Data management method and storage apparatus

Abstract

A data management method and a storage apparatus. The method is applied to the storage apparatus. The storage apparatus comprises a control unit (110) and at least one storage array (120); each storage array (120) comprises at least one storage unit (121) and a counting module (122); the storage unit (121) comprises a non-volatile storage circuit, and the counting module (122) comprises a storage circuit and a logic circuit; and the logic circuit is used for acquiring counts of reading of the storage unit (121), and the storage circuit is used for storing the counts of reading of the storage unit (121). The method comprises: the control unit (110) sends a counts-of-reading acquisition command to the storage array (120) (S11); and the control unit (110) receives a counts-of-reading result sent by the storage array (120), wherein the counts-of-reading result is acquired by the storage array (120) from the counting module (122) on the basis of the counts-of-reading acquisition command (S12). The data reading performance of the storage apparatus can be improved.

Description

Data management method and storage device

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application number 2023111770042, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Technical field

[0002] The present application relates to the field of storage, and in particular to a data management method and a storage device. [Background Technology]

[0003] In storage devices, read interference occurs when data is read. Within a storage block, reading data from the current page can affect data stored in adjacent pages. Excessive reads within a single storage block can easily lead to data loss. Therefore, storage devices typically include a read counter to count the number of times a storage block is read. When the number of reads exceeds a certain threshold, a reliability scan is performed on the storage block. If the scan results indicate that the bit error rate of the storage block exceeds a certain threshold, indicating a data storage issue, the storage block will be garbage collected or refreshed. Alternatively, when the number of reads exceeds a certain threshold, the storage block will be garbage collected or refreshed. These operations are typically performed by the master controller, consuming its memory resources and impacting the storage device's data read performance. Furthermore, in storage devices with limited memory resources, management accuracy may be compromised, as multiple storage blocks share the same counter, leading to write amplification.

[0004] [Summary of the invention]

[0005] The main purpose of this application is to provide a data management method and a storage device, which can improve the data reading performance of the storage device.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the first technical solution adopted in this application is to provide a data management method. This method is applied to a storage device, which includes a control unit and at least one storage array. Each storage array includes at least one storage cell and a counting module. The storage cell includes a non-volatile storage circuit. The counting module includes a storage circuit and a logic circuit. The logic circuit is used to obtain the number of reads of the storage cell, and the storage circuit is used to store the number of reads of the storage cell. The method includes the control unit sending a read count acquisition command to the storage array; the control unit receiving a read count result sent by the storage array, and the storage array obtaining the read count result from the counting module based on the read count acquisition command.

[0007] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the second technical solution adopted in this application is to provide a data management method. This method is applied to a storage device, which includes a control unit and at least one storage array, each storage array including at least one storage cell and a counting module. The storage cell includes a non-volatile storage circuit, and the counting module includes a storage circuit and a logic circuit. The logic circuit is used to obtain the number of reads of the storage cell, and the storage circuit is used to store the number of reads of the storage cell. The method includes the storage array receiving a read count acquisition command sent by the control unit; the storage array obtaining a read count result from the counting module based on the read count acquisition command, and sending the read count result to the control unit.

[0008] To solve the above technical problems, the third technical solution adopted in this application is: providing a storage device, which includes a control unit and at least one storage array, each storage array includes at least one storage unit and a counting module, the storage unit includes a non-volatile storage circuit, the counting module includes a storage circuit and a logic circuit, the logic circuit is used to obtain the number of reads of the storage unit, and the storage circuit is used to save the number of reads of the storage unit, and the control unit is connected to the storage array to implement the method described in the first and / or second technical solution.

[0009] The beneficial effects of the present application are as follows: the present application is applied to a storage device, which includes a control unit and at least one storage array, each storage array including at least one storage unit and a counting module. The storage unit includes a non-volatile storage circuit. The counting module includes a storage circuit and a logic circuit, the logic circuit is used to obtain the number of reads of the storage unit, and the storage circuit is used to save the number of reads. The control unit sends a read count acquisition command to the storage array, and receives the read count result obtained from the counting module sent by the storage array, and the statistics of the read count are handed over to the counting module in the storage array for completion. The control unit can obtain the read count result through the command, thereby reducing the occupation of the memory resources used by the control unit for the read count statistics and improving the data reading performance of the storage device.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for describing the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without inventive efforts. Among them:

[0011] FIG1 is a flow chart of a first embodiment of the data management method of the present application;

[0012] FIG2 is a flow chart of a second embodiment of the data management method of the present application;

[0013] FIG3 is a flow chart of a third embodiment of the data management method of the present application;

[0014] FIG4 is a flow chart of a fourth embodiment of the data management method of the present application;

[0015] FIG5 is a schematic structural diagram of the first embodiment of the storage device of the present application. [Specific implementation method]

[0016] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of this application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0017] The terms "first," "second," and the like in this application are used to distinguish between different objects, not to describe a particular order. Furthermore, the terms "including," "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. For example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus comprising a series of steps or elements is not limited to the listed steps or elements, but may optionally include steps or elements not listed, or may optionally include other steps or elements inherent to the process, method, product, or apparatus.

