Patent ID: 8301824
Filing Date: 2012-10-30
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method of data transfer to and from a storage device having a memory, a controller, a host interface and a storage device interface, the host interface is connected to a host device, and the storage device interface is capable of being coupled to an add-on memory, the method comprising: if the storage device is not coupled to the add-on memory, storing in the storage device a file allocation table with entries beyond the storage capacity of the storage device, the file allocation table having entries for an initial address space of the storage device and entries for an extended address space, at least a subset of the entries for the extended address space are for locations in the add-on memory that will extend the capacity of the storage device at a later time, the entries in the file allocation table that are for the extended address space are marked as unavailable; receiving a data transfer command from the host interface, the data transfer command specifying a memory address; if the specified memory address is beyond the address space of the memory and the storage device is coupled to the add-on memory, routing the data transfer command to the storage device interface for access to the add-on memory, wherein the address space of the memory and an address space of the add-on memory are addressed as one integral address space transparently to the host device; and if the storage device is coupled to the add-on memory, storing the file allocation table with at least a subset of entries for the extended address space that are for locations in the add-on memory being marked as available.