Host-independent disk optimization and data operations for USB-based storage devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12366977-B2
Application number	US-202318232310-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 9, 2023
Priority date	Jun 22, 2023
Publication date	Jul 22, 2025
Grant date	Jul 22, 2025

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for providing host-independent data operations. In certain embodiments, a data storage device includes a non-volatile memory; a pinhole button configured to be pressed; and a controller configured to: detect that the pinhole button is pressed; detect that the data storage device is coupled to a direct-current (DC) power supply; and initiate a disk operation for the data storage device. In some embodiments, the controller can be configured to initiate a data operation, such as an authentication or data accessibility operation, a data security operation, etc., for example, in addition to or instead of a disk operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A data storage device comprising:
a non-volatile memory;
a pinhole button configured to be pressed; and
a controller configured to:
detect that the pinhole button is pressed, wherein pressing the pinhole button initiates a disk optimization operation for the data storage device;
detect that the data storage device is coupled to a direct-current (DC) power supply;
detect whether there is data exchange between the data storage device and a host;
determine the data storage device is not coupled to a host, wherein the determination is based on detecting there is no data exchange; and
initiate the disk optimization operation for the data storage device when there is no data exchange detected and the data storage device is coupled to the DC power supply.

2. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the data storage device includes a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface.

3. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the disk optimization operation includes a performance and space optimization operation.

4. The data storage device of claim 3 , wherein the performance and space optimization operation includes one or more of: garbage collection, Multi Level Cell (MLC)-MLC relocation, Single Level Cell (SLC)-SLC compaction, SLC-MLC folding, deleting files older than a specified time, deleting files not accessed since a specified time, or updating management tables.

5. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the disk optimization operation includes a data compression optimization operation.

6. The data storage device of claim 5 , wherein the data compression optimization operation includes one or more of: data compression on a selected partition, data compression on full data, data compression on files written before a specified time, data compression on incoming data, decompression of previously compressed data, or updating management tables.

7. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the disk optimization operation includes a data retention optimization operation.

8. The data storage device of claim 7 , wherein the data retention optimization operation includes one or more of: read scan and scrub on previously written blocks, relocating data from blocks that show a bit error rate (BER) more than a specified threshold, wear leveling operation, or updating management tables.

9. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the DC power supply includes one or more of: a wall charger, a power bank, or a rechargeable battery.

10. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the data storage device does not receive a command from a host to initiate the disk optimization operation.

11. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the data storage device is not connected to a host during the disk optimization operation.

12. The data storage device of claim 1 , further comprising a light-emitting diode (LED) indicator for providing status information relating to the disk optimization operation.

13. The data storage device of claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
turn on the LED indicator in response to initiating the disk optimization operation; and
turn off the LED indicator in response to completing the disk optimization operation.

14. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
detect that the pinhole button is pressed by receiving an interrupt; and
mask all interrupts to initiate the disk optimization operation.

15. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to initiate an authentication or data accessibility operation.

16. The data storage device of claim 15 , wherein the authentication or data accessibility operation includes one or more of: making one or more partitions inaccessible or accessible, making one or more partitions read only and other partitions read/write, activating user authentication on a partition, and activating user authentication on the data storage device.

17. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to initiate a data security operation.

18. The data storage device of claim 17 , wherein the data security operation includes one or more of: activating data encryption, or deactivating data encryption.

19. A method of performing a disk optimization operation in a data storage device, the method comprising:
providing the data storage device including a non-volatile memory and a pinhole button configured to be pressed;
detecting that the pinhole button is pressed, wherein pressing the pinhole button initiates the disk optimization operation for the data storage device;
detecting that the data storage device is coupled to a direct-current (DC) power supply;
detecting whether there is data exchange between the data storage device and a host;
determining the data storage device is not coupled to a host, wherein the determination is based on detecting there is no data exchange; and
initiating the disk optimization operation for the data storage device when there is no data exchange detected and the data storage device is coupled to the DC power supply.

20. A data storage device comprising:
a non-volatile memory;
a pinhole button configured to be pressed; and
a controller means configured to:
associate a first press pattern of a plurality of press patterns of the pinhole button with a first disk optimization operation of a plurality of disk optimization operations for the data storage device, wherein a press pattern of a plurality of press patterns includes a press count or a press duration of the pinhole button;
associate a second press pattern of the plurality of press patterns of the pinhole button with a second disk optimization operation of a plurality of disk optimization operations for the data storage device,
detect that the pinhole button is pressed in accordance with either the first press pattern or the second press pattern of the plurality of press patterns;
detect that the data storage device is coupled to a direct-current (DC) power supply;
initiate the corresponding disk optimization operation for the data storage device associated with the detected press pattern; and
disable the pinhole button until the initiated disk optimization operation is completed.

Assignees

• Sandisk Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Jain Nitin

Classifications

• G06F2212/1032

  Reliability improvement, data loss prevention, degraded operation etc · CPC title

• G06F3/0634

  by changing the state or mode of one or more devices · CPC title

• G06F3/064

  Management of blocks · CPC title

• G06F3/0679

  Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP] · CPC title

• G06F3/0625

  Power saving in storage systems · CPC title