Lexmark International, Inc.

Matthew Scott Keith

John K Brown, Iii

Martin Geoffrey Rivers

Gail Marie Songer

Michael Donald Bender

Christopher Mark Songer

A method and apparatus for reclaiming space on a flash memory device is provided in which valid data is copied from an individually erasable sector on the flash device to a designated memory location. The sector is then formatted or erased and the valid data is returned to the flash device at the next available free space contiguously. A pointer is updated to keep track of the location of the next available recently formatted free space on the flash device. The process is then repeated on each consecutive sector on the flash memory device until all valid data becomes contiguous on one contiguous segment of the device and all free space becomes contiguous on a second contiguous segment of the device. In this manner, the flash memory is defragmented and the largest possible contiguous file can be written to the device. Files can be saved on the flash memory device in contiguous file formats and blocked file formats. During the reclamation and defragmentation routine, the file format of the valid data is preserved. Also, file blocks on a sector which are originally non-contiguous become contiguous after the routine is performed.

Method and apparatus for reclaiming and defragmenting a flash memory

An improved printer is provided that improves the response time before jobs are printer by providing a 'fast data path' for certain print jobs while also storing on a hard disk all incoming print job data. This 'fast data path' is especially useful in situations where the incoming print job lacks an 'end of file' code, which could otherwise hold up the processing of either this print job or later print jobs. Once the printer becomes relatively busy, and begins to accumulate a 'queue' of print jobs waiting to be processed and printed, the printer will automatically store all of the print job data on the non-volatile memory (e.g., a hard disk) before that same data is sent to the processing circuitry. Since it is important to utilize the printer's capabilities efficiently, the printer can allow a 'small' print job to be processed and printed after being received from one input port of the printer, while a much larger print job is still being accumulated from a second input port, even though the larger job began to be received first. Since all print job data received by the printer of the present invention is stored in a non-volatile memory, the capability exists for recovering such print jobs after the occurrence of a power failure. Upon power restoration, a 'Header File' that contains status information about stored print jobs will be inspected, and if a print job was never completely printed, the printer will now begin printing the entire job. In this manner, the printer can guarantee that the entire job will be printed in one intact grouping of sheets of paper.

Growing community of inventors

Georgetown, KY, United States of America

Matthew Scott Keith