How Devices Use 'Credits' to Manage Data Flow to Storage
This patent describes a system where a main device and a storage device use a 'credit' system to efficiently manage the flow of commands and responses, preventing either side from being overwhelmed with too much data.
Original patent title: “Operating method of host device and storage device using credit”
This patent describes a system where a main device and a storage device use a 'credit' system to efficiently manage the flow of commands and responses, preventing either side from being overwhelmed with too much data. Granted to Samsung Electronics Co in 2023 with 22 claims and 1 forward citation, and it is expected to expire in 2041.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent details an electronic device, like a smartphone, where a main 'host device' communicates with a 'storage device' using a credit-based system. The host device has processing circuitry that handles a 'submission queue' (SQ) for commands going to storage and a 'completion queue' (CQ) for responses coming back (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1). To prevent overloading the storage, the host stores a 'host command credit' indicating how many commands the storage can handle. Similarly, the host uses a 'host response credit' to show how many responses it can receive. The storage device also maintains its own credits (Claim 3) to signal its capacity to the host. For example, the host checks the storage's empty command slots using its 'host command credit' before sending a command (Claim 2), ensuring the storage has space.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover data transfer systems that do not use a 'credit' mechanism for flow control between host and storage.
- Does not cover systems where command and response queues are managed without explicit 'host command registers' and 'host response registers' as described in ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 1.
- Does not cover communication protocols between host and storage that are not based on the Universal Flash Storage (UFS) standard, as implied by the abstractabstractA short summary at the front of the patent describing the invention. Not legally binding.Read more →.
- Does not cover systems where the host device does not process both a submission queue (SQ) for commands and a completion queue (CQ) for responses.
- Does not cover storage devices that do not include a 'storage response register' or 'storage command register' to manage their own credit counts (ClaimclaimA numbered sentence at the end of a patent that legally defines what the inventor owns. The most important section.Read more → 3).
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The clever part is the bidirectional 'credit' system. Both the host and storage device actively track and communicate their capacity for incoming data (commands or responses) using dedicated registers, allowing for dynamic and efficient flow control that prevents either side from being overwhelmed.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Modern smartphones using UFS storage
Tablets with high-speed flash memory
Embedded systems requiring efficient data transfer to flash storage
Automotive infotainment systems with UFS memory
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent addresses a fundamental challenge in modern electronics: ensuring fast and reliable communication between a device's main processor and its storage, especially in high-performance scenarios. By using a credit system, devices can prevent bottlenecks and data loss, leading to smoother operation and faster performance. This is particularly important for Universal Flash Storage (UFS) devices, which are common in smartphones and other portable electronics, where speed and efficiency are critical.
Filed
July 14, 2021
Granted
February 28, 2023
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, the assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →, is a major developer and manufacturer of electronic devices and UFS storage solutions. Companies involved in designing and manufacturing UFS controllers and memory chips, such as Kioxia, Western Digital, and Micron Technology, would be operating in this technology space, focusing on optimizing data transfer efficiency.
Market impact
This patent contributes to the ongoing evolution of high-speed storage interfaces, particularly within the Universal Flash Storage (UFS) standard. Efficient flow control mechanisms like this are crucial for maximizing the performance of UFS devices, which are becoming standard in premium mobile devices. It helps ensure that the theoretical speeds of UFS can be realized in practice, directly impacting user experience through faster app loading and data transfers.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent details an electronic device, like a smartphone, where a main 'host device' communicates with a 'storage device' using a credit-based system. The host device has processing circuitry that handles a 'submission queue' (SQ) for commands going to storage and a 'completion queue' (CQ) for responses coming back (Claim 1). To prevent overloading the storage, the host stores a 'host command credit' indicating how many commands the storage can handle. Similarly, the host uses a 'host response credit' to show how many responses it can receive. The storage device also maintains its own credits (Claim 3) to signal its capacity to the host. For example, the host checks the storage's empty command slots using its 'host command credit' before sending a command (Claim 2), ensuring the storage has space.
The clever bit
The clever part is the bidirectional 'credit' system. Both the host and storage device actively track and communicate their capacity for incoming data (commands or responses) using dedicated registers, allowing for dynamic and efficient flow control that prevents either side from being overwhelmed.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover data transfer systems that do not use a 'credit' mechanism for flow control between host and storage.
- Does not cover systems where command and response queues are managed without explicit 'host command registers' and 'host response registers' as described in Claim 1.
- Does not cover communication protocols between host and storage that are not based on the Universal Flash Storage (UFS) standard, as implied by the abstract.
- Does not cover systems where the host device does not process both a submission queue (SQ) for commands and a completion queue (CQ) for responses.
- Does not cover storage devices that do not include a 'storage response register' or 'storage command register' to manage their own credit counts (Claim 3).
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Strong
Citation count
6/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
15/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
20/20
Granted within 5 years
Assignee scale
20/20
Major company or institution
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$94K – $300K
Midpoint $187K · 15.0 yr remaining · industry ×1.6
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
The original legal language
Original claims
22 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
SHIN, M., SEO, S., Jung, H., & JANG, S. (2023). How Devices Use 'Credits' to Manage Data Flow to Storage (U.S. Patent No. 11,593,031). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11593031/operating-method-of-host-device-and-storage-device-using-credit
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Devices Use 'Credits' to Manage Data Flow to Storage cover?
This patent describes a system where a main device and a storage device use a 'credit' system to efficiently manage the flow of commands and responses, preventing either side from being overwhelmed with too much data.
Who owns patent US 11593031?
Samsung Electronics Co owns this patent, granted in 2023.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on July 14, 2041, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 11593031 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 1 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent addresses a fundamental challenge in modern electronics: ensuring fast and reliable communication between a device's main processor and its storage, especially in high-performance scenarios. By using a credit system, devices can prevent bottlenecks and data loss, leading to smoother operation and faster performance. This is particularly important for Universal Flash Storage (UFS) devices, which are common in smartphones and other portable electronics, where speed and efficiency are critical.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover data transfer systems that do not use a 'credit' mechanism for flow control between host and storage.
Same assignee
More from Samsung Electronics Co
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