Memory device having a multi-channel capacitance sensor for detecting gesture-based commands

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for providing a multi-channel capacitance sensor for detecting user gestures. In certain embodiments, a data storage device includes a non-volatile memory, a plurality of metal pieces configured to form one or more heat sinks of the data storage device, and a plurality of capacitance pads of a capacitance sensor configured to detect user gestures. A controller is configured to use the capacitance sensor to detect a user gesture in the vicinity of the plurality of capacitance pads and execute a command associated with the data storage device based on the detected gesture.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] (Cross - Reference to Related Applications) This application claims the benefit of U.S. Non - Provisional Application No. 18 / 231,718, entitled "STORAGE DEVICES HAVING MULTI - CHANNEL CAPACITIVE SENSORS FOR DETECTING GESTURE BASED COMMANDS", filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on August 8, 2023, which claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 435,768, filed on December 28, 2022, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

Background Art

[0002] (Field of the Invention) The present disclosure relates to data storage systems. In particular, the present disclosure relates to processing data requests in a data storage system.

[0003] (Description of Related Art) A data storage system / device can process various data requests from a host. For example, a host can receive a user command or input to initiate a data request and can transmit the data request to the data storage system / device.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0004] Various embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. Additionally, various features of different disclosed embodiments can be combined to form additional embodiments that are part of the present disclosure.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3A

Figure 3B

Figure 4A

Figure 4B

Figure 4C

Figure 4D

Figure 5A

Figure 5B

Figure 5C

Figure 5D

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

[0005] Although specific embodiments are described, these embodiments are presented by way of example only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection. In fact, the novel methods and systems described herein can be embodied in various other forms. Further, various omissions, substitutions, and changes in the forms of the methods and systems described herein may be made without departing from the scope of protection.

[0006] A memory device having a multi-channel capacitance sensor for detecting gesture-based commands constructed from a heat sink The data storage system / device can process various data requests from a host. For example, a user can provide a user input or command to the host to initiate a data request, and the host can send the data request to the data storage system / device. Examples of the data storage system / device include, for example, an external solid state drive (SSD), a Universal Serial Bus (USB) flash drive, a Secure Digital (SD) card, a Micro Secure Digital (uSD) card, a CompactFlash, a CFast, a CFexpress, a RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disk) controller, and other removable devices. Such a device can perform any data operation, such as starting a data transfer to and / or from the data storage device, depending on a user command from the host. For example, generally, a user input on the host is required for the data storage device to perform a data operation. However, it may be convenient for the user to be able to request a data operation on the data storage device without the need to provide an input via the host. Further, FIDO (Fast Identity Online)-based authentication may require a contact input from the user (e.g., pressing a button or touching a touch sensor), and Bluetooth-based authentication may require the use of another device such as a host or a mobile phone. In these cases, it may also be convenient for the user to have other ways to interact with the data storage device to perform related operations.

[0007] To address these and other issues, a memory system / device in some aspects can implement a multi-channel capacitance sensor for detecting gesture-based commands. For example, a memory device can provide a multi-channel capacitance sensor that includes a plurality of capacitance pads for detecting a user's gesture. Different gestures can be associated with different commands and / or data operations. Thus, a user can request a data operation on the memory device without the need to provide input via a host. Gestures can also be used for, e.g., FIDO authentication, Bluetooth authentication, etc. In some cases, due to thermal issues, it may be difficult to implement a capacitance sensor for sensing a user's gesture in an external solid-state drive. For example, many external SSDs can be waterproof and may not have vents or fans for cooling the drive. Such external SSDs can include several metal layers as heat sinks for dissipating heat from the drive. However, the numerous metal layers in an external SSD can make it difficult to implement a multi-channel capacitance sensor for detecting gestures within the SSD, e.g., due to interference with the electric field of the capacitance pads. Thus, by using the heat sink in an external SSD, it is possible to form a multi-channel capacitance sensor and also use it to form the capacitance pads of the multi-channel capacitance sensor. Using a metal piece of the heat sink to form the capacitance sensor can be applicable to other memory devices in addition to external SSDs. In this way, the memory device can be made more compact and also manage thermal requirements. Details regarding a memory system / device that includes a multi-channel capacitance sensor for detecting gesture-based commands are provided below.

[0008] FIG. 1 shows an example system architecture 100 for an example memory system 140 related to providing a multi-channel capacitance sensor for detecting a user's gesture according to one or more embodiments. Architecture 100 can include one or more client computing devices or hosts 110. The client computing device 110 can include a processor 116 and a memory 117. Architecture 100 can also include a memory system 140 for providing a multi-channel capacitance sensor. The memory system 140 can include one or more storage devices 145. The client computing device 110 can be coupled to the memory system 140 and / or the storage device 145. The client computing device 110 can be directly connected to the memory system 140 and / or the storage device 145. In some cases, the client computing device 110 can be coupled to the memory system 140 and / or the storage device 145 via a network 120. Examples of types of client computing devices 110 that can access the memory system 140 include a phone 110a such as a smartphone, a laptop computer 110b, a tablet computer 110c, a desktop computer 110d, a wearable computer, and / or other network-connected computing devices. The network 120 can be a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) (e.g., the Internet), or other types of computer networks, and the connections between the various client components of architecture 100 and the network 120 can be either wired or wireless.

[0009] As mentioned above, the memory system 140 can include one or more memory devices 145. The memory device 145a can include a controller 146, a memory 147, and a data storage device 148 (e.g., non-volatile memory). The memory device 145b can also include similar components. The memory system 140 can store data and / or data objects that can be accessed by the client computing device 110. The memory system 140 can include a plurality of memory devices 145 (e.g., a plurality of memory drives such as hard disk drives (HDDs), solid state drives (SSDs), etc.). The memory device 145 can include a magnetic medium (e.g., magnetic disks, shingled magnetic recording (SMR) media / disks, etc.) and / or a solid state medium.

