Method and apparatus to reduce FLASH memory device programming time over a C.A.N. bus

摘要

Data frames, such as Controller Access Network frames, that are to be programmed into a FLASH memory device, are sent from a programming station to a target device via a relatively high-speed bus and stored temporarily at the target device in numbered frame buffers. Each frame carries a payload. Before a frame is sent, an identifier is assigned to it, or an identifier is appended to the frame. The identifier identifies a particular buffer in the target device where the frame is to be stored in the target device until the target device is able to process the frame and write its payload into a FLASH memory device.

主权项

1. A method of transmitting C.A.N.-type frames over a C.A.N.-type bus, the method comprising:
reading data from a first memory device; encapsulating data read from the first memory device, in a plurality of over-head fields to form a plurality of C.A.N.-type frames; appending to each C.A.N.-type frame, a C.A.N. message identifier that corresponds to, and that uniquely identifies, one of N available buffers that are in a remotely-located FLASH memory device programming station, the N available buffers in the remotely-located FLASH memory programming station being sized and arranged to store complete, C.A.N.-type frames, N being a number greater than one, the message identifier corresponding to, and identifying, a particular buffer at the FLASH memory programming station into which a C.A.N.-type frame with a corresponding message identifier is to be stored temporarily by a FLASH programming device that is coupled to a FLASH memory device into which a payload portion of a C.A.N.-type frame is to be transferred by the FLASH programming device, a C.A.N.-type frame comprising a multi-bit, information-bearing payload field, encapsulated in a plurality of over-head fields; transmitting a plurality of C.A.N.-type frames with the appended message identifier over a C.A.N. bus to the FLASH memory programming station, the FLASH memory programming station being configured to have a plurality of buffers, each buffer at the FLASH memory programming station being identified by the message identifier appended to a transmitted C.A.N. frame and each buffer being configured to store a complete C.A.N.-type frame; repeating steps a) and b) until a number of transmitted messages is equal to N.