Starfish Software, Inc.

Gwoho H Liu

Philippe Richard Kahn

Eric O Bodnar

Roy W Feague

Jennifer J Lee

David E Jorgensen

Sector and block layers for a database management system improve the integrity of data in a flash memory in view of possible data corruptions caused by power interruptions. The sector layer implements a reclaiming function for copying valid data from a source to a destination so that the source sector can be erased. A sector state register indicates whether a sector is in use, in a first reclaiming state, in a second reclaiming state or in a reclaimed state. A destination sector register for a reclaiming source points to a reclaiming destination. A limitation is placed on permissible reclaiming sources for a given reclaiming destination, so that, if a first sector is a permissible source for a second sector, then the second sector cannot be a permissible source for the first sector. On power up, the sector layer is able to determine if a reclaiming operation was in progress when power was interrupted and, if so, which sectors were the source and destination, and at what point the reclaiming operation must be resumed to complete the operation successfully. At the block layer, a block state register indicates whether a data block is in an erased state, a written state, a committed state, a freed state, a freed and committed state, or a dirty state, a block label register is used to determine whether multiple blocks contain different versions of the same data item, and a block version register indicates which of multiple versions of the same data item were written more recently. On power up, data blocks that may have corrupted data from the prior power interruption are marked as dirty or invalid, and a block-level commit function is performed, in case such an operation was interrupted during the prior power interruption.

System and method for improving flash memory data integrity

A rule-based methodology is described which supports automatic mapping of data fields between different data sets in a data processing environment. If a field cannot be mapped or matched based on name alone (e.g., an identical match), the methodology employs rules to determine a type for the field, based on the field's name. The determined type of the field is then used for matching. The methodology can be employed to match fields which appear dissimilar phonetically but are otherwise appropriate for matching. In the currently-preferred embodiment, rules are stated in form of: regular expression&equals;type. Here, the regular expression member lists the text strings or substring(s) for the field. The rules are ordered in descending preference according to the likelihood that a given rule will correctly identify a field. In this mariner, the methodology allows the task of mapping fields from one data set to another to be entirely automated.

Methods for mapping data fields from one data set to another in a data processing environment

A portable computing device or &ldquo;information appliance&rdquo; having terse user input (e.g., limit set of keys) is provided with an improved user interface. A six-key embodiment is described that provides a &ldquo;super-key&rdquo; light entry and editing input system for ultra-portable devices, thus making it well suited for use with credit card-sized devices. In a preferred six-button embodiment, a credit card-sized device is modified to include an additional input button, an EDIT key. In user operation, pressing the EDIT key brings up a context sensitive pop-up menu, thus invoking the super-key feature. Customized user input controls, such as a Text Input Control (e.g., letter and number strips), are provided at appropriate times, for facilitating input. Underlying the super-key input is a heuristic sub-system that remembers and anticipates user input. In this fashion, the system can present in-context options for each application running on the target device, and present appropriate options during different phases of the execution of a variety of tasks. By remembering what the user has previously inputted and by using context-sensitive menus and adaptive &ldquo;quick&rdquo; lists, the system can anticipate what the user needs to do at any given time and can guide the user through a step-by-step process to complete each task, thus facilitating the tasks that users most often perform. By including adaptive techniques or built-in intelligence that allows the device to be faster and easier to use with each user session, the target device may anticipate the tasks users need to perform in specific situations and thus make those tasks increasingly easier.

User interface methodology supporting light data entry for microprocessor device having limited user input

A rule-based methodology is described which supports automatic mapping of data fields between different data sets in a data processing environment. If a field cannot be mapped or matched based on name alone (e.g., an identical match), the methodology employs rules to determine a type for the field, based on the field's name. The determined type of the field is then used for matching. The methodology can be employed to match fields which appear dissimilar phonetically but are otherwise appropriate for matching. In the currently-preferred embodiment, rules are stated in form of: regular expression&equals;type. Here, the regular expression member lists the text strings or substring(s) for the field. The rules are ordered in descending preference according to the likelihood that a given rule will correctly identify a field. In this manner, the methodology allows the task of mapping fields from one data set to another to be entirely automated.

A portable computing device or 'information appliance' having terse user input (e.g., limit set of keys) is provided with an improved user interface. A six-key embodiment is described that provides a 'super-key' light entry and editing input system for ultra-portable devices, thus making it well suited for use with credit card-sized devices. In a preferred six-button embodiment, a credit card-sized device is modified to include an additional input button, an EDIT key. In user operation, pressing the EDIT key brings up a context sensitive pop-up menu, thus invoking the super-key feature. Customized user input controls, such as a Text Input Control (e.g., letter and number strips), are provided at appropriate times, for facilitating input. Underlying the super-key input is a heuristic sub-system that remembers and anticipates user input. In this fashion, the system can present in-context options for each application running on the target device, and present appropriate options during different phases of the execution of a variety of tasks. By remembering what the user has previously inputted and by using context-sensitive menus and adaptive 'quick' lists, the system can anticipate what the user needs to do at any given time and can guide the user through a step-by-step process to complete each task, thus facilitating the tasks that users most often perform. By including adaptive techniques or built-in intelligence that allows the device to be faster and easier to use with each user session, the target device may anticipate the tasks users need to perform in specific situations and thus make those tasks increasingly easier.

Growing community of inventors

Scotts Valley, CA, United States of America

Gwoho H Liu