Phison Electronics Corporation

Tsinghua University

Ching-Wen Chang

Meng-Chang Chen

Huan-Sheng Li

Sun-Zen Chen

Wen-Feng Kuo

Sing-Chang Liu

Hong-Jum Tan

Tzu-Yuan Meng

Ruo-Ying Wu

Yu-Cheng Tzeng

A flash memory storage device, a controller thereof, and a programming management method thereof are provide for the flash memory storage device including a flash memory chip, wherein at least a first thread and a second thread are to be implemented within the flash memory storage device. The method includes defining a predetermined programming unit and receiving a first write command sent by a host. The method also includes distributing a control right of the flash memory chip to the first thread if the first write command is determined to be executed by the first thread, and controlling the first thread to release the control right of the flash memory chip after the first thread finishes a programming operation of the predetermined programming unit.

Method of performing write access by distributing control rights to threads, memory controller and flash memory storage device using the same

A data protecting method for a rewritable non-volatile memory module having physical blocks is provided, a plurality of logical block addresses is mapped to a part of the physical blocks. The method includes, configuring a plurality of virtual block addresses to map to the logical block addresses, grouping at least one virtual block address into a virtual block address area, and allocating the virtual block address area to an application. The method also includes, receiving an access command which is configured to instruct accessing a first virtual block address from the application. The method also includes: determining whether the first virtual block address belongs to the virtual block address area, if not, sending an error message to the application. Accordingly, the method can effectively prevent an application from accessing the data which can not be accessed by the application program.

Data protecting method, memory controller and memory storage device using the same

An identification code generation method and a management method for a non-volatile memory, and a controller and a storage system using the same are provided, and the non-volatile memory has a plurality of physical blocks. The identification code generation method includes testing the physical blocks to obtain an availability state of the physical blocks and identifying a plurality of good physical blocks or bad physical blocks among the physical blocks according to the availability state. The identification code generation method also includes generating a memory identification code corresponding to the non-volatile memory according to the good physical blocks or the bad physical blocks. Thereby, in the present invention, a unique memory identification code is generated and is prevented from being stolen.

Memory management method, controller, and storage system

A memory space management method adapted to a rewritable non-volatile memory module having a plurality of physical blocks is provided. In the memory space management method, a first area and a second area are configured. An authentication information is received from a host system, and whether the authentication information matches a predetermined authentication information is determined. If the authentication information does not match the predetermined authentication information, a counting value is updated. If the counting value matches a predetermined number, a first procedure is executed. In the first procedure, a third area is configured, wherein the capacity of the third area is a sum of the capacity of the first area and at least a portion of the capacity of the second area. The third area is provided to the host system to be accessed. Thereby, the memory space of the rewritable non-volatile memory module is effectively used.

Memory space management method and memory controller and memory storage device and memory storage using the same

A data access method for accessing a rewritable non-volatile memory module via a data bus through a first and a second thread module, and a memory controller and a memory storage apparatus using the same are provided. In the present method, an access executing right is assigned to the second thread module to write page data. Whether an access command to be executed by the first thread module is received is determined when the second thread module writes a predetermined amount of page data into a predetermined number of physical pages. The access executing right is assigned to the first thread module when the access command is received, so that the first thread module executes the access command in a foreground mode and the second thread module executes an ongoing task in a background mode. Thereby, timeout caused by delayed response of the first thread module is effectively avoided.

Multi-threaded memory operation using block write interruption after a number or threshold of pages have been written in order to service another request

A data writing method for writing data into a physical block of a rewritable non-volatile memory module is provided. The method includes setting danger distance respectively corresponding to each of the physical pages of the physical block, and setting a secure writing flag in an enable state in response to a secure write command. The method also includes determining whether the secure writing flag is set in the enable state when receiving a write command and updated data thereof; if no, writing the updated data into a predetermined physical page of the physical block; if yes, writing the updated data into a secure physical page of the physical block and re-setting the secure writing flag in a disable state, and the distance between the secure physical page and the predetermined physical page is equal to the danger distance corresponding to the predetermined physical page.

Data writing method, memory controller and memory storage apparatus

A key transport method for transporting a key from a buffer memory to an encryption/decryption unit is provided. The method includes logically dividing bits of the key into key segments, wherein each of the key segments has a start position and a segment length. The method also includes setting a transmission length belonging to each of key segments based on the start positions and the segment lengths of the key segments; assigning a transmission bit stream belonging to each of the key segments from the bits of the key according to the start positions and the transmission lengths of the key segments; determining a transmission sequence; and sending the start position, the segment length and the transmission bit stream belonging to each of the key segments to the encryption/decryption unit from the buffer memory based on the transmission sequence. Accordingly, the method can transport the key safely.

