# US 8,572,307 B2 · Memory controller, memory card, and nonvolatile memory system

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- Number: US 8,572,307 B2
- Document ID: US8572307B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/373,839
- Filed: 2008-07-15
- Published: 2010-09-09
- Granted: 2013-10-29
- Earliest claimed: 2007-07-20
- Assignees: Panasonic Corporation
- Applicants: Toshiyuki Honda
- Inventors: Toshiyuki Honda
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8572307B2

## CPC

- G06F 12/0246: {in block erasable memory, e.g. flash memory}
- G06F 2212/7201: Logical to physical mapping or translation of blocks or pages
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

A nonvolatile memory system includes a memory card (102) and host equipment (101). The memory card (102) includes a nonvolatile memory (106) including a plurality of physical blocks, and a memory controller (105) for writing data into the nonvolatile memory (106). The host equipment (101) provides to the memory card (102) an access instruction that designates a logical address and a channel number. The memory controller (105) has an address conversion function for converting the logical address into a physical address in the nonvolatile memory (106), a write destination determination function for determining in relation to the channel number a physical address in the nonvolatile memory (106) to which the data is to be written, and a channel management function for individually managing for each channel number a write state in which data of a smaller size than each physical block is written.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A memory controller which writes data into a nonvolatile memory in accordance with an externally provided access instruction that designates a logical address and a channel number, the memory controller comprising:
an address conversion unit for converting the logical address into a physical address in the nonvolatile memory; and
a write destination determination unit for obtaining a physical address in the nonvolatile memory to which the data is to be written,
wherein a physical block in which the physical address belongs is designated by the channel number, and
data having a same channel number are written in a same physical block designated by the same channel number.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The memory controller of claim 1, wherein:
the nonvolatile memory includes a plurality of physical blocks which are erase units, and
the address conversion unit converts the logical address into the physical address in units of the physical blocks.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The memory controller of claim 2, further comprising a channel management unit for individually managing for each channel number a write state in which data of a smaller size than each physical block is written.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The memory controller of claim 2, wherein the control section is further configured to individually manage for each channel number a write state in which data of a smaller size than each physical block is written.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The memory controller of claim 1, wherein:
the memory controller stores a table, and
the channel number designates the physical address in the table.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A memory card comprising:
a nonvolatile memory including a plurality of physical blocks; and
the memory controller of claim 1.

### Claim 7

A nonvolatile memory system comprising:
a memory card including a nonvolatile memory and a memory controller for writing data into the nonvolatile memory, the nonvolatile memory including a plurality of physical blocks; and
host equipment for providing to the memory card an access instruction that designates a logical address and a channel number,
wherein the memory controller includes:
an address conversion unit for converting the logical address into a physical address in the nonvolatile memory; and
a write destination determination unit for obtaining a physical address in the nonvolatile memory to which the data is to be written,
a physical block in which the physical address belongs is designated by the channel number, and
data having a same channel number are written in a same physical block designated by the same channel number.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The nonvolatile memory system of claim 7, wherein the memory controller further includes a channel management unit for individually managing for each channel number a write state in which data of a smaller size than each physical block is written.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The nonvolatile memory system of claim 7, wherein the host equipment designates the same channel number for writing of data belonging to the same file.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The nonvolatile memory system of claim 7, wherein the host equipment designates a specific channel number for writing of file system information which is file management information.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The nonvolatile memory system of claim 7, wherein:
the memory controller stores a table, and
the channel number designates the physical address in the table.

### Claim 12

A memory controller which writes data into a nonvolatile memory in accordance with an externally provided access instruction that designates a logical address and a channel number, the memory controller comprising:
a control section; and
a memory interface circuit, coupled to the control section, for communicating with the nonvolatile memory, wherein:
the control section is configured to convert the logical address into a physical address in the nonvolatile memory, and obtain a physical address in the nonvolatile memory to which the data is to be written,
a physical block in which the physical address belongs is designated by the channel number, and
data having a same channel number are written in a same physical block designated by the same channel number.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The memory controller of claim 12, wherein:
the nonvolatile memory includes a plurality of physical blocks which are erase units, and
the control section is further configured to convert the logical address into the physical address in units of the physical blocks.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The memory controller of claim 12, wherein:
the memory controller stores a table, and
the channel number designates the physical address in the table.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

A memory card comprising:
a nonvolatile memory including a plurality of physical blocks; and
the memory controller of claim 12.