CN101814009B - Flash device, data storage system and method for transmitting special command to flash device - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides a flash memory device, a data storage system, and a method for sending special commands to the flash memory device. In one embodiment, the flash memory device is coupled to a host, and the flash memory device includes a flash memory and a controller. The flash memory stores a plurality of files, and stores a command-symbol correspondence table, wherein each file has a corresponding number, and the command-symbol correspondence table records the correspondence between a plurality of symbols and a plurality of commands, and each A code is composed of multiple numbers. The controller receives a series of access commands from the host, and when the access command accesses the plurality of files, sequentially generates a plurality of numbers corresponding to the files accessed by the access command to form a The number string is converted into corresponding multiple special commands according to the command-symbol code correspondence table, and corresponding actions are executed according to the multiple special commands.

Description

Flash memory device, data storage system, and method for sending special commands to flash memory device

technical field

The present invention relates to memory, in particular to flash memory (flash memory).

Background technique

Flash memory is a non-volatile memory that can be programmed and erased electrically. Flash memory is mainly used as a memory card and a Universal Serial Bus (USB) device for general data storage of computers and other digital products. The manufacturing cost of flash memory is much lower than the cost of Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), so it has become a mainstream product in the market. Applications for flash memory include PDAs, notebook computers, digital music players, digital cameras, and mobile phones.

Generally speaking, the flash memory is included in an independent data storage device for storing data, and the data storage device is called a flash memory device, such as the aforementioned memory card. The flash memory device is coupled to a host to store data for the host, wherein the host can be a computer, a digital camera, or a digital music player. When the host needs to access the flash memory, the host directly sends a command to the flash memory device, and then the controller of the flash memory device accesses the flash memory according to the command received by the host.

However, for various reasons, the host must sometimes require the flash memory device to perform special actions with specific functions. For example, the manufacturer activates the self-test function of the flash memory device in order to test the newly produced flash memory device product. As another example, the manufacturer activates the self-repair function of the flash memory device in order to troubleshoot the product of the flash memory device sent for repair. Because in general, the flash memory device does not perform such specific functions, the host must send commands to the flash memory in an abnormal mode, so as to prevent the flash memory from erroneously starting the execution of special actions in normal times. Therefore, there is a need for a method for transmitting special commands to the flash memory device, so that the flash memory device performs corresponding special actions according to the special commands.

Contents of the invention

In view of this, the object of the present invention is to provide a method for transmitting a special command to a flash memory device, so as to solve the problems existing in the prior art. In one embodiment, the flash memory device is coupled to a host. First, a plurality of files are stored in the flash memory device, and each of these files has a corresponding number. Then, a command-symbol correspondence table is stored in the flash memory device, wherein the command-symbol correspondence table records correspondences between a plurality of symbols and a plurality of commands, and each of these symbols is composed of a plurality of numbers. Then, when the host intends to send a plurality of special commands to the flash memory device, the host computer sends a series of access commands for accessing these files to the flash memory device. Then, make the flash memory device sequentially generate a plurality of numbers corresponding to the files accessed by the access commands to form a first number string. Then make the flash memory device convert the number string into a plurality of corresponding special commands according to the command-symbol correspondence table. Finally, make the flash memory device execute corresponding actions according to these special commands.

The invention provides a flash memory device. In one embodiment, the flash memory device is coupled to a host, and the flash memory device includes a flash memory and a controller. The flash memory stores a plurality of files, and stores a command-code correspondence table, wherein each of these files has a corresponding number, and the command-symbol code correspondence table records the correspondence between a plurality of symbols and a plurality of commands, and Each of these symbols consists of a number of digits. The controller receives a series of access commands from the host, and when the access commands access the files, sequentially generates a plurality of numbers corresponding to the files accessed by the access commands to form a number string, according to the The command-symbol code correspondence table converts the number string into corresponding multiple special commands, and executes corresponding actions according to these special commands.

The invention further provides a data storage system. In one embodiment, the data storage system includes a host and a flash memory device. When the host wants to send a plurality of special commands to a flash memory device, the host sends a series of access commands to the flash memory device to access a plurality of files, wherein each of these files has a corresponding number. The flash memory device stores these files and a command-code correspondence table, sequentially generates a plurality of numbers corresponding to the files accessed by these access commands to form a first number string, and converts the number according to the command-symbol correspondence table The number strings correspond to multiple special commands, and corresponding actions are executed according to these special commands. Wherein the command-symbol code correspondence table records the corresponding relationship between multiple codes and multiple commands, and each of these codes is composed of multiple numbers.