[0010] Although specific embodiments are described herein, it should be understood that different types of memory devices and random access memory (RAM) technologies can be used in the above embodiments. For example, the RAM can include any of static RAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), synchronous dynamic RAM (SDRAM), single data rate synchronous dynamic RAM (SDR SDRAM), double data rate synchronous dynamic RAM (e.g., DDR SDRAM, DDR2, DDR3, DDR4), graphics double data rate synchronous dynamic RAM (e.g., GDDR SDRAM, GDDR2, GDDR3, GDDR4, GDDR5), and / or flash memory. Non-volatile random access memory such as non-volatile dual in-line memory modules (NVDIMMs), NVDIMM-N, NVDIMM-P, and / or NVDIMM-F can also be used.

[0011] In addition, the memory device can utilize a hard disk drive (HDD) and / or different types of non-volatile memory, such as NAND and its variants, such as single-level cell (SLC), enterprise multi-level cell (EmLC), multi-level cell (MLC), triple-level cell (TLC), and quad-level cell (QLC), etc. New types of emerging non-volatile memory, such as Program in Place or Storage Class Memory (SCM), such as resistive random-access memory (ReRAM), phase-change memory (PCM), and magnetoresistive random-access memory (MRAM), etc., can also be used.

[0012] In some embodiments, "host" can mean a system or device that accesses or requests data on a memory system or device. For example, the client computing device 110 can be a host. In some embodiments, "device" can mean a memory system or device from which data is obtained, for example, for providing to a host.

[0013] According to certain embodiments, memory system 140 and / or memory device 145 can be configured to provide a multi-channel capacitance sensor for detecting user gestures, as described herein. For illustrative purposes, a multi-channel capacitance sensor for detecting user gestures is described in relation to memory device 145. Memory device 145 can have a multi-channel capacitance sensor that includes a plurality of capacitance pads configured to detect user gestures. User gestures can include various types of gestures that a user can perform. For example, a user gesture can be performed by the user's hand in the vicinity of the capacitance pads. As an example, the capacitance pads can be arranged in series and can detect a one-dimensional (e.g., left to right, right to left) swipe. As another example, the capacitance pads can be arranged as a matrix and can detect a two-dimensional (e.g., left to right, right to left, top to bottom, bottom to top, etc.) swipe. Different gestures can be associated with different commands so that memory device 145 can execute the associated commands in response to the detection of a particular gesture. Gestures can also be used, for example, to perform FIDO authentication or Bluetooth authentication to provide a seamless user experience and facilitate user interaction. Memory device 145 can include one or more multi-channel capacitance sensors, depending on the embodiment.

[0014] Removable storage devices such as external SSDs may include several metal layers or metal materials that function as one or more heat sinks to address thermal requirements. For example, the removable device may need to be compact and may in some cases need to be waterproof and may not include vents or fans. Since the metal layer or metal material may interfere with the electric field of the capacitance pads, it may be difficult to implement a multi-channel capacitance sensor within the removable device. Additional materials are also added to the removable device to implement the capacitance sensor, which increases the size of the removable device. Therefore, by using a heat sink, a multi-channel capacitance sensor can be implemented in the memory device 145. For example, the heat sink can be divided into multiple metal pieces and used to form a multi-channel capacitance sensor. In one example, the heat sink can be a metal piece embedded in or located near a plastic lid and can be divided into multiple metal pieces that are electrically insulated from each other to form the capacitance pads of the multi-channel capacitance sensor. For example, the heat sink can be embedded in the lid such that the edge of the heat sink is partially or entirely surrounded or covered by the edge of the lid. In another example, the heat sink can be the metal lid itself, and the metal lid can be divided into multiple metal pieces that are electrically insulated from each other to form the capacitance pads of the multi-channel capacitance sensor. For example, these multiple metal pieces can form a capacitance array. In this way, a multi-channel capacitance sensor can be mounted on the removable device without adding an additional metal layer or metal material to the memory device 145, and the memory device 145 can be made more compact while managing thermal requirements. Examples of removable devices include external SSDs, USB flash drives, SD cards, uSd cards, compact flash, CFast, CFexpress, RAID controllers, and the like.For illustrative purposes, the use of a heat sink to implement a multi-channel capacitance sensor is described in connection with a removable device, but may be similarly applicable to other types of memory devices. Details regarding providing a multi-channel capacitance sensor for detecting user gestures are described below, for example, in connection with FIGS. 2-6.

[0015] FIG. 2 is a block diagram 200 showing an exemplary memory device 245 for providing a multi-channel capacitance sensor for detecting gesture-based commands according to one or more embodiments. In some embodiments, the components of FIG. 2 may be similar to the components of FIG. 1 having similar names and / or reference numbers. For example, memory device 245 may be similar to memory device 145 of FIG. 1. Specific details regarding block diagram 200 are described above in connection with FIG. 1.

[0016] The memory device 245 can communicate with a host such as a client computing device. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the memory device 245 can be an external SSD. The multi-channel capacitance sensor for detecting user gestures is described in relation to the external SSD for illustrative purposes, but can also be implemented in other types of memory devices. As shown in FIG. 2, the memory device 245 can include a host connector 249, a controller application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) chip 246, a capacitance sensor chip 250, and a plurality of capacitance pads or electrodes 251. The memory device 245 can be connected to the host via the host connector 249. The controller chip 246 can receive commands from the host via the host connector 249. The capacitance sensor chip 250 can be mounted on the printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) of the memory device 245. The capacitance sensor chip 250 can communicate with the controller chip 246 via a Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI), I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit), UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver-Transmitter), or a similar interface. There can be an interrupt line from the capacitance sensor chip 250 to the controller chip 246 to indicate when the user's hand is in proximity to the memory device 245. The capacitance sensor chip 250 can drive the plurality of capacitance pads 251. The embodiment of FIG. 2 shows four capacitance pads 251, namely pad 1 251-1, pad 2 251-2, pad 3 251-3, and pad 4 251-4. The capacitance pads 251 are arranged in series or in a row and can detect user gestures in one dimension. For example, the capacitance sensor chip 250 can detect gestures from left to right or from right to left. As an example, the capacitance pads 251 can be made of copper. The capacitance pads 251 can be made of any suitable material.The capacitance pads 251 can be arranged in two or more dimensions so that the capacitance pads 251 can detect user gestures in two or more dimensions. For example, the capacitance pads 251 can be arranged in a matrix or in multiple columns to detect gestures in two dimensions. The capacitance pads 251 can be regarded as being implemented in rows and / or columns or in an array. The storage device 245 and / or the controller chip 246 can include additional components or fewer components according to the embodiment. One or more components of the storage device 245 can be implemented separately, combined, or integrated according to the embodiment. For example, in some cases, the controller chip 246 can include the functions of the capacitance sensor chip 250. According to the embodiment, part or all of the functions of the capacitance sensor chip 250 can be integrated into the controller 246.

