Method for fast access to flash-memory media

Details Method for fast access to flash-memory media Method for fast access to flash-memory media

2005-04-04

2010-12-07

Ellis, Kevin L (Department: 2187)

Electrical computers and digital processing systems: memory

Storage accessing and control

Specific memory composition

C711S202000, C711S205000, C711S206000, C711S209000

Reexamination Certificate

active

07849253

ABSTRACT:
In one embodiment, the invention comprises a flash-media controller used for writing new data from an external system to a local flash-memory device. The newly written data may replace old data previously written to the flash-memory device, and may be written directly to unused locations within the flash-memory device. The flash-media controller may comprise a table of block descriptors and sector descriptors used to track specified characteristics of each block and sector of the flash-memory device, thereby allowing for write sequences to non-contiguous sectors within a block. Accordingly, copy operations may be deferred under the expectation that they will eventually become unnecessary, thereby designating old data as having become stale. Once all data within a block has been designated as being stale, the block may be marked as unused and may be made available for subsequent write operations, thereby providing fast write access to the flash-memory device, and significantly reducing the number of required copy operations during data transfer to the flash-memory device.

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