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US 7,861,122 B2Granted
Monitoring health of non-volatile memory
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsMichael J. Cornwell, Christopher P. Dudte
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A host processor is coupled to a memory controller and configurable to retrieve from the memory controller information indicative of the health of a non-volatile memory device operatively coupled to the memory controller. A host system uses the information to monitor the health of the non-volatile memory device.
Claims23
A computer-implemented method for monitoring health of a flash memory device, the method comprising:
- collecting, by the flash memory device, information indicating health of memory of the flash memory device, wherein the information indicating the health of the memory is collected by the flash memory device during normal operation of the flash memory device, wherein normal operation of the flash memory device includes operation when the flash memory device is not connected to the external computing device;
- receiving, at the flash memory device from an external computing device, a request for the collected health information;
- transmitting, by the flash memory device, the collected health information to the external computing device, wherein the external computing device is configured to analyze the collected health information to determine a level of health of the memory in the flash memory device;
- receiving, at the flash memory device from the external computing device, a command to perform an operation determined by the external computing device based upon the determined level of health of the memory in the flash memory device;
- and
- in response to receiving the command, performing, by the flash memory device, the operation.
3 more elements
A computer-implemented method for monitoring health of a flash memory device, the method comprising:
- initiating control by an external computing device over operation of a flash memory device;
- using the initiated control over the flash memory device, scanning the flash memory device for information indicating health of memory of the flash memory device;
- receiving, at the external computing device from the flash memory device, the information indicating the health of the memory of the flash memory device;
- analyzing, by the external computing device, the received health information to determine a level of health of the memory in the flash memory device;
- determining, by the external computing device, an action related to the flash memory device to perform based upon the determined level of health of the memory of the flash memory device;
- and
- initiating, by the external computing device, the determined action.
4 more elements
A flash memory device comprising:
- a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions;
- and
- a processor that is configured to execute the stored instructions, wherein execution of the stored instructions causes the processor to:
- collect, by the flash memory device, information indicating health of memory of the flash memory device, wherein the information indicating the health of the memory is collected by the flash memory device during normal operation of the flash memory device, wherein normal operation of the flash memory device includes operation when the flash memory device is not connected to the external computing device;
- receive, at the flash memory device from an external computing device, a request for the collected health information;
- transmit, by the flash memory device, the collected health information to the external computing device, wherein the external computing device is configured to analyze the collected health information to determine a level of health of the memory in the flash memory device;
- receive, at the flash memory device from the external computing device, a command to perform an operation determined by the external computing device based upon the determined level of health of the memory in the flash memory device;
- and
- in response to receiving the command, perform, by the flash memory device, the operation.
6 more elements
A computing device external to a flash memory device for monitoring health of the flash memory device, the external computing device comprising:
- a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions;
- and
- a processor that is configured to execute the stored instructions, wherein execution of the stored instructions causes the processor to:
- initiate control by the external computing device over operation of a flash memory device;
- using the initiated control over the flash memory device, scan the flash memory device for information indicating health of memory of the flash memory device;
- receive, at the external computing device from the flash memory device, the information indicating the health of the memory of the flash memory device;
- analyze, by the external computing device, the received health information to determine a level of health of the memory in the flash memory device;
- determine, by the external computing device, an action related to the flash memory device to perform based upon the determined level of health of the memory of the flash memory device;
- and
- initiate, by the external computing device, the determined action.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.