[0017] The storage device 245 can detect user gestures within a predetermined proximity or distance from the storage device 245. For example, the storage device 245 can detect user gestures within 0 to 5 centimeters (cm) from the top of the storage device 245. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, when the user makes a gesture by swiping the user's hand from left to right in the air, pad 1 251-1 first senses the user's hand, and then pads 2 251-2, pad 3 251-3, and pad 4 251-4 follow in sequence. Similarly, in the case of a swipe from right to left, pad 4 251-4 first senses the user's hand, and then pads 3 251-3, pad 2 251-2, and pad 1 251-1 follow in sequence. By using the information about which capacitance pad senses the user's hand, it is possible to identify in which direction the user gesture was made. For example, by using which capacitance pad first senses the user's hand and / or the timing or order in which the capacitance pads sense the user's hand, it is possible to identify whether the user gesture is a swipe from left to right or a swipe from right to left.

[0018] Different meanings or commands can be assigned to different gestures. In one example, a left-to-right swipe can be associated with a full file copy of the contents of the storage device 245 to the host, and the storage device 245 can automatically initiate a copy of the data on the storage device 245 to the host in response to detection of the left-to-right swipe. As another example, a right-to-left swipe can be associated with a full file copy of the host's contents to the storage device 245 for backup, and the storage device 245 can automatically initiate a copy of the host data to the storage device 245 in response to detection of the right-to-left swipe. The source and / or target location (e.g., directory) may be predefined or configured in the settings. Further examples of gestures and related commands are included below.

[0019]

Table 1

[0020] The above examples are provided for illustrative purposes and many variations are possible.

[0021] The gesture can also be used for FIDO or Bluetooth authentication. The FIDO protocol can provide stronger authentication using standard public key cryptography. The user's device can create a new key pair, hold the private key, and register the public key with a service, for example. Authentication can be performed by the device proving ownership of the private key. The user's private key can only be used after being unlocked on the device by the user. Unlocking can be achieved in different ways, such as pressing a button or touching a touch sensor. In some cases, the gesture can replace the function of physical user input for FIDO, such as pressing a push button or contacting a touch sensor. In the case of FIDO authentication, the user can be prompted to press a button on the device or contact a touch sensor to release key information. Instead of physical contact input, the user may perform a specific gesture near the storage device 245 to release key information. In this way, the user can perform FIDO authentication on the storage device 245 using the gesture. Thus, in some cases, components used for physical contact input for FIDO authentication, such as push buttons or touch sensors, can be eliminated from the storage device 245. In certain cases, the gesture can be used for Bluetooth-based authentication, such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). In the case of Bluetooth-based unlocking, the user can use a host or a mobile phone to receive push notifications for authentication and access permission. Instead of using a host or a mobile phone, the user may perform a specific gesture near the storage device 245 for a Bluetooth-based unlocking scenario. In this way, the user may use the gesture to facilitate various types of authentication, such as having to provide manual input or using a host or another device.

[0022] According to certain embodiments, the capacitance pads 251 for the multi-channel capacitance sensor can be implemented on or near the lid of a storage device 245 such as an external SSD. By positioning the capacitance pads 251 near the lid, detection of user gestures can be made more effective, and interference by other metal layers within the storage device 245, which is used as a heat sink for example, can be reduced. For example, the distance between the heat sink layer on which the capacitance pads such as the lid are implemented and other metal layers within the storage device 245 can be increased. In some embodiments, the lid of the storage device 245 can be made of plastic, and the capacitance pads 251 can be metal pieces embedded in or located near the lid that also forms a heat sink. In certain specific embodiments, the lid of the storage device 245 can be made of metal, and the capacitance pads 251 can be formed from the metal lid by dividing the lid into a plurality of metal pieces and electrically insulating them with other materials such as plastic. The above examples are described for illustrative purposes, and the capacitance pads 251 can be implemented at various positions and locations within the storage device 245 as needed.

[0023] As mentioned above, the storage device 245 can include some metal layers used as heat sinks that can affect the electric field of the capacitance pads 251. For example, a storage device 245 such as an external SSD can include one or more of an aluminum heat sink, a nanocarbon copper tape, and a thermal interface material. According to certain embodiments, by performing calibration, interference between such metal layers and the electric field of the capacitance pads 251 can be compensated. For example, when the storage device 245 is plugged into a host, by performing calibration, the initial capacitance value of the capacitance pads 251 can be identified and set as such a value to ground zero or a reference capacitance value. Changes from the subsequent initial capacitance value can be used to detect user gestures. Calibration can take into account other metal objects in the environment such as a table, a computer, a laptop, etc. Calibration will be described in more detail below.

[0024] FIG. 3A is a block diagram 300a showing an example memory device 345a for providing a multi-channel capacitance sensor for detecting gesture-based commands according to a particular embodiment. In some embodiments, the components of FIG. 3A may be similar to the components of FIGS. 1-2 having similar names and / or reference numbers. For example, memory device 345a may be similar to memory devices 145, 245 of FIGS. 1-2. Specific details regarding block diagram 300a have been described above in connection with FIGS. 1-2.

[0025] In the example of FIG. 3A, a memory device 345a, such as an external SSD, includes four capacitance pads 351a for detecting user gestures, namely pad 1 351a-1, pad 2 351a-2, pad 3 351a-3, and pad 4 351a-4. For example, capacitance pads 351a can be implemented by a heat sink embedded in or located near the lid of memory device 345a. The heat sink embedded in or located near the lid of memory device 345a can be divided into multiple pieces to form capacitance pads 351a. Capacitance pads 351a can be present on the back surface of the lid. Capacitance pads 351a are arranged in a row or in series and can detect user gestures in a one-dimensional 370a-1 (e.g., the x-axis or horizontal axis). Capacitance pads 351a can detect gestures in different directions within one-dimensional 370a-1, e.g., user gestures from left to right or from right to left. Each gesture can be associated with a particular command regarding memory device 345a. In response to the detection of a gesture, memory device 345a can identify the associated command and execute the command if necessary.

