Executing applications from a semiconductor nonvolatile memory

Abstract

A processor-based device (e.g., a wireless device) may include a processor and a semiconductor nonvolatile memory to directly execute an application (e.g., an execute-in-place application) using an associated database. Within a flash memory, in one embodiment, an executable program may be separately stored in a non-fragmented manner from a resident database that includes program management information for use in an execution that does not involve a random access memory, saving time and resources.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 storing within a non-volatile memory:
 an executable program in a non-fragmented manner, 
 registry entries, and 
 code management software, 
 wherein the executable program, the registry entries, and the code management software are stored separately within the non-volatile memory; and 
   executing the executable program directly from the non-volatile memory based on the code management software without moving the registry entries to a volatile memory.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising contiguously storing the executable program in a linear fashion. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 forming a schema of the code management software; and   forming an execute-in-place application of the executable program.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 providing a flash memory for the non-volatile memory, the flash memory located in a portable device;   detecting at the portable device an indication to update the flash memory; and   responsive to the indication to update the flash memory, using the execute-in-place application and schema to execute the executable program from the flash memory.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 associating, via a reference link, a meta-information database resident in the non-volatile memory with the executable program;   receiving an update indication for the non-volatile memory; and   responsive to the update indication, using the meta-information database and the reference link to execute the executable program from the non-volatile memory.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 storing the registry entries in the meta-information database; and   forming a schema of the registry entries in the meta-information database.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 providing the executable program an execute-in-place application in one or more objects, each of the one or more objects configured to hold a portion of the executable program; and   running the execute-in-place application at the non-volatile memory responsive to using a database engine, the one or more objects, and the schema.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising storing in the database engine the one or more objects in a binary format at a different location than the registry-type information of the meta-information database at the non-volatile memory. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising linking the executable program stored in the non-volatile memory to an associated database. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising directly executing the executable program from the non-volatile memory without copying the one or more objects for reassembly in a random access memory. 
     
     
         11 . A device comprising:
 a processing device; and   a non-volatile memory communicatively coupled to the processing device, the processing device configured to separately store in the non-volatile memory an executable program in a non-fragmented manner, registry entries, and program management information,   wherein the processing device executes the executable program from the non-volatile memory based on the program management information and without moving the registry entries to a volatile memory.   
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , further comprising a database configured to store the program management information, wherein the database is linked with the executable program within the non-volatile memory via a reference link. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the non-volatile memory is configured to store the executable program in a contiguous and linear fashion. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the program management information includes a schema and the executable program corresponds to an execute-in-place application. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the non-volatile memory comprises a flash memory operably coupled to a portable device. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the non-volatile memory detects an update indication at the portable device and, responsive to the update indication, executes the executable program via the execute-in-place application and the schema. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the execute-in-place application is stored in one or more objects for the executable program, each of the one or more objects configured to hold a portion of the executable program. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 13 , further comprising a database engine to run the execute-in-place application at the non-volatile memory using the schema and the one or more objects. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the database engine is configured to store the one or more objects in a binary format at a different location than the program management information of the database. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 19 , wherein the execute-in-place application in configured to directly execute the executable program from the non-volatile memory without copying the one or more objects for reassembly in a random access memory.