IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,645,656
Granted Patent B2
US 8,645,656 · App. 13/874,218 · Granted Feb 4, 2014

Flash memory controller

Inventors: Tony Yoon (Cupertino, CA); Akio Goto (Saitama, JP); Chi Kong Lee (Fremont, CA); Masayuki Urabe (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: Marvell World Trade Ltd.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,645,656
App. No.
13/874,218
Filed
Apr 30, 2013
Granted
Feb 4, 2014
Kind
B2
Examiner
ROJAS, MIDYS
Art Unit
2188
USPC
711/167
Abstract

A method includes, in at least one aspect, asserting a control signal to one or more devices, determining an initial wait time after asserting the control signal, issuing a first command based on the initial wait time, determining a first interval time associated with the first command and a second command, and issuing the second command based on the first interval time.

Claims (41)

1. A method comprising:

asserting a control signal to one or more devices;

determining an initial wait time after asserting the control signal;

issuing a first command based on the initial wait time;

determining a first interval time associated with the first command and a second command; and

issuing the second command based on the first interval time.

2. The method of claim 1 , where issuing a first command based on the initial wait time includes issuing the first command after the initial wait time.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a second interval time associated with the second command and a third command; and

issuing the third command based on the second interval time.

4. The method of claim 3 , where the first interval time and the second interval time include a same duration.

5. The method of claim 3 , where the first interval time and the second interval time include a different duration.

6. The method of claim 1 , where asserting a control signal includes asserting a read command to the one or more devices, and

where issuing a first command includes issuing a read status command based the initial wait time.

7. The method of claim 1 , where asserting a control signal includes asserting a program command to the one or more devices, and

where issuing a first command includes issuing a program status command after the initial wait time.

8. The method of claim 1 , where asserting a control signal to one or more devices includes asserting a control signal to one or more memory devices.

9. A device comprising:

a first programmable timer to specify an initial wait time associated with issuing one or more commands to at least one device; and

a second programmable timer to specify an interval time to control a period between each issued command.

10. The device of claim 9 , where the one or more commands are issued to the device after the initial wait time.

11. The device of claim 9 , wherein the command includes one of a read, program or erase command.

12. The device of claim 9 , further comprising:

one or more channels coupled with the device, the one or more channels configured to receive more than one control signal.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the more than one control signal includes a chip enable signal and a write enable signal.

14. The device of claim 13 , where the initial wait time is implemented while the chip enable signal is logic low and the write enable signal is logic high.

15. The device of claim 9 , where the first programmable timer specifies an initial wait time associated with issuing one or more commands to at least one memory device.

16. A system comprising:

one or more devices; and

a controller connected with the one or more devices, the controller configured to:

assert a control signal to the one or more devices,

determine an initial wait time after asserting the control signal,

issue a first command based on the initial wait time,

determine a first interval time associated with the first command and a second command, and

issue the second command based on the first interval time.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the one or more devices include one or more memory devices.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the control signal includes a read command, and the first command includes a read status command.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the control signal includes a program command, and the first command includes a program status command.

20. The system of claim 16 , further comprising:

a first programmable timer configured to specify the initial wait time for controlling a period between asserting the control signal and issuing the first command; and

a second programmable timer configured to specify the interval time for controlling a period between issuing each command.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 16, 2020
From: CAVIUM INTERNATIONAL
To: MARVELL ASIA PTE, LTD.
Reel/Frame 053475/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 20, 2020
From: MARVELL INTERNATIONAL LTD.
To: CAVIUM INTERNATIONAL
Reel/Frame 052918/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 29, 2020
From: MARVELL WORLD TRADE LTD.
To: MARVELL INTERNATIONAL LTD.
Reel/Frame 051778/0537 →
Continuity (4)
Division 12241000 · Sep 29, 2008
Provisional Application 60976624 · Oct 1, 2007
Provisional Application 60976616 · Oct 1, 2007
Related Publication 20130290614A1 · Oct 31, 2013