[0026] FIG. 3B is a block diagram 300b showing an exemplary memory device 345b for providing a multi-channel capacitance sensor for detecting gesture-based commands according to a particular embodiment. In some embodiments, the components of FIG. 3B may be similar to the components of FIGS. 1-3A having similar names and / or reference numbers. For example, memory device 345b may be similar to memory devices 145, 245, 345a of FIGS. 1-3A. Specific details regarding block diagram 300b are described above in connection with FIGS. 1-3A.

[0027] In the embodiment of FIG. 3B, a storage device 345b such as an external SSD includes eight capacitance pads 351b for detecting user gestures, namely pad 1 351b-1, pad 2 351b-2, pad 3 351b-3, pad 4 351b-4, pad 5 351b-5, pad 6 351b-6, pad 7 351b-7, and pad 8 351b-8. For example, the capacitance pads 351b can be implemented by a heat sink embedded in or located near the lid of the storage device 345b. The heat sink embedded in or located near the lid of the storage device 345b can be divided into a plurality of pieces to form the capacitance pads 351b. The capacitance pads 351b can be present on the back surface of the lid. The capacitance pads 351b are arranged in a plurality of rows or in a matrix and can detect user gestures in two dimensions (e.g., the x-axis and the y-axis, or the horizontal axis and the vertical axis). The capacitance pads 351b can detect gestures in different directions within each dimension. In a first dimension 370b-1 (e.g., along the x-axis or the horizontal axis), the capacitance pads 351b can detect user gestures from left to right or from right to left. In a second dimension 370b-2 (e.g., along the y-axis or the vertical axis), the capacitance pads 351b can detect user gestures from top to bottom or from bottom to top. Each gesture can be associated with a specific command regarding the storage device 345b. In response to the detection of a gesture, the storage device 345b can identify the associated command and execute the command if necessary. The embodiments of FIGS. 3A-3B are provided for illustrative purposes, and the capacitance pads 351 can be implemented in any suitable manner or configuration. For example, if the capacitance pads 351 are configured in three dimensions, the capacitance pads 351 may be able to detect user gestures in three dimensions.

[0028] FIG. 4A is a block diagram 400a showing an exemplary memory device 445a for providing a multi-channel capacitance sensor for detecting gesture-based commands according to a particular embodiment. In some embodiments, the components of FIG. 4A may be similar to the components of FIGS. 1-3B having similar names and / or reference numbers. For example, the memory device 445a may be similar to the memory devices 145, 245, 345 of FIGS. 1-3B. Specific details regarding block diagram 400a are described above in connection with FIGS. 1-3B.

[0029] In the example of FIG. 4A, a memory device 445a, such as an external SSD, includes four capacitance pads 451a for detecting user gestures, namely, pad 1 451a-1, pad 2 451a-2, pad 3 451a-3, and pad 4 451a-4. For example, the capacitance pads 451a can be implemented by a heat sink embedded in or located near the lid 460a of the memory device 445a. The heat sink embedded in or located near the lid 460a of the memory device 445a can be divided into a plurality of pieces to form the capacitance pads 451a. The capacitance pads 451a can be present on the back surface of the lid 460a. The example of FIG. 4A shows the back surface of the lid 460a of the memory device 445a. The capacitance pads 451a are arranged in a row or in series and can detect user gestures in one dimension. The capacitance pads 451a can detect gestures in different directions within one dimension, for example, a user gesture from left to right or from right to left. Each gesture can be associated with a particular command regarding the memory device 445a. In response to the detection of a gesture, the memory device 445a can identify the associated command and execute the command if necessary.

[0030] FIG. 4B is a block diagram 400b showing an exemplary memory device 445b for providing a multi-channel capacitive sensor for detecting gesture-based commands according to a particular embodiment. In some embodiments, the components of FIG. 4B may be similar to the components of FIGS. 1-4A having similar names and / or reference numbers. For example, the memory device 445b may be similar to the memory devices 145, 245, 345, 445a of FIGS. 1-4A. Specific details regarding block diagram 400b are described above in connection with FIGS. 1-4A.

[0031] FIG. 4B can show another configuration of an example memory device, such as the memory device 445a of FIG. 4A. For example, FIG. 4B shows a perspective view of different components or layers within the memory device 445b, such as an external SSD. Under the cover 460b, several metal pieces separated from the heat sink can form a plurality of capacitive pads 451b of the multi-channel capacitive sensor of the memory device 445b. The memory device 445b includes four capacitive pads 451b, namely, pad 1 451b-1, pad 2 451b-2, pad 3 451b-3, and pad 4 451b-4. The metal pieces forming the capacitive pads 451b are electrically insulated from each other. The capacitive pads 451b can be electrically connected to the exposed copper 463b on the PCBA 461b of the memory device 445b. For example, the capacitive pads 451b can be connected to the exposed copper 463b by a conductive sponge 462b. For example, the conductive sponge 462b can be a type of conductive sponge commonly used for grounding. In addition to the conductive sponge, any suitable material such as a metal screw, a metal clip, a flexible printed circuit board (PCB), etc. can be used to electrically connect the capacitive pads 451b and the exposed copper 463b. In the example of FIG. 4B, the cover 460b can be made of plastic or other non-conductive materials, but in other examples, the cover 460b can be made of metal.

[0032] In certain embodiments, one or more other metal layers may be present between the lid 460b and the PCBA 461b. For example, such a metal layer may function as a heat sink in an external SSD to manage thermal requirements. In one embodiment, the external SSD can include various types of layers that may include a lid, a nanocarbon copper tape (NCCT), a foam, an aluminum heat sink (HS), a thermal interface material (TIM), and a PCBA. Similar layers may be included on either side of the PCBA. For example, the external SSD can include an upper lid, an upper NCCT, an upper foam, an upper aluminum HS, an upper TIM, a PCBA, a lower TIM, a lower aluminum HS, a lower foam, a lower NCCT, and a lower lid. Some of the layers may be metal layers or layers containing metal such as NCCT, aluminum HS, and TIM.

