IP Library › Granted Patent US 12687988
Granted Patent B2
US 12687988 · App. 18/830,183 · Granted Jul 21, 2026

Host independent control of storage devices using control devices

Inventors: Mahipal Reddy Ankilla (Warangal, IN); Shubhi Khanna (Gurugram, IN)
Assignee: Sandisk Technologies, Inc.
G06F3/0659G06F3/0604G06F3/0679
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12687988
App. No.
18/830,183
Granted
Jul 21, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A data storage device can include a non-volatile memory, a sensor configured to detect an input from a control device, and control circuitry configured to: receive commands from one or more hosts or one or more control devices; detect an input from a control device using the sensor; determine whether the data storage device is connected to a host; in response to determining that the data storage device is not connected to a host, determine a command associated with the input, wherein the input is mapped to a specified command not involving data transfer; and perform one or more operations associated with the command.

Claims (40)

1 . A data storage device comprising:

a non-volatile memory;

a sensor configured to detect an input from a control device; and

control circuitry configured to:

receive commands from one or more hosts or one or more control devices;

detect an input from a control device using the sensor;

determine whether the data storage device is connected to a host;

in response to determining that the data storage device is not connected to a host, determine a command associated with the input, wherein the input is mapped to a specified command not involving data transfer; and

perform one or more operations associated with the command.

2 . The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the control device is a wavelength emitter.

3 . The data storage device of claim 2 , wherein the sensor is a wavelength sensor.

4 . The data storage device of claim 3 , further comprising an authenticator.

5 . The data storage device of claim 2 , wherein the input is a wavelength and a specified wavelength is mapped to a command.

6 . The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a fingerprint sensor.

7 . The data storage device of claim 6 , wherein the input is a fingerprint and a specified fingerprint is mapped to a command.

8 . The data storage device of claim 6 , wherein the sensor is configured to function as the control device.

9 . The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the command is a host command that can be performed without a connection to a host.

10 . The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to, in response to determining that the data storage device is connected to a host, discard the input from the control device.

11 . The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to toggle between receiving a command from a host and a command from a control device.

12 . The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the command includes one or more of: a lock command, an unlock command, an erase command, a format command, a power on command, a power off command, a sleep command, or a wakeup command.

13 . A method of providing host independent control in a data storage device, the method comprising:

detecting, by control circuitry of a data storage device, an input from a control device using a sensor, wherein the data storage device includes a non-volatile memory, the sensor, and the control circuitry, and is configured to receive commands from one or more hosts or one or more control devices;

determining, by the control circuitry, whether the data storage device is connected to a host;

in response to determining that the data storage device is not connected to a host, determining, by the control circuitry, a command associated with the input, wherein the input is mapped to a specified command not involving data transfer; and

performing, by the control circuitry, one or more operations associated with the command.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the control device is a wavelength emitter and the sensor is a wavelength sensor.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the input is a wavelength and a specified wavelength is mapped to a command.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the sensor is a fingerprint sensor.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the input is a fingerprint and a specified fingerprint is mapped to a command.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the sensor is configured to function as the control device.

19 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the command includes one or more of: a lock command, an unlock command, an erase command, a format command, a power on command, a power off command, a sleep command, or a wakeup command.

20 . A data storage device comprising:

a non-volatile memory;

a sensor configured to detect an input from a control device; and

controller means configured to:

receive commands from one or more hosts or one or more control devices;

detect an input from a control device using the sensor;

determine whether the data storage device is connected to a host;

in response to determining that the data storage device is not connected to a host, determine a command associated with the input, wherein the input is mapped to a specified command not involving data transfer; and

perform one or more operations associated with the command.