Host-independent format operation of USB-based storage devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12449991-B2
Application number	US-202318232305-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 9, 2023
Priority date	Jun 22, 2023
Publication date	Oct 21, 2025
Grant date	Oct 21, 2025

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for providing host-independent format operations in data storage devices. 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 formatting of the data storage device or a factory reset of the data storage device.

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 by receiving an interrupt;
detect that the data storage device is coupled to a direct-current (DC) power supply;
initiate formatting of the data storage device or a factory reset of the data storage device; and
mask all interrupts to initiate the formatting or the factory reset.

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 factory reset of the data storage device includes deleting partitions on the data storage device and resetting user preferences.

4. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the factory reset of the data storage device includes formatting of the data storage device.

5. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the factory reset of the data storage device does not include formatting of the data storage device.

6. 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.

7. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the data storage device does not receive a command from a host to initiate the formatting or the factory reset.

8. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the data storage device is not connected to a host during the formatting or the factory reset.

9. The data storage device of claim 1 , further comprising a light-emitting diode (LED) indicator for providing status information relating to the formatting or the factory reset.

10. The data storage device of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
turn on the LED indicator in response to initiating the formatting or the factory reset; and
turn off the LED indicator in response to completing the formatting or the factory reset.

11. The data storage device of claim 1 , further comprising a pin for pressing the pinhole button.

12. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the formatting of the data storage device performs formatting of a selected partition on the data storage device.

13. The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein the formatting of the data storage device performs a full format of the data storage device.

14. A method of performing formatting or a factory reset in a data storage device, the method comprising:
providing a data storage device including a non-volatile memory and a pinhole button configured to be pressed;
detecting that the pinhole button is pressed by receiving an interrupt;
detecting that the data storage device is coupled to a direct-current (DC) power supply;
initiating formatting of the data storage device or a factory reset of the data storage device; and
masking all interrupts to initiate the formatting or the factory reset.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the data storage device includes a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the factory reset of the data storage device includes deleting partitions on the data storage device and resetting user preferences.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the DC power supply includes one or more of: a wall charger, a power bank, or a rechargeable battery.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the data storage device further includes a light-emitting diode (LED) indicator for providing status information relating to the formatting or the factory reset.

19. A data storage device comprising:
a non-volatile memory;
a pinhole button configured to be pressed; and
a controller means configured to:
detect that the pinhole button is pressed by receiving an interrupt;
detect that the data storage device is coupled to a direct-current (DC) power supply;
initiate formatting of the data storage device or a factory reset of the data storage device; and
mask all interrupts to initiate the formatting or the factory reset.

Assignees

• Sandisk Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Jain Nitin

Classifications

• G06F3/0604 Primary

  Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. storage management · CPC title

• G06F3/0679

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

• G06F3/0644

  Management of space entities, e.g. partitions, extents, pools · CPC title

• G06F3/0632 Primary

  by initialisation or re-initialisation of storage systems · CPC title