Super Talent Electronics, Inc.

Edward W Lee

Ming-Shiang Shen

Abraham C Ma

Charles Chung Lee

Ren-Kang Chiou

I-Kang Yu

Kuang-Yu Wang

Tzu-Yih Chu

Jim C Ni

David Q Chow

Horng-Yee Chou

Jim Chin-Nan Ni

Frank I-Kang Yu

Sun-Teck See

Chi Au

Hao Yin

An electronic data flash card includes a random number generator that generates a random number stored in the card and a host system each time the card is accessed by the host system. The random number is used by the host system to encrypt a logical branch address, a user password, and user data that is written to and stored in a secure area of the card. The random number is encrypted using a key associated with the card, and the encrypted random number is stored by the card with the associated encrypted data. The random number is not stored in the host system. A new random number is generated each time the card is queried. In a read process the host system decrypts the encrypted random number using the key, then uses the random number to decrypt the associated encrypted data. Access to read/write processes are password protected.

Data security for electronic data flash card

A secure flash-card reader reads a user ID from a secure card and finds a matching entry with a hashed password in a user table on the reader. An encrypted key is received from a secure host that hashes and encrypts a password the user types into the host and the user's ID. A card decryption engine uses a random number to decrypt the encrypted key and recover the hashed password and user ID from the secure host, which is compared by a comparator to the hashed password and user ID from the user table. A mismatch causes an access controller to block access to encrypted data on the secure card. Flash data is transferred over a flash-serial buffer bus between flash-card controllers and a RAM buffer. An encryption engine on the flash-serial buffer bus encrypts and decrypts data and connects to a serial engine to the host.

Secure flash-memory card reader with host-encrypted data on a flash-controller-mastered bus parallel to a local CPU bus carrying encrypted hashed password and user ID

A high volume testing/formatting process is provided for Universal Serial Bus-based (USB-based) electronic data flash cards (USB devices) that meets the increasing demand for USB electronic data flash cards (USB devices). A test host is simultaneously coupled to the multiple USB devices (e.g., using a multi-port card reader or a probe fixture), a controller endpoint value is read from each of the USB devices and verified with a known good value, and then testing/formatting is performed on each of the USB devices by writing predetermined data into each USB device in a pipelined manner, then reading out and testing the predetermined data. In one embodiment, the test host implements a special USB driver that blocks standard USB registration procedures upon detecting the plurality of USB devices. Control and/or boot code data are written onto the flash memory device (i.e., instead of being provided on a controller ROM).

Mass production testing of USB flash cards with various flash memory cells

An electronic data flash card is accessible by a host computer, and includes a processing unit connected to a flash memory device that stores a data file, and an input-output interface circuit activated so as to establish a communication with the host computer. In an embodiment, the electronic data flash card uses a USB input/output interface circuit for communication with the host computer. A flash memory controller includes an index for converting logical addresses sent by the host computer into physical addresses associated with sectors of the flash memory device. The index is controlled by arbitration logic referencing to values from various look up tables and valid data stored in the flash memory device. The flash memory controller further includes a first-in-first-out unit (FIFO) for recycling obsolete sectors of the flash memory device in the background process so that they are available for reprogramming.

Flash memory controller for electronic data flash card

A high volume testing/formatting process is provided for Universal Serial Bus-based (USB-based) electronic data flash cards (USB devices) that meets the increasing demand for USB electronic data flash cards (USB devices). A test host is simultaneously coupled to the multiple USB devices (e.g., using a multi-port card reader or a probe fixture), a controller endpoint value is read from each of the USB devices and verified with a known good value, and then testing/formatting is performed on each of the USB devices by writing predetermined data into each USB device in a pipelined manner, then reading out and testing the predetermined data. In one embodiment, the test host implements a special a USB driver that blocks standard USB registration procedures upon detecting the plurality of USB devices. Control and/or boot code data are written onto the flash memory device (i.e., instead of being provided on a controller ROM).

High volume testing for USB electronic data flash cards

An electronic data flash card with fingerprint capability is accessible by an host computer, and includes a processing unit connected to a flash memory device that stores a data file and reference fingerprint data of a person authorized to access the data file, a fingerprint sensor for scanning the fingerprint of a user and for generating input fingerprint data that can be compared with the stored reference fingerprint data, and an input-output interface circuit activated so as to establish a communication with the host computer. In an embodiment, the electronic data flash card uses a USB input/output interface circuit for communication with the host computer.

Electronic data flash card with fingerprint verification capability

An electronic data flash card accessible by a host computer, includes a flash memory controller connected to a flash memory device, and an input-output interface circuit activated to establish a communication with the host. In an embodiment, the flash card uses a USB interface circuit for communication with the host. A flash memory controller includes an arbitrator for mapping logical addresses with physical block addresses, and for performing block management operations including: storing reassigned data to available blocks, relocating valid data in obsolete blocks to said available blocks and reassigning logical block addresses to physical block addresses of said available blocks, finding bad blocks of the flash memory device and replacing with reserve blocks, erasing obsolete blocks for recycling after relocating valid data to available blocks, and erase count wear leveling of blocks, etc. Furthermore, each flash memory device includes an internal buffer for accelerating the block management operations.

