EXTENDED UTILIZATION AREA FOR A MEMORY DEVICE

• US 20090222639A1
• Filed: 02/28/2008
• Published: 09/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Memory Technologies LLC (Pendrell Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Hyvonen, Jani, Hakkinen, Jussi, Mylly, Kimmo, Gyl, Yevgen
• Granted Patent: US 8,307,180 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0646 Configuration or reconfiguration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1433 for a module or a part of a module
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1441 for a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1458 by checking the subject access rights
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/1694 Configuration of memory controller to different memory types
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/28 using burst mode transfer, e.g. direct memory access DMA, cycle steal G06F13/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/79 in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/1052 Security improvement
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/061 Improving I/O performance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0659 Command handling arrangements, e.g. command buffers, queues, command scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0673 Single storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/20 Memory cell initialisation circuits, e.g. when powering up or down, memory clear, latent image memory
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Methods, systems and devices for configuring access to a memory device are disclosed. The configuration of the memory device may be carried out by creating a plurality of access profiles that are adapted to optimize access to the memory device in accordance with the type of access. Accordingly, when an application with specific memory access needs is initiated, the memory access profile that is most optimized for that particular access need is utilized to configure access to the memory device. The configuration may be effected for a portion of the memory device, a partition of the memory device, or even one single access location on the memory device.

Claims

1. A method for configuring access to a memory device, comprising:

receiving one or more commands for activating one or more access profiles associated with said memory device; and

configuring access to said memory device in accordance with at least one of said access profiles.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more access profiles correspond to at least one of a random and a sequential mode of access.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said access profiles correspond to at least one of a read, a write, an erase, and a modify attribute operation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more access profiles are adapted to accommodate repeated access requests to an identical address of said memory device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more access profiles are adapted to produce an optimized performance associated with said memory device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said performance is optimized in accordance with at least one of:

data throughput, lifetime, and power consumption associated with said memory device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more commands comprise a metadata portion for designating a preferred access profile corresponding to said command.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein a specific memory location is utilized in accordance with said access profile.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said specific memory location comprises a section of said memory device with special characteristics.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said specific memory location comprises a separate physical memory chip.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more access profiles are associated with one or more partitions of said memory device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said configuring is adapted in parallel for two or more access profiles.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said configuring is carried out in accordance with JESD84 standard for eMMC.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising designating access priority levels to resolve simultaneous access conflicts to memory resources.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said memory device is used to effect both mass memory and system memory implementations.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising a default access profile that is used to configure said memory device upon power up.

17. A memory device, comprising:

one or more registers for storing one or more predefined access profiles associated with said memory device;

receiving means for receiving one or more commands for activating one or more access profiles associated with said memory device; and

configuring means for configuring access to said memory device in accordance with at least one of said predefined access profiles.

18. The memory device of claim 17, wherein said one or more access profiles correspond to at least one of a random and a sequential mode of access.

19. The memory device of claim 18, wherein said access profiles correspond to at least one of a read, a write, an erase, and a modify attribute operation.

20. The memory device of claim 17, wherein said one or more access profiles are adapted to accommodate repeated access requests to an identical address of said memory device.

21. The memory device of claim 17, wherein said one or more access profiles are adapted to produce an optimized performance associated with said memory device.

22. The memory device of claim 21, wherein said performance is optimized in accordance with at least one of:

data throughput, lifetime, and power consumption associated with said memory device.

23. The memory device of claim 17, wherein said one or more commands comprise a metadata portion for designating a preferred access profile corresponding to said command.

24. The memory device of claim 23, wherein a specific memory location is utilized in accordance with said access profile.

25. The memory device of claim 24, wherein said specific memory location comprises a section of said memory device with special characteristics.

26. The memory device of claim 24, wherein said specific memory location comprises a separate physical memory chip.

27. The memory device of claim 17, wherein said one or more access profiles are associated with one or more partitions of said memory device.

28. The memory device of claim 17, wherein said configuring is adapted in parallel for two or more access profiles.

29. The memory device of claim 28, wherein said configuring is carried out in accordance with JESD84 standard for eMMC.

30. The memory device of claim 28, further comprising means for designating access priority levels to resolve simultaneous access conflict to memory resources.

31. The memory device of claim 17, wherein said memory device is used to effect both mass memory and system memory implementations.

32. The memory device of claim 17, further comprising a default access profile that is used to configure said memory device upon power up.

33. The memory device of claim 17, wherein one or more of said predefined access profiles are updated with a new version of said access profile.

34. The memory device of claim 17, wherein a currently active access profile resides in a designated memory register.

35. A computer program product embodied on a computer-readable medium, comprising:

a computer code for receiving one or more commands for activating one or more access profiles associated with said memory device; and

a computer code for configuring access to said memory device in accordance with at least one of said access profiles.

36. A system for accessing a memory device, comprising:

an entity for receiving one or more commands for activating one or more access profiles associated with said memory device; and

an entity for configuring access to said memory device in accordance with at least one of said access profiles.

37. A system for accessing a memory device, comprising:

a host for issuing one or more commands in accordance with access needs for said memory device; and

an entity for receiving said commands and configuring access to said memory device in accordance with at least one or more access profiles.