Qualcomm Incorporated

Hung Quoc Vuong

Hyunsuk Shin

Xiaohua Kong

Nam Dang

Cheng Zhong

David Teb

Robert Hardacker

Todd Christopher Reynolds

Amit Gil

Henry Laurel Sanchez

Venkatakrishnan Gopalakrishnan

Systems and method are directed to Universal Flash Storage (UFS) memory system configured to support deep power-down modes wherein the UFS memory system is not required to be responsive to commands received from a host device coupled to the UFS memory system. Correspondingly, in the deep power-down modes, a link or interface between the UFS memory system and the host device may also be powered down. The UFS memory system may enter the deep power-down modes based on a command received from the host device or a hardware reset assertion, and exit the deep power-down modes based on a hardware reset de-assertion or power cycling. While in deep power-down modes, the power consumption of the UFS memory device is substantially lower than the power consumption of the UFS memory device in conventional power modes.

Power down mode for universal flash storage (UFS)

Methods and apparatuses to fragment data in a flash memory device are presented. The apparatus includes a host configured to request a flash memory device, via a memory bus, to fragment data stored in the flash memory device in response to a determination of a data fragmentation status of the flash memory device exceeding a threshold. The method includes determining a data fragmentation status of the flash memory device exceeding a threshold and requesting, by a host, the flash memory device to fragment data stored in the flash memory device in response to the determining the data fragmentation status exceeding the threshold.

Flash memory device with data fragment function

A system is proposed to enable a hardware based host controller to perform operations related to Host-aware Performance booster (HPB). The host controller may retrieve a command packet from a host memory targeting a logical address of a storage location of the storage device, may retrieve a physical address of the storage device mapped to the logical address from the address map, and may send the command packet to the storage device. The sent command packet may have the physical address incorporated therein.

Controller hardware automation for host-aware performance booster

In conventional systems with a plurality of UFS devices daisy-chained to a UFS host, a UFS device driver must be able to differentiate among the links, and send either link control messages or data/management (D/M) messages to a UFS host controller. This can make force the UFS device driver to be complicated and error prone. To address this issue, a host controller can provide a uniform view of a plurality of daisy-chained devices to a device driver of a host. For example, the host controller can be such that from the perspective of the device driver, each device can appear to be a point-to-point connected device. This can allow the device driver to use a same set of link control messages to control the links. In this way, the device driver can be simplified and thus less error prone.

Hardware automated link control of daisy-chained storage device

An electronic device includes a receiver sense circuit configured to generate a detection signal responsive to detecting a connection to a sink device via a connector. The electronic device further includes a controller coupled to a hot plug detect (HPD) interface. The controller is configured to enable a direct current (DC) voltage source based on the detection signal received from the receiver sense circuit.

Power saving during a connection detection

Systems and method are directed to a Universal Flash Storage (UFS) host capable of interfacing one or more UFS devices. The UFS host includes a plurality of mobile-physical-layers (M-PHYs) for supporting one or more lanes of traffic between the UFS host and the one or more UFS devices. A Reference M-PHY MODULE Interface (RMMI) router is coupled between a Unified Protocol link layer (Unipro) and the plurality of M-PHYs. The RMMI router is configurable in a transparent mode to pass traffic, without routing, between the UFS host and a 2-lane embedded UFS device through the two M-PHYs. The RMMI router is configurable in a routing mode, to route traffic to a first M-PHY interfacing a 1-lane embedded UFS device or to a second M-PHY interfacing a 1-lane removable UFS card. The RMMI router is configurable based on metal strap or read only memory (ROM) setting.

Universal flash storage (UFS) host design for supporting embedded UFS and UFS card

Systems and method for a host-driven data refresh of a Flash memory include registers provided in the Flash memory for storing various settings related to refresh operations, such as, when to start/stop refreshing, target partitions in the memory, target start/end address ranges for refreshing, refresh algorithms, refresh rate requirements, etc. A host can control the various settings for start/stop refreshing, target partitions in the memory, target start/end address ranges for refreshing, refresh algorithms, through the corresponding registers; and the Flash memory can control various values related to refresh rate requirements through corresponding registers. In this manner, a standard platform or interface is provided within the Flash memory for refresh operations thereof.

Managing refresh for flash memory

Removable memory card type detection systems and methods are disclosed. In one aspect, a removable memory card is inserted into a receptacle of a host. The host determines a type of removable memory card based upon either electrical or physical properties of the removable memory card. In this manner, if the host detects that the removable memory card possesses certain electrical or physical properties associated with a microSD card, the host determines that the removable memory card is a microSD type card. If the host detects that the removable memory card possesses certain electrical or physical properties associated with a UFS card, the host determines that the removable memory card is a UFS type card. By determining the card type based on detection of certain electrical or physical properties, aspects disclosed herein are able to distinguish between UFS and microSD cards without requiring an additional pin or card initialization time.

Removable memory card type detection systems and methods

In a particular embodiment, an electronic device includes a direct current (DC) voltage source coupled to a DC interface. The electronic device includes a receiver sense circuit configured to detect a connection of the electronic device to a sink device via a connector without consuming power from the DC voltage source. The electronic device further includes a controller coupled to a hot plug detect (HPD) interface. The controller is configured to receive a detection signal from the receiver sense circuit, selectively control a switch to enable and disable the DC voltage source based on the detection signal, detect an HPD signal at the HPD interface after enabling the DC voltage source, and disable the receiver sense circuit in response to detecting the HPD signal.

Power saving for hot plug detect (HPD) is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a method includes detecting, at a source device that is connectable to a sink device, a connection of the source device to the sink device via a connector. The source device includes a DC voltage source and the connection is detected without consuming power from the DC voltage source.

Growing community of inventors

San Diego, CA, United States of America

Hung Quoc Vuong