[0033] If one or more other metal layers are present between the lid and the PCBA, the metal-containing layers can affect the electric field of the capacitance pads in the lid. Thus, calibration can be performed on the external SSD to determine the capacitance values of the capacitance pads in their initial state (e.g., when connected or coupled to a host). For example, the aluminum HS can be grounded and may affect the electric field of the capacitance pads. Calibration can be performed to determine the capacitance values of the capacitance pads when the external SSD is plugged into a host and set these values as ground zero or a reference value. Then, the capacitance value variations of the capacitance pads from the ground zero value can be used to determine whether a user gesture has been detected. In this manner, the presence of metal-containing layers near the capacitance pads can be taken into account when detecting user gestures. In some cases, if one or more of the other metal layers between the lid and the PCBA are not necessary for thermal requirements, they can be removed to reduce interference with the electric field of the capacitance pads in the lid.

[0034] FIG. 4C is a block diagram 400c showing an example memory device 445c for providing a multi-channel capacitance sensor for detecting gesture-based commands according to a particular embodiment. In some embodiments, the components of FIG. 4C may be similar to the components of FIGS. 1-4B having similar names and / or reference numbers. For example, memory device 445c may be similar to memory devices 145, 245, 345, 445a, 445b of FIGS. 1-4B. Specific details regarding block diagram 400c are described above in connection with FIGS. 1-4B.

[0035] The embodiment of FIG. 4C may be similar to the embodiment of FIG. 4B. In the embodiment of FIG. 4C, the memory device 445c can include an upper lid 460c-1 and a bottom lid 460c-2, and the capacitance pads 451c can be mounted on or near the upper lid 460c-1 and the bottom lid 460c-2. For example, a heat sink on or near the bottom lid 460c-2 can be used to form additional capacitance pads 451c. In the embodiment of FIG. 4C, the upper lid 460c-1 includes pad 1 451c-1, pad 2 451c-2, pad 3 451c-3, and pad 4 451c-4, and the bottom lid 460c-2 includes pad 5 451c-5, pad 6 451c-6, pad 7 451c-7, and pad 8 451c-8. The metal pieces forming the capacitive pads 451c are electrically insulated from each other. The capacitance pads 451c can be electrically connected to the exposed copper on the PCBA 461c of the memory device 445c. For example, the capacitance pads 451c-1, c-2, c-3, c-4 can be connected to the exposed copper 463c-1, c-2, c-3, c-4 by conductive sponges 462c-1, c-2, c-3, c-4 respectively. The capacitance pads 451c-5, c-6, c-7, c-8 can be connected to the exposed copper (not shown) on the other side of the PCBA 461c by conductive sponges 462c-5, c-6, c-7, c-8 respectively. The exposed copper (not shown) connected to the capacitance pads 451c-5, c-6, c-7, c-8 can be similar to the exposed copper 463c-1, c-2, c-3, c-4. The conductive sponge is provided as an example, and other types of materials such as metal screws, metal clips, flexible PCBs, etc. can be used to connect the capacitance pads 451c and the exposed copper on the PCBA 461c.

[0036] Figure 4D is a block diagram 400d showing a memory device 445d of an example for providing a multi-channel capacitance sensor for detecting gesture-based commands according to a particular embodiment. In some embodiments, the components of FIG. 4D may be similar to the components of FIGS. 1-4C having similar names and / or reference numbers. For example, the memory device 445d may be similar to the memory devices 145, 245, 345, 445a, 445b, 445c of FIGS. 1-4C. Specific details regarding the block diagram 400d are described above in connection with FIGS. 1-4C.

[0037] The embodiment of FIG. 4D can be similar to the embodiment of FIG. 4B. In the embodiment of FIG. 4D, the memory device 445d can include an upper lid 460d-1 and side lids 460d-2, and the capacitance pads 451d can be mounted on or near the upper lid 460d-1 and side lids 460d-2. For example, the heat sink on or near the side lid 460c-2 can be used to form additional capacitance pads 451d. In the embodiment of FIG. 4D, the upper lid 460d-1 includes pad 1 451d-1, pad 2 451d-2, pad 3 451d-3, and pad 4 451d-4, and the side lid 460d-2 includes pad 5 451d-5 and pad 6 451d-6. The side lid 460d-2 is shown as including two capacitance pads 451d-5, d-6 as an example, and the side lid 460d-2 can include any number of capacitance pads 451d. The capacitance pads 451d can be arranged in series or in a matrix as needed. The metal pieces forming the capacitive pads 451d are electrically insulated from each other. The capacitance pads 451d-5, d-6 on the side lid 460d-2 can be electrically connected to the PCBA 461d of the memory device 445d, for example, on the side of the PCBA 461d. The electrical connection between the capacitance pads 451d-5, d-6 and the PCBA 461d is represented as a dashed line in the embodiment of FIG. 4D, and any suitable connection or material such as a conductive sponge, metal screw, metal clip, flexible PCB, etc. can be used. For example, the capacitance pads 451d-5, d-6 can be connected to the exposed copper on the side surface of the PCBA 461d using a suitable connection. The embodiment of FIG. 4D shows one side lid 460d-2 for illustrative purposes, but the capacitance pads 451d can be mounted on or near multiple side lids 460d-2. For example, the memory device 445d can include one or more side lids 460d-2 or a heat sink present on the side and embedded in or near it to improve thermal management. In certain embodiments, the embodiment of FIG. 4D can be implemented in relation to the embodiment of FIG. 4C such that the capacitance pads 451 using the heat sink can be mounted on or near the upper lid, bottom lid, and side lids 460 of the memory device 445.

