Method for manipulating state machine storage in a small memory space
AssigneePitney Bowes Inc.
InventorsWesley A. Kirschner, Gary S. Jacobson, John A. Hurd, G. Thomas Athens, Steven J. Pauly, Richard C. Day, JR.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method includes configuring a flash memory device including a first memory sector having a primary memory sector correspondence, a second memory sector having an alternate memory sector correspondence, and a third memory sector having a free memory sector correspondence, copying a portion of the primary memory sector to the free memory sector, erasing the primary memory sector, and changing a correspondence of each of the first memory sector, the second memory sector, and the third memory sector.
Claims17
A method for manipulating state machine data storage in a memory space, wherein the data may include both active and inactive data, and whereby inactive data is removed to make room for new active data while managing erase cycles, the method comprising:
- configuring a memory device to comprise a first memory sector having a primary memory sector correspondence, a second memory sector having an alternate memory sector correspondence, and a third memory sector having a free memory sector correspondence;
- receiving new active data for storage;
- determining whether the new active data will fit into either of the primary and alternative memory sectors;
- if the step of determining determines that the new active data will not fit in either of the primary or alternative memory sectors, then performing the following steps (a)-(c);
- (a) copying a portion of said primary memory sector to said free memory sector, said portion including active data;
- (b) writing the new active data to the free memory sector;
- (c) updating the correspondence of each individual one of said first memory sector, said second memory sector, and said third memory sector.
A system for manipulating state machine data storage in a small memory space, wherein the data may include both active and inactive data, and whereby inactive data is removed to make room for new active data while minimizing a number of erase cycles, the comprising:
- a flash memory device comprising a first memory sector having a primary memory sector correspondence, a second memory sector having an alternate memory sector correspondence, and a third memory sector having a free memory sector correspondence;
- a processor configured to manage the flash memory device by performing the following steps:
- receiving new active data for storage;
- determining whether the new active data will fit into either of the primary and alternative memory sectors;
- if the means for determining determines that the new active data will not fit in either of the primary or alternative memory sectors, then performing the following steps (a)-(c)
- (a) copying a portion of said primary memory sector to said free memory sector if the means for determining determines that the new active data will not fit in either of the primary or alternative memory sectors, said portion including active data;
- (b) writing the new active data to the free memory sector if the means for determining determines that the new active data will not fit in either of the primary or alternative memory sectors;
- and
- (c) changing the correspondence of each individual one of said first memory sector, said second memory sector, and said third memory sector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.