US 12,450,013 B1
External storage device supported host RAM expansion
Sankalp Dubey, Bangalore (IN)
Assigned to Sandisk Technologies, Inc., Milpitas, CA (US)
Filed by Sandisk Technologies, Inc., Milpitas, CA (US)
Filed on Apr. 23, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/643,816.
Int. Cl. G06F 3/06 (2006.01)
CPC G06F 3/0659 (2013.01) [G06F 3/061 (2013.01); G06F 3/068 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus comprising:
a physical communication interface configured to provide a physical interface to a host;
a volatile memory;
a non-volatile storage; and
one or more control circuits in communication with the physical communication interface, the non-volatile storage, and the volatile memory, wherein the one or more control circuits are configured, individually or in combination, to:
send a command to the host requesting that the host select a mode of access from a plurality of modes that include a first mode in which the host has access to only the volatile memory and a second mode in which the host has access to at least the non-volatile storage;
operate the apparatus in the first mode responsive to a response from the host to operate in the first mode, the first mode including providing the host access to the volatile memory but not to the non-volatile storage; and
operate the apparatus in the second mode responsive to a response from the host to operate in the second mode, the second mode including providing the host access to the at least the non-volatile storage.