Power management block for use in a non-volatile memory system
DCFirst Claim
1. A method for utilizing a memory system, the memory system including a non-volatile memory, the non-volatile memory including at least one reserved memory area, the method comprising:
- providing power to the memory system;
determining when the memory system has previously undergone a substantially normal power down process;
performing a first process on the non-volatile memory when it is determined that the memory system has not previously undergone a normal power down process, the first process being arranged to ready the non-volatile memory for use; and
substantially enabling the non-volatile memory to be used when it is determined that the memory system has previously undergone a normal power down process.
11 Assignments
Litigations
1 Petition
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for enabling a power up process of a non-volatile memory to occur efficiently are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for utilizing a memory system that has a non-volatile memory with at least one reserved memory area includes providing power to the memory system, initializing the non-volatile memory, and writing a first signature into the reserved memory area. The first signature is arranged to indicate that the memory system was successfully initialized. In one embodiment, the method also includes executing a power down process on the memory system, and writing a second signature into the reserved memory area which indicates that the power down process has been executed.
33 Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A method for utilizing a memory system, the memory system including a non-volatile memory, the non-volatile memory including at least one reserved memory area, the method comprising:
-
providing power to the memory system; determining when the memory system has previously undergone a substantially normal power down process; performing a first process on the non-volatile memory when it is determined that the memory system has not previously undergone a normal power down process, the first process being arranged to ready the non-volatile memory for use; and substantially enabling the non-volatile memory to be used when it is determined that the memory system has previously undergone a normal power down process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A memory system comprising:
-
a non-volatile memory, the non-volatile memory including at least one reserved memory area; means for providing power to the memory system; means for determining when the memory system has previously undergone a substantially normal power down process; means for performing a first process on the non-volatile memory when it is determined that the memory system has not previously undergone a normal power down process, the first process being arranged to ready the non-volatile memory for use; and means for substantially enabling the non-volatile memory to be used when it is determined that the memory system has previously undergone a normal power down process. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A memory system comprising:
-
code devices that cause a determination of when the memory system has previously undergone a substantially normal power down process; code devices that are arranged to cause a first process to be performed on a non-volatile memory associated with the memory system when it is determined that the memory system has not previously undergone a normal power down process, wherein the first process is arranged to ready the non-volatile memory for use; code devices that are arranged to cause the non-volatile memory to be enabled for use when it is determined that the memory system has previously undergone a normal power down process; and a memory area that stores the code devices. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
-
23. A memory system comprising:
-
a non-volatile memory; and a control device, the control device being arranged to determine when the memory system has previously undergone a substantially normal power down process, to perform a first process on the non-volatile memory when it is determined that the memory system has not previously undergone a normal power down process wherein the first process is arranged to ready the non-volatile memory for use, and to substantially enable the non-volatile memory to be used when it is determined that the memory system has previously undergone a normal power down process. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
-
Specification