Intel Assigned Three Patents

Dynamically switching command types to storage drive
Intel Crop., Santa Clara, CA, has been assigned a patent (8,606,992) developed by Eng Hun Ooi, Penang, Malaysia, for a method, device and system for “dynamically switching command types to a mass storage drive.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A method, device, and system are disclosed. In one embodiment method begins by receiving a first new mass storage disk access request. The method then determines the total number of access requests to the mass storage disk received in a window of time. If the total number of requests received over the period of time is greater than or equal to a request threshold number then a request frequency counter is decremented. Otherwise, the counter is incremented. The method continues by generating a legacy advanced technology attachment (ATA)-type command for the first new access request when the counter is greater than or equal to a counter threshold number. Otherwise, the method generates a native command queue (NCQ)-type command for the first new access request.”

The patent application was filed on April 13, 2012 (13/446,599).

Interface for storage device access over memory bus
Intel, Santa Clara, CA, has been assigned a patent (8,607,089) developed by four co-inventors for “interface for storage device access over memory bus.“

The co-inventors are Shekoufeh Qawami, El Dorado Hills, CA, Rajesh Sundaram, Folsom, CA, David J. Zimmerman, El Dorado Hills, CA, and Robert W. Faber, Hillsboro, OR.

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A nonvolatile storage or memory device is accessed over a memory bus. The memory bus has an electrical interface typically used for volatile memory devices. A controller coupled to the bus sends synchronous data access commands to the nonvolatile memory device, and reads the response from the device bus based on an expected timing of a reply from the nonvolatile memory device. The controller determines the expected timing based on when the command was sent, and characteristics of the nonvolatile memory device. The controller may not need all the electrical signal lines available on the memory bus, and could issue data access commands to different groups of nonvolatile memory devices over different groups of electrical signal lines. The memory bus may be available and configured for either use with a memory controller and volatile memory devices, or a storage controller and nonvolatile memory devices.”

The patent application was filed on May 19, 2011 (13/111,839).

Dual-scope directory for non-volatile memory storage system
Intel, Santa Clara, CA, has been assigned a patent (8,631,187) developed by Andrew Vogan, Aloha, OR, for a “dual-scope directory for a non-volatile memory storage system.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A device, system, and method are disclosed. In one embodiment the device includes a non-volatile memory (NVM) storage array to store a plurality of storage elements. The device also includes a dual-scope directory structure having a background space and a foreground space. The structure is capable of storing several entries that each correspond to a location in the NVM storage array storing a storage element. The background space includes entries for storage elements written into the array without any partial overwrites of a previously stored storage element in the background space. The foreground space includes entries for storage elements written into the array with at least one partial overwrite of one or more previously stored storage elements in the background space.”

The patent application was filed on Aug. 7, 2009 (12/462,695).