IP Library Granted Patent US 8,892,831
Granted Patent B2
US 8,892,831 · App. 12/193,551 · Granted Nov 18, 2014

Memory subsystem hibernation

Inventors: Vadim Khmelnitsky (Foster City, CA); Nir Jacob Wakrat (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: Apple Inc.
G06F13/4239Y02B60/1228Y02B60/1235
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,892,831
App. No.
12/193,551
Granted
Nov 18, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a managed memory subsystem, information associated with the memory subsystem is copied from volatile memory in the memory subsystem to host system memory. The copying can be over a standard interface. Responsive to memory subsystem power up from a powered down state or power loss, the information is copied from the host system memory back to the volatile memory in the memory subsystem, where the information can be used by the memory subsystem to perform memory operations. Transferring information from host system memory to volatile memory in a memory subsystem is faster and more power efficient than transferring the same information from non-volatile memory to volatile memory in the memory subsystem.

Claims (21)

1. A method comprising:

copying state information from a volatile memory of a managed memory system into a non-volatile memory included in the managed memory system, wherein the state information includes information used to map logical sector requests from a host system to the non-volatile memory;

copying address information from the volatile memory of the managed memory system to a volatile memory of the host system coupled to the managed memory system, wherein the address information includes a physical address of the state information stored in the non-volatile memory;

responsive to a power-related trigger event, reading the address information from the volatile host system memory; and

using the physical address included in the address information read from the volatile memory of the host system to access the state information stored in the non-volatile memory.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the managed memory system is a managed NAND memory system.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the address information is copied over a bus that conforms to at least one of the following standard bus protocols: Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA), MultiMediaCard (MMC) and Secure Digital (SD).

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the volatile memory of the managed memory system is accessible by an embedded controller in the managed memory system.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising detecting the power-related trigger event by the managed memory system.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the power-related trigger event comprises the managed memory system powering up from a powered down or power loss state.

7. A memory system, comprising:

a host system comprising volatile memory; and

a managed memory system comprising volatile memory and non-volatile memory, wherein information related to the managed memory system is stored in the volatile memory, and wherein the managed memory system comprises a processor configured to:

copy state information from the volatile memory of the managed memory system into the non-volatile memory of the managed memory system, wherein the state information includes information used to map logical sector requests from the host system to the non-volatile memory of the managed memory system;

copy address information from the volatile memory of the managed memory system to the volatile memory of the host system, wherein the address information includes a physical address of the state information stored in the non-volatile memory;

read, responsive to a power-related trigger event, the address information from the volatile host system memory; and

use the physical address included in the address information read from the volatile memory of the host system to access the state information stored in the non-volatile memory.

8. The memory system of claim 7 , wherein the managed memory system is a managed NAND memory system.

9. The memory system of claim 7 , wherein the address information is copied over a bus that conforms to at least one of the following bus protocols: Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA), MultiMediaCard (MMC) and Secure Digital (SD).

10. The memory system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to detect the power-related trigger event.

11. The memory system of claim 7 , wherein the power-related trigger event comprises the managed memory system powering up from a powered down or power loss state.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 18, 2008
From: KHMELNITSKY, VADIM; WAKRAT, NIR JACOB
To: APPLE INC.
Reel/Frame 021550/0072 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61021560 · Jan 16, 2008
Related Publication 20090182962A1 · Jul 16, 2009