a block of a version which is virtually associated with an immediately previous block of said version.

37. An apparatus for in-place updating of an original version of content stored in a non-volatile storage device with storage blocks to yield an updated version of content, comprising:

a receiver configured to obtain an update package;

an update module configured to copy said original version or a part thereof to volatile memory and configured to update said original version or a part thereof to provide an updated version or a part thereof; and

a compression module configured to compress said updated version or a part thereof, if compressed, by interdependently compressing uncompressed amounts of said updated version, each of which will correspond to more than one storage block in said storage device, and protecting at least some content which is required for decompressing said updated version or by compressing independently each amount of uncompressed updated content which corresponds to a separate storage block;

wherein said update module is also configured to write said compressed updated version or a part thereof in place of said original version or a part thereof in said storage device.

38. An apparatus for generating an update package for in place updating of an original version of content stored in a non-volatile storage device with storage blocks to yield an updated version of content, comprising:

a decompression module configured to determine a correspondence between each storage block and an uncompressed virtual block and to determine decompression dependencies between blocks or configured to determine a correspondence between each storage block and an uncompressed virtual block which when independently compressed substantially equals a size of a storage block; and

an update package builder configured to simulate protection in a protection buffer of data required for performing any of transforming commands and decompressing one or both versions.

39. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for in-place updating of an original version of content stored in a non-volatile storage device with storage blocks to yield an updated version of content, the computer program product comprising:

computer readable program code for causing the computer to obtain an update package;

computer readable program code for causing the computer to copy said original version or part thereof to volatile memory;

computer readable program code for causing the computer to update said original version or part thereof to provide an uncompressed updated version or part thereof;

computer readable program code for causing the computer to compress said uncompressed updated version or part thereof so as to compress independently each amount of uncompressed updated content; and

computer readable program code for causing the computer to write said compressed updated version or part thereof in place of said original version or part thereof in said storage device, wherein each said independently compressed amount is written to a separate storage block.

40. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for generating an update package for in place updating of an original version of content stored in a non-volatile storage device with storage blocks to yield an updated version of content, the computer program product comprising:

computer readable program code for causing the computer to decompress into virtual blocks any of said original and updated versions which comprised separate storage blocks for each independently compressed content; and

computer readable program code for causing the computer to simulate protection in a protection buffer of data required for performing transforming commands.

41. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for in-place updating of an original version of content stored in a storage device with storage blocks to yield an updated version of content, the computer program product comprising:

computer readable program code for causing the computer to obtain an update package;

computer readable program code for causing the computer to copy said original version to volatile memory wherein if said original version includes content in more than one storage block which was compressed interdependently, then said copying includes decompressing said original version into volatile memory and protecting at least some content which is required for decompressing said original version;

computer readable program code for causing the computer to update the original version to provide an uncompressed updated version; and

computer readable program code for causing the computer to copy said updated version back to non-volatile memory in place of the original version wherein if said updated version is to be stored compressed where blocks are compressed interdependently, then said copying includes protecting at least some content which is required for decompressing said updated version and compressing interdependently updated blocks;

wherein at least one of said original version and said updated version includes content in more than one storage block which was compressed interdependently.

42. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for generating an update package for in place updating of an original version of content stored in a non-volatile storage device with storage blocks to yield an updated version of content, the computer program product comprising:

computer readable program code for causing the computer to obtain uncompressed old and uncompressed new versions of content;

computer readable program code for causing the computer to obtain dependencies between storage blocks of any of old and new versions resulting from any of transforming commands and decompression of one or both versions; and

computer readable program code for causing the computer to simulate protection in a protection buffer of data required for performing any of transforming commands and decompressing one or both versions.