[0038] FIG. 5A is a block diagram 500a showing an example memory device 545a for providing a multi-channel capacitance sensor for detecting gesture-based commands according to a particular embodiment. FIG. 5B is a block diagram 500b showing an example memory device 545b for providing a multi-channel capacitance sensor for detecting gesture-based commands according to a particular embodiment. FIG. 5C is a block diagram 500c showing an example memory device 545c for providing a multi-channel capacitance sensor for detecting gesture-based commands according to a particular embodiment. FIG. 5D is a block diagram 500d showing an example memory device 545d for providing a multi-channel capacitance sensor for detecting gesture-based commands according to a particular embodiment. In some embodiments, the components of FIGS. 5A-5D may be similar to the components of FIGS. 1-4D having similar names and / or reference numbers. For example, memory device 545 may be similar to memory devices 145, 245, 345, 445 of FIGS. 1-4D. Specific details regarding block diagrams 500a, 500b, 500c, 500d are described above in connection with FIGS. 1-4D.

[0039] In some embodiments, the lid of the memory device 545 may be made of metal and can be used to form the capacitance pads 551 of the multi-channel capacitance sensor of the memory device 545. FIG. 5A shows a memory device 545a which is an external SSD, and FIG. 5B shows a memory device 545b which is a USB flash drive. In the embodiment of FIG. 5A, the memory device 545a includes two capacitance pads or electrodes 551a formed from a metal lid. The memory device 545a includes pad 1 551a-1 and pad 2 551a-2, which are separated by an insulating piece 564a. The insulating piece 564a can be made of plastic or any other suitable material. The insulating piece 564a can electrically insulate the capacitance pads 551a. Similarly, in the embodiment of FIG. 5B, the memory device 545b includes two capacitance pads or electrodes 551b formed from a metal lid. The memory device 545b includes pad 1 551b-1 and pad 2 551b-2 separated by an insulating piece 564b. The insulating piece 564b can be made of plastic or any other suitable material. The insulating piece 564b can electrically insulate the capacitance pads 551b. As an example, the insulating piece 564 may be a transparent or translucent component through which the illumination of a light-emitting diode (LED) can be seen. Although two capacitance pads 551 are shown as an example, the memory device 545 can include any number of capacitance pads. In some cases, since USB drives are small and tend to be made mainly of metal, capacitance pads made from a metal lid can be useful for USB drives. As described in connection with other embodiments, the memory device 545 may also include other metal layers or metal materials that affect the electric field of the capacitance pads 551 and calibration can be performed as needed.

[0040] Figures 5C - 5D are the same as Figures 5A - 5B respectively, but show four capacitance pads or electrodes 551. Figure 5C shows a storage device 545c which is an external SSD. The capacitance pads 551c - 1, c - 2, c - 3, c - 4 can be arranged in series and can be electrically insulated by insulating pieces 564c - 1, c - 2, c - 3. Figure 5D shows a storage device 545d which is a USB flash drive. The capacitance pads 551d - 1, d - 2, d - 3, d - 4 can be arranged in series and can be electrically insulated by insulating pieces 564d - 1, d - 2, d - 3. The capacitance pads 551c, 551d may be arranged in a matrix. One or more insulating pieces 564c, 564d can partition the capacitance pads 551c, 551d. The insulating piece 564 may be linear or can have any suitable shape for dividing the capacitance pad 551. As an example, cross - shaped insulating pieces 564c, 564d can separate the capacitance pads 551c, 551d into a 2×2 matrix form.

[0041] A memory device for providing a multi-channel capacitance sensor for detecting gesture-based commands can enable data requests or data operations without the user having to provide commands via a host. The user can directly initiate a data request or a data operation by the memory device using gestures. Additionally, gestures can also be used to facilitate user interaction with memory devices for performing different types of authentication, such as FIDO, Bluetooth, etc. In this manner, a memory device for providing a multi-channel capacitance sensor for detecting gesture-based commands can make it easy and seamless for the user to perform various functions associated with the memory device. Moreover, by implementing the capacitance pads of the multi-channel capacitance sensor within the memory device using a heat sink, the memory device can be kept compact and manage heat requirements. The examples described herein are provided for illustrative purposes and many variations are possible. The features described in connection with various embodiments and / or examples may be implemented separately or in combination.

[0042] FIG. 6 shows a workflow process 600 for calibrating a capacitance sensor in a data memory device according to one or more embodiments. The workflow process 600 may be practiced by a memory system such as the memory system 140 or memory devices 145, 245, 345, 445, 545 of FIGS. 1-5D. For example, the workflow process 700 may be implemented in part or in whole by a controller of the memory device and / or a multi-channel capacitance sensor. For illustrative purposes, process 600 will be described below in connection with the memory device 245 of FIG. 2. Specific details regarding process 600 are described in more detail with respect to FIGS. 1-5D. Depending on the embodiment, process 600 may include fewer blocks or additional blocks, and the blocks may be implemented in an order different from that shown.

[0043] Process 600 starts at block 605. Process 600 may be implemented in part or in whole by controller 246, capacitance sensor chip 250, and / or another component of memory device 245. At block 610, the power of memory device 245 is turned on. At block 615, memory device 245 can train sensors or capacitance pads 251 for a baseline with respect to the internal structure and external environment of memory device 245. At block 620, memory device 245 can monitor the sensors periodically at each threshold or at period Tp. Tp can be configured and specified in any suitable time unit. For example, Tp can be specified in milliseconds. If there is a variation in the sensor value at block 625, memory device 245 can, at block 630, record the value and send an interrupt to the main controller to transmit the data. For example, capacitance sensor chip 250 can record the sensor value and send an interrupt to controller 246. If there is no variation in the sensor value at block 625, process 600 can return to block 620. At block 635, memory device 245 can periodically re-calibrate the sensors for new environmental changes. Process 600 can return to block 620. Process 600 ends at block 640.

[0044] FIG. 7 shows a workflow process 700 for providing a multi-channel capacitance sensor for detecting gesture-based commands in a data storage device according to one or more embodiments. The workflow process 700 can be practiced by a memory system such as the memory system 140 or a memory device such as the memory devices 145, 245, 345, 445, 545 of FIGS. 1-5D. For example, the workflow process 700 can be implemented in part or in whole by a controller of the memory device and / or a multi-channel capacitive sensor. For illustrative purposes, process 700 is described below in connection with the memory device 245 of FIG. 2. Specific details regarding process 700 are described in more detail with respect to FIGS. 1-6. Depending on the embodiment, process 700 may include fewer blocks or additional blocks, and the blocks may be implemented in an order different from that shown.