Description of drawings

In order to make the above-mentioned purposes, features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and understandable, the specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a data storage system according to the present invention;

2 is a flowchart of a method for identifying a flash memory device according to the present invention;

Figure 3A shows an embodiment of the numbers corresponding to files 0-N;

FIG. 3B shows an embodiment of a command-symbol correspondence table according to the present invention;

Fig. 4 is the flow chart of the method for sending special command according to the host computer of the present invention; And

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a method for interpreting a special command by a flash memory device according to the present invention.

Description of main component symbols:

(figure 1)

100～data storage system;

102～host;

104～flash memory device;

106～controller;

108 ~ flash memory; and

110～block

112, 103～command-symbol code correspondence table.

Detailed ways

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a data storage system 100 according to the present invention. The data storage system 100 includes a host 102 and a flash memory device 104 . In one embodiment, the host 102 is a computer, and the flash memory device 104 is a memory card. The flash memory device 104 includes a controller 106 and a flash memory 108 . The flash memory 108 stores a plurality of files 0-N, and each of these files 0-N has a corresponding number. In one embodiment, files 0 to N are all stored in a block of the flash memory 108 . FIG. 3A shows an embodiment of numbers corresponding to files 0-N. File 0, file 1, file 2, ..., file 8, and file 9 correspond to numbers 0, 1, 2, ..., 8, 9, respectively. Therefore, the files 0-9 can completely correspond to all numbers 0-9 in the decimal system.

The controller 106 controls data access of the flash memory 108 . When the host 102 wants to access data stored in the flash memory 108 , the host 102 first sends an access command to the controller 106 . The controller 106 then accesses the flash memory 108 according to the access command received from the host 102 . For example, when the access command is a write command, the controller 106 writes the data received from the host 102 into the logical address of the flash memory 108 specified in the command. When the access command is a read command, the controller 106 reads the flash memory 108 according to the logical address received from the host 102 , and then transmits the read data to the host 102 .

However, in addition to accessing the data stored in the flash memory 108 according to the general access commands of the host 102, the flash memory device 104 can also receive multiple special commands issued by the host 102 and execute actions corresponding to these special commands. When delivering these special commands, the host 102 does not send directly to the flash memory device 104 . On the contrary, the host 102 sends access commands to the flash memory device 104 to access the files 0-file N. At this time, the flash memory device 104 does not actually access files 0 to N according to the access command, but interprets the access command as a special command and executes an action corresponding to the special command. The detailed steps for the host 102 to send the special command will be illustrated in FIG. 4 , and the detailed steps for the flash memory device 104 to interpret the special command will be illustrated in FIG. 5 .

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a method 200 for identifying a flash memory device 104 according to the present invention. When a flash memory device is coupled to the host 102, the host 102 must identify whether the flash memory device can receive the special command sent by the host 102 before sending the special command to the flash memory device. Otherwise, if the flash memory device cannot recognize the special command sent by the host 102, the special command sent by the host 102 will be regarded as a general access command by the flash memory device. When the host 102 detects the existence of the flash memory device 104 (step 202), the host 102 first reads the flash memory device 104 (step 204) to determine whether the flash memory device 104 stores files 0˜files N (step 206). In one embodiment, the host 102 determines whether the flash memory device 104 stores the files 0-file N by comparing the file names of the files 0-file N. At this time, if the flash memory device 104 stores files 0 - file N, the host 102 can determine that the flash memory device can receive special commands (step 208 ). On the contrary, if the flash memory device 104 does not store the files 0-file N, the host 102 can determine that the flash memory device cannot receive the special command (step 210).

In one embodiment, the host 102 and the flash memory 110 each store the same command-symbol table 103 and 112 for reference in sending and receiving special commands. FIG. 3B shows an embodiment of a command-symbol correspondence table 350 according to the present invention. The command-symbol correspondence table 350 records the correspondence between multiple symbols and multiple commands. In addition, each symbol is composed of a fixed number of digits. Assuming that a symbol code is made up of two decimal digits, since the two decimal digits have 10×10=100 combinations, there are 100 kinds of symbol codes such as 00～99 to represent 100 special commands. For example, the symbol 18 in the command-symbol mapping table 350 is composed of a number 1 and a number 8, which represents a password transmission command. The code 99 in the command-code correspondence table 350 is composed of the number 9 and the number 9, and represents a data transmission end command.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a method 400 for a host to send a special command according to the present invention. When the host 102 intends to send a special command to the flash memory device 104 , the host 102 sends a series of access commands to the flash memory device 104 according to the method 400 for accessing files 0 - 9 . First, the host converts the special command into a corresponding symbol according to the command-symbol correspondence table 350 in FIG. 3B , wherein the symbol includes a first number and a second number (step 402 ). Next, the host 102 sends to the flash memory device 104 a write command for writing files 0-9 corresponding to the first number (step 404), and then sends a write command for writing files 0-9 corresponding to the second number to the flash memory device 104 (step 406).

