Marvell Assigned Twelve Patents

Self-encryption drive, SED
Marvell Asia Pte, Ltd., Singapore, Singapore, has been assigned a patent (11,368,299) developed by Zhang, Minda, Westford, MA, and Du, Ke, Fremont, CA, for a “self-encryption drive, SED.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A self-encryption drive (SED) opens a communication session between the SED and a key management server. An identifier of the SED is sent to the key management server, where the identifier uniquely identifies a data structure in a database associated with the key management server and the data structure comprises a timestamp and a media encryption key (MEK). The data structure is received from the key management server, the data structure being wrapped with a shared session key associated with the communication session. The data structure is unwrapped with the shared session key and the MEK is stored only in the volatile memory of the SED based on the timestamp. Data is encrypted for storage in the non-volatile storage media of the SED based on the MEK stored only in the volatile memory of the self-encryption drive (SED). The MEK stored only in the volatile memory of the SED is erased to crypto-erase the SED.”

The patent application was filed on December 9, 2019 (16/708,203).

Controlling performance of SSD
Marvell Asia Pte, Ltd., Singapore, Singapore, has been assigned a patent (11,366,753) developed by Keung, Ka-Ming, and Nguyen, Dung Viet, San Jose, CA, for “controlling performance of a solid state drive.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A storage access request to access a solid state drive (SSD) is received. A storage access timer is set with a time duration, where the time duration is based on a desired performance of the SSD. A non-volatile memory command associated with the storage access request is sent to non-volatile memory. The storage access timer is started. A determination is made whether the non-volatile memory completed execution of the non-volatile memory command after the storage access timer indicates that the time duration elapsed. An indication that the storage access request is complete is sent to a host if the non-volatile memory completed execution of the non-volatile memory command. Alternatively, the storage access timer is reset with the time duration if the non-volatile memory has not completed execution of the non-volatile memory command.”

The patent application was filed on July 29, 2019 (16/525,105).

SSD with initiator mode
Marvell Asia Pte, Ltd., Singapore, Singapore, has been assigned a patent (11,366,610) developed by Mizrahi, Noam, Modi’n, Israel, for a “solid-state drive with initiator mode.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A solid-state drive configured to store persistent digitally encoded data may operate in an initiator mode. When operating in the initiator mode, the solid-state drive may initiate the generation and issuance of a command or a request for another solid-state drive to carry out a data storage related procedure. The command or request generated by the solid-state drive may be communicated directly to another solid-state drive without the communications passing through an intermediate device, such as a host processor.”

The patent application was filed on December 17, 2019 (16/717,408).

AI-enabled search for storage
Marvell Asia Pte, Ltd., Singapore, Singapore, has been assigned a patent (11,334,571) developed by Kudryavtsev, Konstantin, Sunnyvale, CA, Oberg, Mats, and Varnica, Nedeljko, San Jose, CA, for an “artificial intelligence-enabled search for a storage system.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “The present disclosure describes apparatuses and methods for artificial intelligence-enabled search of a storage system. In some aspects, a metadata manager of a storage system receives a label of an object that an AI engine detects in data stored in the storage system. The metadata manager creates, in a relational section of a metadata database, an entry for the detected object with an identifier of the label of the detected object and an address of a node corresponding to the detected object. The metadata manager also creates, in a navigational portion of the metadata database and with the address of the detected object, the node that includes a reference to a relative node of another object and a weight of a relationship between the node and the relative node. By so doing, the metadata database may be searched based on weighted relationships between various nodes, thereby enabling contextual or implicit search of data in the storage system.”

The patent application was filed on July 22, 2019 (16/518,564).

Self-encryption drive
Marvell Asia Pte, Ltd., Singapore, Singapore, has been assigned a patent (11,329,814) developed by Du, Ke, Fremont, CA, and Zhang, Minda, Westford, MA, for a “self-encryption drive (SED).“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A self encryption drive (SED) receives a media encryption key (MEK) from a key management server. The MEK is stored only in volatile memory of the SED. Data is encrypted for storage in a non-volatile storage media of the SED based on the MEK. Further, the MEK is erased in the volatile memory to crypto-erase the SED by deleting all instances of the MEK stored by the SED.”

The patent application was filed on December 9, 2019 (16/708,085).

Ethernet enabled SSD
Marvell Asia Pte, Ltd., Singapore, Singapore, has been assigned a patent (11,294,602) developed by Noy, Shahar, Los Gatos, CA, and Mizrahi, Noam, Modi’in, Israel, for an “ethernet enabled solid state drive (SSD).“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A unitary solid state drive (SSD) assembly includes a non-volatile memory (NVM) and a processor communicatively coupled to the NVM. The processor is configured to implement a communication protocol configured for accessing solid state memories over a communication network. The unitary SSD assembly also includes a network interface device communicatively coupled to the processor, and network connector coupled to the network interface device. The network interface device is configured to communicate via a network fabric according to a network communication protocol. The NVM, the processor, and the network interface device are arranged in a unitary assembly.”

The patent application was filed on March 16, 2020 (16/820,320).

