SanDisk Assigned Three Patents

Semiconductor memory with improved block switching

SanDisk 3D, LLC Milpitas, CA, has been assigned a patent (8,320,196) developed by Thomas Yan, Luca Fasoli, San Jose, CA, and Roy E. Scheuerlein, Cupertino, CA, for a "semiconductor memory with improved block switching."

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "A non-volatile memory core comprises one or more memory bays. Each memory bay comprises one or more memory blocks that include a grouping of non-volatile storage elements. In one embodiment, memory blocks in a particular memory bay share a group of read/write circuits. During a memory operation, memory blocks are transitioned into active and inactive states. The process of transitioning blocks from an inactive state to an active state includes enabling charge sharing between a memory block entering the active state and another memory block that was previously in the active state. This charge sharing improves performance and/or reduces energy consumption for the memory system."

The patent application was filed on Sept. 15, 2011 (13/233,602).

Removable data storage device with interface
to receive image content from camera

SanDisk Technologies, Inc. Plano, TX, has been assigned a patent (8,289,418) developed by Jason Patrick Hanlon, Scotts Valley, CA, and Fabrice Jogand-Coulomb, San Carlos, CA, for a "removable data storage device with interface to receive image content from a camera."

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "Systems and methods of receiving image content in a first format and storing converted image content in a second format are disclosed. A method includes receiving image content in a first format from a camera at an interface of a data storage device that includes a controller coupled to a memory. The data storage device emulates a printer via the interface. The image content in the first format is converted to image content in a second format and stored at the memory of the data storage device."

The patent application was filed on June 30, 2009 (12/495,281).

Host device and method for accessing virtual file
in storage device by bypassing cache in host device

SanDisk IL, Ltd., Kfar Saba, Israel, has been assigned a patent (8,301,715) developed by six co-inventors for a "host device and method for accessing a virtual file in a storage device by bypassing a cache in the host device."

The co-inventors are Eyal Ittah, Alfe-Menashe, Israel, Judah Gamliel Hahn, Ofra, Israel, Yehuda Drori, Modiin, Israel, Joseph Meza, Aliso Viejo, CA, In-Soo Yoon, Seoul, South Korea, and Ofir Cooper, Rehovot, Israel.

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "A host device is provided comprising an interface configured to communicate with a storage device having a public memory area and a private memory area, wherein the public memory area stores a virtual file that is associated with content stored in the private memory area. The host device also comprises a cache, a host application, and a server. The server is configured to receive a request for the virtual file from the host application, send a request to the storage device for the virtual file, receive the content associated with the virtual file from the private memory area of the storage device, wherein the content is received by bypassing the cache, generate a response to the request from the host application, the response including the content, and send the response to the host application. In one embodiment, the server is a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) server. In another embodiment, the server can determine if a request is associated with a normal user permission or a super user permission, and send a response to the host application only if it is determined that the request is associated with the normal user permission."

The patent application was filed on June 29, 2010 (12/826,626).