At this time, if the special command does not need to transmit data (step 408), the special command has been transmitted. Conversely, if the special command needs to transmit data together (step 408), the host 102 sequentially sends a read command to read files 0-9 corresponding to a plurality of numbers of the data to the flash memory device 104 (step 410). After all the numbers of the data have been transmitted (step 412), the host computer 102 further sends the command to write the file 9 twice to the flash memory device 104 (step 414), to indicate the end of data transmission. In the above method 400, the host 102 transmits the number contained in the symbol code of the command by sending the write command, and transmits the number contained in the data of the command by sending the read command. In another embodiment, the host 102 transmits the number contained in the symbol code of the command by sending a read command, and transmits the number contained in the data of the command by sending a write command.

For example, assume that the host 102 wants to send the transmit password command in the command-symbol correspondence table 350 of FIG. 3B , and the transmit password command corresponds to the symbol 18 . Therefore, the host 102 first sends to the flash memory device 104 a write command to write the file 1 corresponding to the number 1 (step 404), and then sends a write command to the flash memory device 104 to write the file 8 corresponding to the number 8 (step 406) . Next, assuming that the password is 9876, the password will be sent with the accompanying data of the command to send the password. Therefore host computer 102 sends to flash memory device 104 in order to read 4 read orders of the number 9 of this password 9876, number 8, number 7 and number 6, file 9, file 8, file 7, file 6 (step 410 ). Finally, the host 102 sends the command to write the file 9 twice to the flash memory device 104 (step 414 ) to indicate the end of data transmission.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a method 500 for interpreting special commands by a flash memory device according to the present invention. When the flash memory device 104 receives access commands for accessing files 0 - 9 from the host 102 , it converts these access commands into a special command according to the method 500 , and performs subsequent actions according to the special command. First, the controller 106 of the flash memory device 104 receives a plurality of access commands from the host 102 (step 502 ). The controller 106 then judges whether these access commands access files 0 to 9 (step 504). If the access commands do not access the files 0-9, the controller 106 accesses the flash memory 108 according to the access commands with a normal program. If these access commands are for accessing files 0 to 9, the controller 106 judges whether these access commands are write commands (step 506).

If these access commands are write commands, the controller 106 can determine that the host 102 is sending a symbol of a special command. Therefore the controller 106 produces a series of numbers (step 508) corresponding to the files written by these access commands, and converts the symbol code formed by these numbers into a special command (step 510) according to the command-symbol code correspondence table 305 ). In one embodiment, the controller 106 divides a series of numbers generated in step 508 into a plurality of symbols according to a digit number of a symbol, and then converts the plurality of symbols into a plurality of special commands, wherein the digit number of a symbol represents a The number of digits the code contains. On the contrary, if the access commands are read commands (step 506 ), the controller 106 can determine that the host 102 is sending data of special commands. Therefore, the controller 106 sequentially generates a plurality of numbers corresponding to the files read by these read commands to form a data (step 512 ). Finally, the controller 106 executes the action corresponding to the special command generated in step 510 according to the data generated in step 512 .

For example, the flash memory device 104 receives 6 access commands for writing files 0-9 from the host computer 102, which are sequentially a write command for writing file 1, a write command for writing file 8, and a read file 9. Four read commands for file 8, file 7, and file 6. Therefore, the controller 102 generates the digital string 18 corresponding to the file 1 and the file 8 written in the write command (step 508), and then converts the symbol code formed by the digital string 18 into transmission according to the command-symbol correspondence table 305. Password command (step 510). Next, the controller 102 generates the number string 9876 corresponding to the file 9, file 8, file 7, and file 6 read by the read command to obtain the data 9876 (step 512). Finally, the controller 106 checks whether the password data 9876 matches according to the transmission password command, and if it matches, the host 102 has full authority to access the data of the flash memory device 104 .

Although the present invention has been disclosed above with preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art may make some modifications and improvements without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention The scope of protection should be defined by the claims.

