Operating system including improved file management for use in devices utilizing flash memory as main memory
US5787445A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 7, 1996 |
| Grant date | Jul 28, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 7, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S707/99956
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method of memory management for a primary memory created from a non-volatile, long-term storage medium, in particular flash memory, which enables direct manipulation of data segments stored therein. The data segments of a single file are typically not stored contiguously in relation to the order in which they are stored and subsequently recalled, yet the method enables recall in the logical order in which the data segments were created. This method is particularly useful for flash memory which has the characteristic of not being able to overwrite data in memory without first erasing previously recorded data. The method comprises the minimum steps of dividing the primary memory into equal size blocks, each block being the smallest amount of data which can be read from or written to memory in a single read or write operation. A cache memory the size of at least one of the read/write blocks is then coupled to the primary memory and provides temporary storage space for data being written to and read from primary memory.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.