[0045] In block 705, the memory device 245 can provide non-volatile memory. For example, the non-volatile memory can store data of the memory device 245.

[0046] In block 710, the memory device 245 can provide a plurality of metal pieces configured to form one or more heat sinks of the memory device 245 and configured to form a plurality of capacitance pads 251 of a capacitance sensor configured to detect user gestures. For example, the capacitance sensor can be configured to detect user gestures, and the capacitance sensor can include a plurality of capacitance pads 251 formed from a plurality of metal pieces that form one or more heat sinks of the memory device 245. In some embodiments, the capacitance sensor is a multi-channel capacitance sensor. In certain embodiments, the plurality of capacitance pads 251 can be embedded in or located on the back surface of the lid of the memory device 245. For example, the lid can be made of plastic or another non-conductive material. In other embodiments, the plurality of capacitance pads 251 form the metal lid of the memory device 245. The memory device 245 can be one or more of an external solid state drive (SSD), a universal serial bus (USB) flash drive, a secure digital (SD) card, or a micro secure digital (uSd) card. In one example, the plurality of capacitance pads 251 are arranged in a row. In another example, the plurality of capacitance pads 251 are arranged in a matrix.

[0047] In block 715, the memory device 245 can detect a user's gesture in the vicinity of a plurality of capacitance pads 251 using a capacitance sensor. In some embodiments, the gesture is associated with a command for performing an operation related to FIDO (Fast Identity Online) authentication. In a particular embodiment, the gesture is associated with a command for performing an operation related to Bluetooth-based authentication. In one embodiment, the gesture is associated with a command for performing a full file copy of data from the memory device 245 to the host. In another embodiment, the gesture is associated with a command for performing a complete backup of data from the host to the memory device 245. Examples of gestures can include a swipe from left to right, a swipe from right to left, a swipe from top to bottom, a swipe from bottom to top, etc.

[0048] In block 720, the memory device 245 can execute a command associated with the memory device 245 based on the detected gesture.

[0049] In some embodiments, the memory device 245 includes one or more additional metal layers or metal materials within the memory device 245 in addition to the plurality of capacitance pads 251. The memory device 245 can further be configured to perform calibration to determine an initial capacitance value of the plurality of capacitance pads 251 in response to the memory device 245 being coupled to the host.

[0050] FIG. 8 is a diagram of a computing device 1000 according to one or more embodiments. The computing device 1000 can execute instructions that can cause the computing device 1000 to perform any one or more of the methodologies (e.g., operations, methods, functions, etc.) described herein. The computing device 1000 can be a cellular phone, smartphone, netbook computer, rack-mounted server, router computer, server computer, personal computer, mainframe computer, laptop computer, tablet computer, desktop computer, etc., in which a set of instructions can be executed that can cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies described herein. In an alternative embodiment, the machine can be connected (e.g., network connected) to other machines in a LAN, intranet, extranet, or the Internet. The machine can operate within the capabilities of a server machine in a client-server network environment. The machine can be a personal computer (PC), set-top box (STB), server, network router, switch or bridge, or any machine capable of executing a set (sequential or otherwise) of instructions that specify actions to be taken by that machine. Further, although only a single machine is illustrated, the term "machine" shall be construed to include any collection of machines that individually or jointly execute a set (or multiple sets) of instructions to perform any one or more of the functions, operations, methods, algorithms, etc. described herein.

[0051] Exemplary computing device 1000 includes a processing device 1002 (e.g., a processor, a controller, a central processing unit (CPU), etc.), a main memory 1004 (e.g., a read-only memory (ROM), a flash memory, a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), such as a synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), etc.), a network access interface 1008, a direct access interface 1009, an output device 1010, an input device 1012, and a data storage device 1018, which communicate with each other via a bus 1030.

[0052] The processing device 1002 represents one or more general-purpose processing devices, such as a microprocessor, a central processing unit, etc. More specifically, the processing device 1002 can be a complex instruction set computing (CISC) microprocessor, a reduced instruction set computing (RISC) microprocessor, a very long instruction word (VLIW) microprocessor, or a processor that executes other instruction sets or a combination of instruction sets. The processing device 1002 can also be one or more special-purpose processing devices, such as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a digital signal processor (DSP), a network processor, etc. The processing device 1002 is configured to execute storage module instructions 1035 for performing the operations and processes described herein.

[0053] Computing device 1000 may include a network access interface 1008 (e.g., a network interface card, Wi-Fi interface, etc.) that can communicate with a network (e.g., network 120 shown in FIG. 1). The computing device may also include a direct access interface 1009 (e.g., a USB interface, an external serial advanced technology attachment (eSATA) interface, a Thunderbolt interface, etc.). Computing device 1000 may also include an output device 1010 (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a cathode ray tube (CRT)), and an input device 1012 (e.g., a mouse, a keyboard, etc.). In one embodiment, output device 1010 and input device 1012 may be integrated into a single component or device (e.g., an LCD touch screen).

[0054] Data storage device 1018 may include a computer-readable storage medium 1028 in which one or more sets of instructions (e.g., storage module instructions 1035) that embody any one or more of the methods or functions described herein are stored. Storage module instructions 1035 may be fully or at least partially present in main memory 1004 and / or in processing device 1002 during its execution by computing device 1000. Main memory 1004 and processing device 1002 may also constitute computer-readable media. The instructions may further be transmitted or received via network access interface 1008 and / or direct access interface 1009.

[0055] Although computer-readable storage medium 1028 is shown as a single medium in the exemplary embodiments, the term "computer-readable storage medium" should be interpreted to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database and / or associated cache and server) that store one or more instruction sets. The term "computer-readable storage medium" shall be interpreted to include any medium that is capable of storing, encoding, or carrying a set of instructions for machine execution and that causes a machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies of the present disclosure. Thus, the term "computer-readable storage medium" shall be interpreted to include, but not be limited to, solid-state memory, optical media, and magnetic media.

[0056] General Comment Those skilled in the art will understand that in some embodiments, other types of data storage systems can still be implemented while remaining within the scope of the present disclosure. Additionally, the actual steps taken in the processes discussed herein may differ from those depicted or shown in the figures. Depending on the embodiment, certain steps of the above processes may be removed or other steps may be added.

