IP Library Granted Patent US 8,230,159
Granted Patent B2
US 8,230,159 · App. 12/413,312 · Granted Jul 24, 2012

System, method, and computer program product for sending logical block address de-allocation status information

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,230,159
App. No.
12/413,312
Granted
Jul 24, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system, method, and computer program product are provided for sending de-allocation status information. In use, a de-allocation status of at least a portion of memory associated with a logical block address is determined. Additionally, de-allocation status information is generated, based on the determination. Furthermore, the de-allocation status information is sent to a device.

Claims (31)

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a de-allocation command from a requestor;

selectively de-allocating user data, protection data, or both user data and protection data from at least a portion of memory associated with a logical block address, in response to the de-allocation command;

determining a de-allocation status of the at least a portion of memory associated with the logical block address, in response to a query from the requestor;

generating de-allocation status information, based on the determination; and

sending the de-allocation status information to the requestor.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the de-allocation status information includes an indicator for indicating whether the at least a portion of the memory associated with the logical block address is de-allocated.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the indicator indicates a mapped status when the at least a portion of the memory associated with the logical block address is allocated.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the indicator indicates an unmapped status when the at least a portion of the memory associated with the logical block address is de-allocated.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising automatically sending additional de-allocation status information.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the automatically sending of the additional de-allocation status information is at a timed interval.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the automatically sending of the additional de-allocation status information is upon de-allocation.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising specifying data that is de-allocated from the at least a portion of memory associated with the logical block address.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein one of a command or a mode page is utilized to specify one of the data that is de-allocated or a format of data to be returned for de-allocated data.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the data that is de-allocated includes at least a portion of at least one of the user data or the protection data.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least a portion of memory associated with the logical block address includes one of multiple logical block address sectors, one logical block address sector, or a portion of a logical block address sector.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sending of the de-allocation status information to the device includes sending a bad status if an unmapped memory block is read.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising detecting a command to write a pattern of data.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the command to write a pattern of data includes one of a WRITE SAME command or a FORMAT command.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the user data or the protection data is de-allocated based on the command to write a pattern of data.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising storing the user data separate from the protection data in the at least a portion of memory associated with the logical block address.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the requester is enabled to convert logical block address de-allocation information in a first format associated with a first protocol to logical block address de-allocation information in a second format associated with a second protocol, and the de-allocation command comprises the logical block address de-allocation information in the second format.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the requestor includes at least one of a protocol chip or protocol based buffer.

19. A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium, comprising:

computer code for receiving a de-allocation command from a requestor;

computer code for selectively de-allocating user data, protection data, or both user data and protection data from at least a portion of memory associated with a logical block address, in response to the de-allocation command;

computer code for determining a de-allocation status of the at least a portion of memory associated with the logical block address, in response to a query from the requestor; and

computer code for generating de-allocation status information, based on the determination; and

computer code for sending the de-allocation status information to the requestor.

20. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory controller for receiving a de-allocation command from a requestor, for selectively de-allocating user data, protection data, or both user data and protection data from at least a portion of memory associated with a logical block address, in response to the de-allocation command, for determining a de-allocation status of the at least a portion of memory associated with the logical block address, in response to a query from the requestor, for generating de-allocation status information based on the determination, and for sending the de-allocation status information to the requestor.

Assignments (6)
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS (RELEASES RF 032856-0031) Recorded Feb 2, 2016
From: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: LSI CORPORATION; AGERE SYSTEMS LLC
Reel/Frame 037684/0039 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 21, 2015
From: LSI CORPORATION
To: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
Reel/Frame 034776/0363 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN CERTAIN PATENTS INCLUDED IN SECURITY INTEREST PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (032856/0031) Recorded Nov 6, 2014
From: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: LSI CORPORATION; AGERE SYSTEMS LLC
Reel/Frame 034177/0257 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 8, 2014
From: LSI CORPORATION; AGERE SYSTEMS LLC
To: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 032856/0031 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 22, 2012
From: SANDFORCE, INC.
To: LSI CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 028427/0932 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 27, 2009
From: STENFORT, ROSS JOHN
To: SANDFORCE, INC.
Reel/Frame 022471/0589 →