Patent · US Expired

Runtime flash device detection and configuration for flash data management software

US7277978B2 · kind B2 · utility

36Cited by
11References
49Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 16, 2003
Grant dateOct 2, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 9, 2024

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C16/20
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A memory device driver is described that can support multiple differing memory devices, in particular, differing Flash memory devices, by being internally re-configurable to match the driving and management requirements of the particular memory device. This allows for a limited number of operating system versions to be produced and maintained for a given system by the manufacturer, reducing the possibility of misconfiguration of the system/device by the inadvertent updating or programming of the wrong operating system version by an end user or service personnel. The resulting driver routine and/or operating system is also typically smaller than operating systems/drivers that compile in or load multiple separate drivers into themselves. In one embodiment of the present invention, the software driver is automatically configures itself by querying the memory device for a device ID and/or manufacturer code or by detecting a specific characteristic of the memory device being driven.

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