Patent · US Expired

Use of a two-way stack approach to optimize flash memory management for embedded database systems

US6449625B1 · kind B1 · utility

161Cited by
11References
25Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateApr 20, 1999
Grant dateSep 10, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 20, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S707/99957
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and system for storing data in data blocks of predetermined size in an electronic memory (e.g. FLASH memory), particularly data such as updatable record of database transactions. The FLASH operates logically as two stacks where data is pushed into either end of the memory in alternating cycles. Between each push or write cycle, a garbage collection cycle is performed whereby only the most recent transaction performed on any particular record is preserved at one end of the stack, while the rest of the stack is made available for new data. When database being monitored is written to permanent memory, the entire FLASH is again made available for new data. If the database is periodically backed up to permanent memory, it can be restored to RAM by reducing the copy from the permanent memory and modifying it according to the record of database transactions in the electronic memory.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.