Patent ID: 8904094

Claim:
A memory system, comprising: a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device; a controller configured to control the nonvolatile semiconductor memory device; an extended function section to be controlled by the controller; and an extension register provided with a certain block length capable of defining an extended function of the extended function section, wherein the controller processes a first command to write header data of a command to operate the extended function section to the extended function section through the extension register, and a second command to read header data of a response from the extended function section through the extension register, wherein the controller processes a third command to write variable-length command data to the extended function section, and a fourth command to read variable-length response data from the extended function section, wherein the third command comprises a field configured to specify a block size and a block number of the variable-length command data, and the fourth command comprises a field configured to specify a block size and a block number of the variable-length response data, and wherein, upon receipt of one of the first to fourth commands, the memory device returns a response, and the response includes a first flag indicating that an event has occurred in the extended function section.