Claims (11)

1. method that transmits special command to flash device, this flash memory device couples mutually with a main frame, and this method comprises the following steps:

Store a plurality of files in this flash memory device, each file has a corresponding numeral;

Store an order-Fu sign indicating number corresponding tables in this flash memory device, wherein should a plurality of symbol sign indicating numbers of order-Fu sign indicating number corresponding tables record and the corresponding relation of a plurality of orders, and each symbol yard is formed by a plurality of digital;

When a plurality of special commands are sent in this main frame tendency to develop to this flash memory device, make this main frame send a succession of access command of the described a plurality of files of access to this flash memory device;

Make this flash memory device produce a plurality of numerals of the file correspondence of described access command institute access in regular turn, and form one first numeric string;

Make this flash memory device change this first numeric string and be corresponding described a plurality of special commands according to this order-Fu sign indicating number corresponding tables; And

Make this flash memory device carry out corresponding action according to described a plurality of special commands.

2. the method for transmission special command to flash device as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that, this first numeric string to the conversion of described a plurality of special commands comprises:

When described access command is the write command that writes described a plurality of files, making this flash memory device change this first numeric string is a plurality of first symbol sign indicating numbers, and changes the described a plurality of special commands of described a plurality of first symbol sign indicating number for correspondence according to this order-Fu sign indicating number corresponding tables; And

When described access command is the reading order that reads described a plurality of files, making this flash memory device change this first numeric string is one first data.

3. the method for transmission special command to flash device as claimed in claim 2 is characterized in that, this method more comprises makes this flash memory device handle this first data.

4. the method for transmission special command to flash device as claimed in claim 2, it is characterized in that, this first numeric string comprises that to the conversion of described a plurality of first symbol sign indicating numbers cutting apart this first numeric string according to a symbol yardage number of words order is described a plurality of first symbol sign indicating number, and wherein this symbol yardage number of words order is represented the number of the numeral that a symbol sign indicating number is comprised.

5. the method for transmission special command to flash device as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that, the transmission of described access command comprises:

Make this main frame change the second symbol sign indicating number that described a plurality of special command is a plurality of correspondences according to this order-Fu sign indicating number corresponding tables;

Make this main frame produce one second numeric string according to described a plurality of second symbol sign indicating numbers; And

Make this main frame send the described access command of access to this flash memory device in regular turn corresponding to described a plurality of files of the numeral of this second numeric string.

6. the method for transmission special command to flash device as claimed in claim 5 is characterized in that, described access command is the write command that writes described a plurality of files, and this method more comprises:

When one second data is sent in this main frame tendency to develop to this flash memory device, make this main frame send a succession of reading order of the described a plurality of files that read the numeral that is comprised corresponding to this second data to this flash memory device.

7. the method for transmission special command to flash device as claimed in claim 5 is characterized in that, described access command is the reading order that reads described a plurality of files, and this method more comprises:

When one second data is sent in this main frame tendency to develop to this flash memory device, make this main frame send a succession of write command of the described a plurality of files that write the numeral that is comprised corresponding to this second data to this flash memory device.

8. the method for transmission special command to flash device as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that, this method more comprises:

When this main frame detected existing of this flash memory device, this main frame read this flash memory device to confirm whether to store described a plurality of file in this flash memory device;

When this flash memory device stored described a plurality of file, this flash memory device of this host acknowledgement can receive described access command; And

When this flash memory device did not store described a plurality of file, this flash memory device of this host acknowledgement can't receive described access command.

9. flash memory device, this flash memory device couples mutually with a main frame, and this flash memory device comprises:

One flash memory stores a plurality of files, and stores an order-Fu sign indicating number corresponding tables, and wherein each file has a corresponding numeral, the corresponding relation of a plurality of symbol sign indicating numbers of this order-Fu sign indicating number corresponding tables record and a plurality of orders, and each symbol sign indicating number is made up of a plurality of numerals; And

One controller, receive a succession of access command from this main frame, when described access command is the described a plurality of file of access, produce the pairing a plurality of numerals of file of described access command institute access in regular turn and form a numeric string, change this numeric string according to this order-Fu sign indicating number corresponding tables and be corresponding a plurality of special commands, and carry out corresponding action according to described a plurality of special commands.

10. flash memory device as claimed in claim 9, it is characterized in that, when described access command is when writing the write command of described a plurality of files, it is a plurality of first symbol sign indicating numbers that this controller is changed this numeric string, and changes the described a plurality of special commands of described a plurality of first symbol sign indicating number for correspondence according to this order-Fu sign indicating number corresponding tables; And when described access command be when reading the reading order of described a plurality of files, it is one first data that this controller is changed this numeric string.

11. flash memory device as claimed in claim 10, it is characterized in that, it is the described first symbol sign indicating number that this controller is cut apart this numeric string according to a symbol yardage number of words order, and to change this numeric string to the described first symbol sign indicating number, wherein this symbol yardage number of words order is represented the number of the numeral that a symbol sign indicating number is comprised.

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