Impinj, Inc.

Toshiba Memory Corporation

Kioxia Corporation

Toshiba Corporation

Ali Aiouaz

Christopher Delaney

Gordon W Waidhofer

Leland Thompson

Christopher J Diorio

Paul F Dietrich

Scott A Cooper

Omar Khwaja

Joel D Peshkin

David Ord

Theron Stanford

Aanand Esterberg

Chad A Lindhorst

Kambiz Rahimi

John Hamilton

A method and a computer readable medium comprising instructions for upgrading a firmware of a peripheral device connected to a host device via a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) bus from the operating system (OS) of the host device is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method and computer readable medium instructions includes halting host device access to the peripheral device after detecting the peripheral device has completed a shutdown sequence, and resetting the peripheral device after a predetermined time period after completion of the shutdown sequence. The method and computer readable medium instructions further includes initializing the firmware stored in a persistent storage location of the peripheral device, and re-establishing a connection between the peripheral device and the host device. In one embodiment, the predetermined time period is greater than a time it takes for the host device to detect the peripheral device has completed the shutdown sequence. In one embodiment, the peripheral device is a Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe)-compliant data storage device.

Host-safe firmware upgrade of a PCI express device

In one embodiment, a solid state drive (SSD) with power loss protection (PLP) includes a SSD controller, a secondary controller and a power circuit configured to supply power to the SSD from a power source during normal operation and backup power from a backup power source in response to a loss of power supplied by the power source. In the event of a loss of power, the secondary controller is configured to track the holdup time, or duration of time for which the primary controller can operate on backup power. In one embodiment, the holdup time tracked by the secondary controller is stored in a non-volatile memory in communication with the secondary controller.

Holdup time measurement for solid state drives

A method of updating a file in a solid state drive (SSD) and an SSD configured to update a file in the SSD is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes performing one or more writes to a holding file in an auxiliary memory, the one or more writes corresponding to an update for a target file in the auxiliary memory. The method further includes applying the update to the target file in the auxiliary memory when each of the one or more writes has been successfully written to the holding file, and resetting the holding file when less than all of the one or more writes have been successfully written to the holding file. In one embodiment, a flash controller in communication with the auxiliary memory performs the update.

Solid state drive with holding file for atomic updates

A solid state drive includes a dual buffer for buffering incoming write data prior to committal to a non-volatile memory. The buffer is operated to provide a temporary backup of dirty data pending successful completion of a host transfer. The dual buffer may be operated as a primary buffer and a secondary buffer. The primary buffer may be used as the default buffer during normal operation. The secondary buffer is written to during a host transfer that is a cache write to dirty data. A copying process may be used to copy data between the primary and the secondary buffer to preserve the backup data pending successful completion of the host transfer.

Dual buffer solid state drive

A solid state drive has a power failure savings mode that permits a reduction in holdup time for a temporary backup power supply. The solid state drive stores data in a multi-level cell (MLC) mode. In a power fail saving mode system metadata is written in a pseudo Single Level Cell (pSLC) mode. In the normal operating mode page writes are performed in complete blocks. In the power fail save saving mode data from a write buffer is written and additional dummy pages written to reduce the total number of pages that must be written to below a complete block size with the dummy pages providing protection from data corruption.

Power fail saving modes in solid state drive with MLC memory

RFID reader systems, software and methods precompute one or more reader commands, before a tag actually responds to an earlier transmitted command. This way a system can result at a high data rate, while meeting specification requirements of responding within a preset time.

Ahead-of-time scheduling of commands in RFID reader systems

RFID tags and chips for RFID tags are capable of being inventoried in one or more early attempts. These tags are capable of then refraining from participating in one or more subsequent inventorying attempts. In some embodiments refraining is performed solely by the tag, while in others it is guided by the RFID reader. In some embodiments, an inventoried indicator in the tag becomes updated upon backscattering. The updated value is used by the tag to recognize a subsequent attempt, and thus refrain from participating in it. This permits the subsequent attempt to be used more intensively for inventorying the more elusive, harder-to-read tags, especially in more demanding scenarios.

RFID tag chips and tags refraining from participating in a subsequent inventorying attempt and methods

An RFID reader controller and methods of controlling an RFID reader by an RFID reader controller are provided to limit or prevent the issuing of confidential information such as encryption keys, passwords, shared secrets, and the like to RFID tags if a reader is not authorized. A controller may determine the authorization status of a reader and limit its communication with the reader or instruct the reader to limit an operational aspect of the reader.

RFID reader controllers limiting theft of confidential information

Radio frequency identification (RFID) tags selected for inventorying using combination of preselect and/or post select criteria. The selection commands can be for selecting according to a tag memory content, by invoking the mask address or by comparing other tag characteristics. Selection criteria can be determined locally at a modem block of a reader or provided to the modem block by higher layers of the reader. Tags meeting the selection criteria are reported to the higher layers for further actions. Some tags may be held while waiting for instructions from the higher layer block(s).

Local processing of received RFID tag responses

RFID readers, reader systems, and methods are provided that utilize smart antenna switching. A first signal is transmitted from a first antenna estimating presence of tags within the antennas field of view. If fewer than a predefined number of tags are estimated, the system switches to a second antenna. Otherwise, the tags found in the field of view of the first antenna are inventoried before switching to the second antenna.

RFID readers and systems with antenna switching upon detecting too few tags and methods

RFID reader and methods of operating an RFID reader are provided to limit or prevent the issuing of confidential information such as encryption keys, passwords, shared secrets, and the like to RFID tags if a reader is not authorized. The reader may determine its authorization status based on a self-check, information from another reader, or information from a controller, and limit an operational aspect of itself or for communication with the tags.

RFID readers limiting theft of confidential information

The present disclosure provides a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader software structure and method. A functionality of a reader engine is extended, enabling it to communicate via an extended standard Application Programming Interface (API) with an application software. The extended functionality supports a Partner Service Module that resides in the reader, thus allowing at least one of its Partner Software Functions to communicate with the application software over a single connection.

Extending an RFID reader API

RFID readers, reader systems, and methods are provided for processing RFID tags through interruptions for antenna change or other reasons. If the reason for the interruption is an antenna change, the reader restarts processing the tags initializing any operational parameters. If the reason is other than an antenna change, the reader determines whether the operation is to be continued or to be restarted upon power up and proceeds accordingly.

Growing community of inventors

Mission Viejo, CA, United States of America

Ali Aiouaz