Termination of NVM networking messages at drive level
Marvell Asia Pte, Ltd., Singapore, Singapore, has been assigned a patent (11,275,698) developed by Mizrahi, Noam, Modi’in, Israel, for a “termination of non-volatile memory networking messages at the drive level.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A storage device, such as a solid-state drive, is configured to receive messages, such as non-volatile memory networking messages issued by a host processor or computer, that utilize NVM Express over Fabric (NVMe-oF) or NVMe/Transmission Control Protocol communication formatting for transmitting the command over a network fabric. The storage device is configured to terminate the NVMe-oF or NVMe/TCP formatted communication at the storage drive level. The storage device may further be configured to issued reply messages that include NVMe-oF or NVMe/TCP formatting for the communication formatting used to deliver the reply messages over a network fabric.”

The patent application was filed on March 13, 2020 (16/817,846).

SSD error recovery based on ML
Marvell Asia Pte, Ltd., Singapore, Singapore, has been assigned a patent (11,275,646) developed by Nguyen, Phong Sy, Livermore, CA, Nguyen, Dung Viet, San Jose, CA, Therene, Christophe, Livermore, CA, and Varnica, Nedeljko, San Jose, CA, for a “solid-state drive error recovery based on machine learning.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “Systems and methods for selecting an optimal error recovery procedure for correcting a read error in a solid-state drive are provided. A machine learning model is trained to forecast which error recovery procedure of a plurality of error recovery procedures is most likely to achieve a predetermined goal given a state of a solid-state drive. The predetermined goal is based on at least one of a read latency and a failure rate of the solid-state drive. A current state of the solid-state drive is determined. An error recovery procedure is selected from among the plurality of error recovery procedures by inputting the current state of the solid-state drive into the trained machine learning model, thereby triggering the trained machine learning model to output the selected error recovery procedure. The selected error recovery procedure is executed to recover data from the solid-state drive.”

The patent application was filed on March 11, 2020 (16/815,753).

Pulse-based writing for magnetic storage media
Marvell Asia Pte, Ltd., Singapore, Singapore, has been assigned a patent (11,270,723) developed by Oberg, Mats, San Jose, CA, and Fang, Hao, Eden Prarie, MN, for a “pulse-based writing for magnetic storage media.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “The present disclosure describes aspects of pulse-based writing for magnetic storage media. In some aspects, a pulse-based writer of magnetic storage media determines that a string of data bits having a same polarity corresponds to a magnet longer than a threshold associated with a magnetic media writer. The pulse-based writer inserts, into the string of data bits, a transition to a polarity opposite to the same polarity of the string of data bits. The string of data bits including the inserted transition is then transmitted to the magnetic media writer to cause a write head of the writer to pulse while writing the magnet to magnetic storage media. Various aspects may also implement a control signal to mask a transition or control polarity of the magnetic media writer. By so doing, magnets may be written to the magnetic storage media more efficiently or with less distortion to neighboring tracks.”

The patent application was filed on April 19, 2021 (17/234,557).

Thermal compensation for HAMR
Marvell Asia Pte, Ltd., Singapore, Singapore, has been assigned a patent (11,257,519) developed by Oberg, Mats, San Jose, CA, and Fang, Hao, Eden Prairie, MN, for a “thermal compensation for heat assisted magnetic recording.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A system includes a driver and a controller. The driver is configured to output a signal to a preamplifier of a heat source based on a thermal compensation value to cause the heat source to heat a spot on a storage medium. The controller is configured to adjust the thermal compensation value based on a duration for which the heat source is in an active or inactive operational state. The thermal compensation value is indicative of a history of durations that the heat source was in the active or inactive operational state.”

The patent application was filed on January 7, 2021 (17/143,569).

Transferring data between SSDs via connection between SSDs
Marvell Asia Pte, Ltd., Singapore, Singapore, has been assigned a patent (11,200,193) developed by Haimzon, Avi, Nes Ziona, Israel, Kardashov, Timor, Kyriat Ono, Israel, and Mizrahi, Noam, Modi’in, Israel, for “transferring data between solid state drives (SSDs) via a connection between the SSDs.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A first solid state drive (SSD) includes a first built-in network interface device configured to communicate via a network fabric, and a second SSD includes a second built-in network interface device configured to communicate via the network fabric. A connection is opened between the first SSD and the second SSD over the network fabric. Based on a non-volatile memory over fabric (NVMe-oF) communication protocol, an NVMe command to transfer data between the first SSD and the second SSD over the connection is encapsulated in a capsule. The capsule is sent from the first SSD to the second SSD over the connection via the network fabric. The second SSD executes the NVMe command in the capsule to transfer the data between the first SSD and the second SSD over the connection.”

The patent application was filed on March 16, 2020 (16/820,308).

Decoding of high-density memory cells in SSD
Marvell Asia Pte, Ltd., Singapore, Singapore, has been assigned a patent (11,182,288) developed by Ram, B Hari, Chennai, India, Ahirwar, Vijay, Pune, India, Rottela, Sri Varsha, Visakhapatnam, India, and Khude, Nilesh N., Pune, India, for “decoding of high-density memory cells in a solid-state drive.“

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: “A method of decoding data from high density memory includes reading voltage levels from a first memory cell and a set of one or more neighboring memory cells of flash memory in response to a read command with an address corresponding to the first memory cell, inputting the voltage levels into a trained model that has been trained on the flash memory to estimate bit values written to a memory cell based on respective voltage values read from the first memory cell and from the neighboring memory cells according to a layout of memory cells of the flash memory, obtaining from the trained model an estimated bit value written to the first memory cell based on the respective voltage levels of the first memory cell and the neighboring memory cells having been input into the trained model, and outputting the estimated hit value in response to the read command.”

The patent application was filed on February 20, 2020 (16/796,378).