Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claims 1-20 are pending.
The IDSes, filed 7/27/26 and 7/8/25, have been considered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jang et al (US20200293221, “Jang”).
As to claim 1, 16:
Jang teaches an operation method (method; 0012-0013, 0042, 0051, 0091) of a universal flash storage (UFS) device (UFS device; 0115, 0138, 0140, 0141), the method comprising: configuring a write booster buffer in a first size during an initialization (provision buffer area with a buffer size information when rebooting; 0115-0117, 0121-0125);
receiving a first query request UFS protocol information unit (UPIU) from an external UFS host (receive host query request UPIU; 0115-0117);
sending a first query response UPIU including hint information to the external UFS host in response to the first query UPIU (report to host available buffer size; 0050, 0038, 0086, 0090);
receiving a second query request UPIU from the external UFS host (receive buffer area change request; 0155-0157);
reconfiguring the write booster buffer in a second size in response to the second query request UPIU during a run-time of the UFS device (provision change of buffer size; 0155-0158; 0115-0117, 0121-0125); and
sending a second query response UPIU to the external UFS host (respond to query; 0144-0146).
As to claim 2:
Jang teaches the UFS device comprises the write booster buffer and a user storage area (buffer area 112, user area 111; Fig. 1; 0034, 0036), and a first memory cell corresponding to the write booster buffer is configured to store N-bit data, where N is a natural number, a second memory cell corresponding to the user storage area is configured to store M-bit data, where M is a positive integer greater than N (memory cells of specific size to store data bits; 0033, 0044, 0059).
As to claim 3:
Jang teaches the second query request UPIU comprises reconfiguration information about the write booster buffer (query request to provision buffer area, request include mode information, size information, and logical unit information; 0115-0117).
As to claim 4:
Jang teaches the hint information includes information for determining whether to reconfigure the write booster buffer (information include available buffer size; 0050, 0086, 0089).
As to claim 5:
Jang teaches the second size is less than the first size (reprovisioning buffer area; decrease buffer size; 0157-0158).
As to claim 6:
Jang teaches the write booster buffer is configured based on a mode, in which a logical storage capacity recognized by the external UFS host is not reduced, during the initialization (noreduction mode in which buffer size is not reduced, 0116-0118, 0130).
As to claim 7, 17:
Jang teaches the reconfiguring the write booster buffer in a second size in response to the second query request UPIU comprises: setting a field about a current size of the write booster buffer to a value corresponding to the second size (set buffer size in provision setting; 0154-0155).
As to claim 8, 18, 19:
Jang teaches receiving a third query request UPIU from the external UFS host; and sending a third query response UPIU including a current status of the UFS device in response to the third query request UPIU (receive query and return mode information; 0116).
As to claim 9, 20:
Jang teaches receiving a fourth query request UPIU from the external UFS host; and sending a fourth query response UPIU including a field about a current size of the write booster buffer in response to the third query request UPIU (receive query and return available buffer size; 0050, 0038, 0086, 0090, 0116).
As to claim 10:
Jang teaches receiving a third query request UPIU from the external UFS host; and sending a third query response UPIU including size information about the write booster buffer after the reconfiguring in response to the third query request UPIU (receive query and return buffer size; 0050, 0086, 00898, 0115-0117).
As to claim 11:
Jang teaches an operation method of a universal flash storage (UFS) host (method; 0012-0013, 0042, 0051, 0091), the method comprising:
configuring a write booster buffer of an external UFS device during an initialization (provision buffer area with a buffer size information when rebooting; 0115-0117, 0121-0125;
sending a first query request UFS protocol information unit (UPIU) to the external UFS device (host sends query request UPIU; 0115-0117);
receiving a first query response UPIU including hint information from the external UFS device (receive report on available buffer size; 0050, 0038, 0086, 0090);
sending a second query request UPIU including a reconfiguration information about the write booster buffer to the external UFS device, in response to the hint information (send buffer area change request; 0155-0157); and receiving a second query response UPIU from the external UFS device (provision change of buffer size; 0155-0158; 0115-0117, 0121-0125; receive respond to query; 0144-0146).
As to claim 12:
Jang teaches the hint information includes information for determining whether to reconfigure the write booster buffer (information include available buffer size; 0050, 0086, 0089).
As to claim 13:
Jang teaches sending a third query request to the external UFS device; and receiving a third query response including information about the current status of the external UFS device UPIU (send query and receive return mode information; 0116).
As to claim 14:
Jang teaches sending a third query request to the external UFS device; and receiving a third query response including information about the current size of the write booster buffer (send query and receive return available buffer size; 0050, 0038, 0086, 0090, 0116).
As to claim 15:
Jang teaches configuring a write booster buffer of an external UFS device during an initialization comprises: setting the write booster buffer in a first mode in which a logical storage capacity of the external UFS device recognized by the host is not reduced (set noreduction mode in which buffer size is not reduced, 0116-0118, 0130).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US20200401514 discloses a system for adapting garbage collection operations in a memory device by tracking an actual device age, determines a device wear metric using a physical write count and total writes over an expected lifetime of the memory device, estimates a wear-indicated device age, and adjust an amount of memory space to be freed by a GC operation according to the wear-indicated device age relative to the actual device age. A memory controller can also dynamically reallocate a portion of the memory cells between a single level cell (SLC) cache and a multi-level cell (MLC) storage according to the wear-indicated device age relative to the actual device age.
US20210034513 discloses a storage device includes a nonvolatile memory device that includes a first area, a second area, and a third area, and a controller that receives a write command and first data from a host device, preferentially writes the first data in the first area or the second area rather than the third area when the first data is associated with a turbo write, and writes the first data in the first area, the second area, or the third area when the first data is associated with a normal write.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THAN NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-4198. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:00am -4:00pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Tim Vo can be reached at (571)272-3642. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/THAN NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2138
Prosecution Insights