[0057] Although specific embodiments are described, these embodiments are presented by way of example only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection. In fact, the novel methods and systems described herein may be embodied in various other forms. Further, various omissions, substitutions, and changes may be made to the forms of the methods and systems described herein. The appended claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as fall within the scope and spirit of the protection. For example, the various components shown in the figures may be implemented as software and / or firmware on a processor, an ASIC / FPGA, or dedicated hardware. Also, the features and attributes of the specific embodiments disclosed above can be combined in different ways to form additional embodiments, all of which are within the scope of the present disclosure. Although the present disclosure provides specific preferred embodiments and applications, other embodiments that are obvious to those skilled in the art, including embodiments that do not provide all of the features and advantages described herein, are also within the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, it is intended that the scope of the present disclosure be defined only by reference to the appended claims.

[0058] As used in this specification, the terms "example" or "exemplary" are used to mean serving as an example, instance, or illustration. Any aspect or design described herein as "example" or "exemplary" should not be construed as necessarily preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs. Rather, the use of the terms "example" or "exemplary" is intended to present concepts in a concrete fashion. As used in this application, the term "or" is intended to mean an inclusive "or" rather than an exclusive "or". That is, unless otherwise specified or clear from the context, "X includes A or B" is intended to mean any of the natural inclusive permutations. That is, "X includes A or B" is satisfied under any of the following examples: X includes A; X includes B; or X includes both A and B. Further, as used in this application and the appended claims, the articles "a" and "an" should generally be construed to mean "one or more" unless otherwise specified or clear from the context that the singular form is intended. Further, the use of the terms "an embodiment" or "one embodiment" or "an implementation" or "one implementation" is not intended to mean the same embodiment or implementation throughout, unless otherwise described as such. Further, as used herein, terms such as "first", "second", "third", "fourth", etc. are intended as labels to distinguish different elements and may not necessarily have an ordinal meaning following their numerical designation.

[0059] The methods and processes described herein may be embodied in software code modules executed by one or more general-purpose and / or special-purpose computers / processors and may be partially or fully automated thereby. The term "module" may mean logic embodied in hardware and / or firmware, or a set of software instructions, optionally having entry and exit points, written in a programming language such as C or C++. Software modules may be compiled and linked into an executable program, installed into a dynamically linked library, or written in an interpreted type programming language such as BASIC, Perl, or Python. It will be understood that software modules may be callable from other modules or from themselves and / or may be called in response to detected events or interrupts. Software instructions may be embedded in firmware such as an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM). Code modules may be stored in any type of computer-readable medium (e.g., a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium), or other computer storage device, or collection of storage devices. "Module" may further mean one or more devices, components, systems, or subsystems that may conceptually practice related functions. It will further be understood that hardware modules may be composed of connected logic units such as gates and flip-flops and / or may be composed of programmable units such as, for example, programmable gate arrays, application specific integrated circuits, and / or processors. The modules described herein are preferably implemented as software modules, but may be represented in hardware and / or firmware. Further, in some embodiments, modules may be compiled separately, while in other embodiments, modules may represent a subset of instructions of a separately compiled program and may not have an interface available to other logical program units.

Claims

1. A data storage device, a non-volatile memory, and a plurality of metal pieces configured to form one or more heat sinks of the data storage device and configured to form a plurality of capacitance pads of a capacitance sensor configured to detect user gestures, a controller, detecting a user gesture in the vicinity of the plurality of capacitance pads using the capacitance sensor, executing a command associated with the data storage device based on the detected gesture a controller configured as such, and a data storage device comprising the same.

2. The data storage device according to claim 1, wherein the capacitance sensor is a multi-channel capacitance sensor.

3. The data storage device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of capacitance pads are embedded in or located on the back surface of the lid of the data storage device.

4. The data storage device according to claim 3, wherein the lid is made of plastic or another non-conductive material.

5. The data storage device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of capacitance pads form a metal lid of the data storage device.

6. The data storage device according to claim 1, wherein the gesture is associated with a command for performing an operation related to FIDO (Fast Identity Online) authentication.

7. The data storage device according to claim 1, wherein the gesture is associated with an instruction for performing an operation related to Bluetooth-based authentication.

8. The data storage device according to claim 1, wherein the gesture is associated with a command for performing a full file copy of data from the data storage device to a host.

9. The data storage device according to claim 1, wherein the gesture is associated with a command for performing a complete backup of data from a host to the data storage device.

10. The data storage device according to claim 1, further comprising one or more additional metal layers or metal materials within the data storage device other than the plurality of capacitance pads.

11. The data storage device according to claim 10, wherein the controller or the capacitance sensor is further configured to perform calibration to identify initial capacitance values of the plurality of capacitance pads in response to the data storage device being coupled to a host.

12. The data storage device according to claim 1, which is one or more of an external solid state drive (SSD), a universal serial bus (USB) flash drive, a secure digital (SD) card, or a micro secure digital (uSD) card.

13. The data storage device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of capacitance pads are arranged in a row.

14. The data storage device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of capacitance pads are arranged in a matrix.

15. A method for processing a data request in a data storage device, comprising: providing a non-volatile memory; providing a plurality of metal pieces configured to form one or more heat sinks of the data storage device and configured to form a plurality of capacitance pads of a capacitance sensor configured to detect user gestures; detecting, using the capacitance sensor, a user gesture in the vicinity of the plurality of capacitance pads; executing a command associated with the data storage device based on the detected gesture; and a method including the above.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the capacitance sensor is a multi-channel capacitance sensor.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the plurality of capacitance pads are embedded in or located on the back surface of a lid of the data storage device.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the lid is made of plastic or another non-conductive material.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein the plurality of capacitance pads form a metal lid of the data storage device.

20. A data storage device, comprising: a non-volatile memory; a plurality of metal pieces configured to form one or more heat sinks of the data storage device and configured to form a plurality of capacitance pads of a capacitance sensor configured to detect user gestures; controller means, using the capacitance sensor to detect a user gesture near the plurality of capacitance pads, executing a command associated with the data storage device based on the detected gesture controller means configured to: A data storage device comprising:

Images