Managing bad blocks in flash memory for electronic data flash card

An electronic data flash card is accessible by a host system, and includes a flash memory controller and at least one flash memory device coupled to the flash controller. The boot code and control code for the flash memory system (flash card) are stored in the flash memory device during a programming procedure. The flash controller transfers the boot code and control code to a volatile main memory (e.g., random access memory or RAM) at start up or reset making a RAM-based memory system. Boot code and control code are selectively overwritten during a code updating operation. A single flash controller thus supports multiple brands and types of flash memory to eliminate stocking issues.

Flash memory controller controlling various flash memory cells

Phase-change memory (PCM) cells store data using alloy resistors in high-resistance amorphous and low-resistance crystalline states. The time of the memory cell's set-current pulse can be 100 ns, much longer than read or reset times. The write time depends on the write data state and is relatively long for set, but short for clear. A PCM chip has a lookup table (LUT) caching write data that is later written to a PCM bank. Host data is latched into a line FIFO and written into the LUT, reducing write delays to the slower PCM. The PCM chip has upstream and downstream serial interfaces to other PCM chips arranged as a token stub. Requests are passed down the token-stub while acknowledgements are passed up the token-stub to the host's memory controller. Shared chip-enable lines are driven by the upstream PCM chip for requests, and by the downstream PCM chip for acknowledgements.

High-speed controller for phase-change memory peripheral device

A flash-memory cache card caches data that a host writes to a hard disk drive. A flash-memory array has physical blocks of flash memory arranged into first and second data areas having M blocks each, and a wear-leveling-counter pool. An incoming logical sector address (LSA) from a host is mapped to one of M entries in a RAM lookup table using a hash of modulo M. The RAM entry stores a mapping to a physical block in a foreground area that is either the first or the second data area. Pages in the physical block are read for a matching LSA that indicates a cache hit. Full pages are written back to the hard disk and erased in the background while the other data area becomes the foreground area. A new physical block with a low wear-level count is selected from blocks in the new foreground area.

Flash-memory card for caching a hard disk drive with data-area toggling of pointers stored in a RAM lookup table

A Universal-Serial-Bus (USB) device has a USB plug that is centered over a center-line of a circuit board. The circuit board with flash memory and a USB flash controller has metal pads that a USB connector is soldered to. The USB connector has a rear step that is about half the height of the USB connector plug. Contacts on the rear step are soldered to the metal pads on the circuit board so that the USB connector is centered around the edge of the circuit board. The overall height of the flash device can be reduced since the bulky USB connector is not attached off-center to the circuit board, but is attached at the half-height rear step. Both the USB connector and the circuit board share the same center line, allowing a printed-circuit board assembly (PCBA) to be symmetric around the center line.

Symmetric USB device with metal-tube plastic-plug shell with USB plug centered and integrated with circuit board substrate

A slimmaleUniversal-Serial-Bus (USB) connector fits on only one side of the connector substrate in a standard female USB connector. Wobble or vertical play is reduced by locking depressions in the slimmaleUSB connector that engage metal springs on a metal case that surrounds the female USB connector, locking the two connectors together. Between metal contacts on the slim USM connector are dividers that help fill in gaps when the two connectors are connected together, further reducing play. End rails on the slim USB connector fill in gaps on the sides. The connector substrate of the slimmaleUSB connector can be separate or can be integrated with a circuit board that holds a flash memory chip and a USB controller chip. The connector is wider than the standard width for a better fit. A slim female USB connector for assemblyusewith the slim male USB connector is also disclosed.

Assembly including slim female USB connector and slim male USB connector with spring-engaging depressions, stabilizing dividers and wider end rails

A memory flash card reader includes a processor for receiving at least one request from a host system, an index comprising information regarding sectors of the memory flash card wherein the processor may utilize the index to determine sectors of the memory flash card that are available for programming, reprogramming, or reading, and at least one card controller coupled to the processor.

Memory flash card reader employing an indexing scheme

A portable memory device includes a molded housing and a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) encased with the molded housing such that a plug connector extends from one end. A lower housing portion is produced by injection molding using a first apparatus, and then the lower housing portion is transferred to a second molding apparatus. The PCBA is mounted onto the lower housing such that the plug connector is received in a protected region. The second molding apparatus is then closed, and an upper housing portion is injected molded over the PBCA and exposed peripheral edges of the lower housing portion such that the upper housing portion becomes fused to the lower housing portion. Multiple lower housing portions connected together by plastic tethers to form a plastic strip, which facilitates efficient transfer to the second molding apparatus as a unit. The tethers are subsequently removed (e.g., singulated) to form individual memory devices.

Method for manufacturing a memory device

A peripheral device having a device processor, a multi-personality bus switch, and an extended Universal-Serial Bus (USB) plug is disclosed. The peripheral device is capable of communicating with a host computer using one or more protocols. The extended Universal-Serial Bus (USB) plug includes an extended pin substrate, the extended pin substrate and at least some of a plurality of contacts thereon being dimensioned to be mechanically compatible with an industry-standard USB socket. The extended USB plug further lacks an industry-standard cover associated with an industry-standard USB plug, thereby causing the extended USB plug to be thinner than the industry-standard USB plug.

Growing community of inventors

Mountain View, CA, United States of America

Edward W Lee