Key transport method, memory controller and memory storage apparatus

A data writing method for a rewritable non-volatile memory module containing physical blocks is provided. The method includes: configuring virtual block address to map to at least a part of the logical blocks; receiving a write command which instructs to write file data to the first virtual block addresses, and the first virtual block addresses are mapped to first logical blocks of the at least the part of the logical blocks. The method further includes: writing the file data into the physical blocks mapped to a plurality of second logical blocks; determining whether a program failure is occurred during the writing period; and if the program failure is not occurred, the first virtual block addresses are remapped to the second logical block. Accordingly, the method can ensure the update completeness of the file data.

Data writing method, and memory controller and memory storage device using the same

A method of dispatching and transmitting data stream, which is used for a memory storage apparatus having a non-volatile memory module and a smart card chip, is provided. The method includes configuring a plurality of logical block addresses, and a plurality of specific logical block addresses are used for storing a specific file. The method also includes receiving a response data unit from the smart card chip and storing the response data unit in a buffer memory. The method also includes, when a logical block address corresponding to a read command from a host system belongs to one of the specific logical block addresses and the buffer memory stores a response data unit, transmitting the response data unit stored in the buffer memory to the host system. Accordingly, the method can make the host system to correctly receive the response data unit from the smart card chip.

Method of dispatching and transmitting data streams, memory controller and storage apparatus

A data processing method for a memory storage apparatus having physical blocks is provided. The method includes: grouping the physical blocks into a data area, a spare area and a system area; configuring a plurality of logical addresses which would be formatted into a file allocation table area having cluster entry fields, a root directory area having directory entry fields and a file area having clusters; storing a communication file from the Kcluster of the file area; recording a file description block corresponding to the communication file in the Mdirectory entry field and storing an end of cluster chain mark in the cluster entry field corresponding to the last cluster of the clusters where the communication file stores, and K and M are positive integers which are larger than one. Accordingly, the method can prevent the communication file from being overwritten after the memory storage apparatus is formatted.

Apparatus with smart card chip for storing communication file in non-volatile memory

A flash memory storage system is provided. The flash memory storage system includes a controller having a rewritable non-volatile memory and a flash memory chip. The rewritable non-volatile memory stores a data token and the flash memory chip stores a security data and a message digest. When the security data in the flash memory chip is updated, the controller updates the data token and generates an eigenvalue, and updates the message digest according to the updated data token and the updated eigenvalue by using a one-way hash function, respectively. When the security data in the flash memory chip is processed by the controller, the controller determinates whether the security data is falsified according to the data token, the eigenvalue and the message digest. In such a way, the security data stored in the flash memory storage system can be effectively protected.

Flash memory storage system, and controller and method for anti-falsifying data thereof

A data stream dispatching method for a memory storage apparatus having a non-volatile memory module and a smart card chip is provided. The method includes configuring a plurality of logical block addresses for the non-volatile memory module, wherein a plurality of specific logical block addresses is used for storing a specific file. The method also includes receiving a response data unit from the smart card chip and storing the response data unit into a buffer memory. The method further includes when a logical block address corresponding to a read command issued by a host system is one of the specific logical block addresses and the response data unit is stored in the buffer memory, transmitting the response data unit to the host system by aligning an access unit. Thereby, the host system can correctly receive the response data unit from the smart card chip.

Method for dispatching and transmitting data streams between host system and memory storage apparatus having non-volatile memory and smart card chip, memory controller, and memory storage apparatus

A system, a controller, and a method for transmitting and distributing a data stream from a host to a storage device having a non-volatile memory and a chip are provided. A specific mark is added into a data stream which is transmitted from the host to the storage device, such that the data stream can be dispatched to the chip by transmitting a write command. Then, a response message generated by the chip can be received inerrably by executing a plurality of read commands.

System, controller and method thereof for transmitting and distributing data stream

A method of dynamically switching partitions for a memory card having a plurality of physical blocks is provided. The method includes configuring logical blocks for mapping to at least a portion of the physical blocks and dividing the logical blocks into first and second partitions; coupling the memory card to a host system and setting CSD corresponding to the memory card as a first default value corresponding to the first partition, wherein the host system requests the CSD to obtain the first default value and accesses the first partition according to the first default value; and setting the CSD corresponding to the memory card as a second default value corresponding to the second partition in response to a switch command from the host system, wherein the host system re-requests the CSD to obtain the second default value and accesses the second partition according to the second default value.

Method of dynamically switching partitions, memory card controller and memory card storage system

Methods for preparing a patterned metal/metal oxide layer by using a solution type precursor or sol-gel precursor are provided and, especially, a method for preparing a patterned carrier transport of a solar cell and a method for preparing biomedical material are provided, which comprise the following steps: (A) providing a substrate, and a mold with designed patterns formed thereon; (B) coating the substrate with a solution of a precursor to form a precursor layer, wherein the precursor is a metal precursor or a metal oxide precursor; (C) pressing the mold together with the precursor layer to transfer the patterns of the mold onto the precursor layer; (D) curing or pre-curing the precursor layer; (E) removing the mold; and (F) conducting an optional post-treatment, if it being demanded, to further modify the properties of precursor layer.

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Hsinchu, Taiwan

Ching-Wen Chang