Sandisk Technologies Inc.

3com Corporation

Ned Plasson

Nisha D Talagala

Robert Barry Wood

Swaminathan Sundararaman

Jingpei Yang

Ronald D Smith

Gregory N Gillis

Hao Zhong

James G Peterson

Jea Hyun

Michael J Brown

Hairong Sun

Spiro Poulis

Dhananjoy Das

Scott Allen Caddes

Vinay Shashikumar Badami

Elwin Hunt

Peter M Rigstad

William Raines

Randy C Smith

Jeffrey A Hanline

Jonathan Wood

Matt Smith

A storage module may be configured to perform log storage operations on a storage log maintained on a non-volatile storage medium. An I/O client may utilize storage services of the storage module to maintain an upper-level log. The storage module may be configured to coordinate log storage and/or management operations between the storage log and the upper-level log. The coordination may include adapting a segment size of the logs to reduce write amplification. The coordination may further include coordinating validity information between log layers, adapting log grooming operations to reduce storage recovery overhead, defragmenting upper-level log data within the storage address space, preventing fragmentation of upper-level log data, and so on. The storage module may coordinate log operations by use of log coordination messages communicated between log layers.

Systems and methods for log coordination

A storage layer may over-provision physical storage resources of a storage medium by reserving a portion of the full physical storage capacity of the storage medium for use as reserve capacity. The reserve capacity may be used to prevent write stall conditions and/or for grooming operations, such as storage recovery, refresh, and the like. A reserve module may be configured to adapt the reserve capacity in accordance with, inter alia, operating conditions on the storage layer. The reserve module may be configured to dynamically modify the storage capacity available through the storage layer. A cache layer configured to cache data of a backing store on the storage layer, may be configured to add and/or remove cache entries in response to changes in the reserve capacity.

Systems and methods for adaptive reserve storage

A cache and/or storage module may be configured to reduce write amplification in a cache storage. Cache layer write amplification (CLWA) may occur due to an over-permissive admission policy. The cache module may be configured to reduce CLWA by configuring admission policies to avoid unnecessary writes. Admission policies may be predicated on access and/or sequentiality metrics. Flash layer write amplification (FLWA) may arise due to the write-once properties of the storage medium. FLWA may be reduced by delegating cache eviction functionality to the underlying storage layer. The cache and storage layers may be configured to communicate coordination information, which may be leveraged to improve the performance of cache and/or storage operations.

Systems and methods for cache endurance

Techniques are disclosed relating to arranging data on storage media. In one embodiment, a computer system is configured to access a storage array that includes a plurality of storage blocks. The computer system executes a first set of processes and a second set of processes, where the first set of processes operates on selected ones of the plurality of storage blocks to increase a likelihood that the selected storage blocks are operated on by the second set of processes. In some embodiments, the second set of processes determines whether to operate on a storage block based on an amount of invalid data within the storage block. In such an embodiment, the first set of processes increases a likelihood that the storage block is operated on by increasing the amount of invalid data within the storage block.

Pregroomer for storage array

Techniques are disclosed relating to reclaiming data on recording media. In one embodiment, an apparatus has a solid-state memory array including a plurality of blocks. The solid-state memory array may implement a cache for one or more storage devices. Respective operational effects are determined relating to reclaiming ones of the plurality of blocks. One of the plurality of blocks is selected as a candidate for reclamation based on the determined operational effects, and the selected block is reclaimed. In some embodiments, the determined operational effects for a given block indicate a number of write operations to be performed to reclaim the given block. In some embodiments, operational effects are determined based on criteria relating to assigned quality-of-service levels. In some embodiments, operational effects are determined based on information relating to virtual storage units.

Advanced groomer for storage array

A storage module is configured to determine a health metric of a storage division of a solid-state storage medium. The health metric may comprise a combination of factors, including, but not limited to: wear level, performance (e.g., program time, erase time, and the like), error rate, and the like. A wear level module may configure storage operations to reduce the wear rate of storage divisions having poor health metrics and/or heath metrics that are degrading more quickly than other storage divisions. Reducing wear rate may include deferring grooming operations, delaying use for storage operations, temporarily retiring the storage division, or the like. Storage divisions may be brought back into service at normal use rates in response determining that other portions of the storage media have been worn to the point that they exhibit similar health and/or reliability characteristics.

Apparatus, system, and method for wear management

A method and apparatus for opening a communications port for communication over a wireless communication network. Specifically, one embodiment of the present invention discloses a method for opening a virtual communications (VCOM) port that is configured with a particular profile over a Bluetooth network. After an attempt to open the VCOM port is received from a first application at a first electronic device, the process is suspended until a communication path is established over the Bluetooth communication network between the first electronic device and a remote electronic device within a Bluetooth network. The remote electronic device may be selected by a user from a list of available devices. In another embodiment, a user may pre-configure the VCOM port for a specific functional profile and pre-configure a remote electronic device to the VCOM port.

Method and apparatus for opening a virtual serial communications port for establishing a wireless connection in a Bluetooth communications network

A method and system thereof for dynamically configuring a device, adapted to be communicatively coupled in a wireless personal area network, with an attribute corresponding to a characteristic of the device. In one embodiment, the method involves receiving an attribute setting corresponding to characteristics of the device and implementing a corresponding configuration state. In this embodiment, the configuration state activates a corresponding device configuration. In one embodiment, the attribute setting constitutes a discretely variable value conforming to the degree of mobility of the device. In one embodiment, an attribute setting constitutes a discretely variable value conforming to the location of the device. In one embodiment, two attribute settings constitute discretely variable values conforming, one to the degree of mobility of the device, and the other to its location. In one embodiment, the device and network incorporate communicative capability compliant with the Bluetooth specification.

Method and system for personal area network (PAN) degrees of mobility-based configuration

Systems and methods for embedding, detecting and extracting access information from a dial tone of a private branch exchange system. The access information is embedded at the zero crossings of the dial tone. This has a minimal effect on the audible quality of the dial tone. A connecting device, such as a modem, receives the altered dial tone having access information. The access information is extracted by the connecting device and displayed to a user. The access information is automatically downloaded by the connecting device upon connecting to the private branch exchange without interaction from a user by having the connecting device go off hook such that the dial tone is received. The connecting device detects, extracts and displays the access information. After the access information is displayed to a user, the connecting device can await further user interaction or immediately make use of the access information.

Growing community of inventors

Park City, UT, United States of America

Ned Plasson