[0018] References herein to "embodiments" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments may be included in at least one embodiment of the present application. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor does it constitute an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive of other embodiments. It is understood, both explicitly and implicitly, by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein may be combined with other embodiments.

[0019] Referring to Figure 1, Figure 1 is a flow chart of a first embodiment of the data management method of the present application. The method is applied to a storage device, which includes a control unit and at least one storage array, each storage array including at least one storage cell and a counting module, the storage cell including a non-volatile storage circuit, the counting module including a storage circuit and a logic circuit, the logic circuit being used to obtain the number of reads of the storage cell, and the storage circuit being used to store the read count. The method includes the following steps:

[0020] S11: The control unit sends a read count acquisition command to the storage array.

[0021] S12: The control unit receives the read count result sent by the storage array, and the read count result is obtained by the storage array from the counting module of the storage unit based on the read count acquisition command.

[0022] The control unit sends a read count acquisition command to the storage array to acquire the read count result of the storage unit from the storage array.

[0023] The read count acquisition command may be used to acquire the read count of a single storage unit, or may be used to acquire the read count of all storage units in the storage array.

[0024] The Get Read Count command can be sent after each data read or at intervals depending on the actual situation. Sending it after each data read sends the Get Read Count command to the corresponding storage array based on the data read address. Sending it at intervals allows you to set the target storage array and interval for the Get Read Count command based on actual needs.

[0025] A storage array may be a storage particle, and a storage unit is a plurality of regions after the storage particle is divided. The size of the division may be determined according to actual conditions. For example, a storage unit may be a storage block.

[0026] The storage circuit in the counting module can be a non-volatile storage circuit, which can be directly obtained by utilizing the non-volatile storage circuit in a conventional storage array, or a volatile memory obtained through subsequent configuration.

[0027] The storage device of the present application may be a NAND Flash memory, or a storage product with a read interference mechanism, such as a ferroelectric memory, a phase change memory, etc.

[0028] In this embodiment, the method of the present application is applied to a storage device, which includes a control unit and at least one storage array, each storage array including at least one storage unit and a counting module. The storage unit includes a non-volatile storage circuit. The counting module includes a storage circuit and a logic circuit, the logic circuit is used to obtain the number of reads of the storage unit, and the storage circuit is used to save the number of reads. The control unit sends a read count acquisition command to the storage array, and receives the read count result obtained from the counting module sent by the storage array, and the reading count statistics are handed over to the counting module in the storage array for completion. The control unit can obtain the reading count result through the command, thereby reducing the occupation of the memory resources used by the control unit for the read count statistics and improving the data reading performance of the storage device.

[0029] Referring to Figure 2, Figure 2 is a flow chart of a second embodiment of the data management method of the present application. This method is a further extension of the above embodiment. When the read count acquisition command is to obtain the read count result of a single storage unit, the read count result includes the read count result of the storage unit. The method includes the following steps:

[0030] S21: In response to a reading count result of a storage unit being greater than a first preset threshold, performing data reliability processing on the storage unit.

[0031] A first preset threshold is set for the number of times a storage unit can be read as an upper limit of the number of times the storage unit can be read. Each storage unit has its corresponding first preset threshold, and the first preset threshold of each storage unit can be the same or different.

[0032] If the result of the number of reads and the first preset threshold both represent the number of times the storage block data is read, the control unit will compare it with the corresponding first preset threshold after obtaining the number of reads of the storage unit. If the number of reads of the storage unit is greater than the first preset threshold, data reliability processing will be performed on the storage unit. Data reliability processing can be a direct operation such as data refresh or garbage collection, or it can be a data reliability scan, that is, first determine the bit error rate of the storage block, and after the bit error rate is greater than a certain threshold, perform operations such as data refresh or garbage collection. If the bit error rate is less than the threshold, no processing is performed. If the number of reads of the storage unit is not greater than the first preset threshold, no processing is performed and the next command is waited for. Data reliability processing includes at least one of data refresh, garbage collection and data reliability scanning.

[0033] 3 , which is a flow chart of a second embodiment of the data management method of the present application.

[0034] This method is a further extension of the above embodiment. When the read count acquisition command is to acquire the total read count results of all storage units, the read count result includes the total read count results of all storage units. The method includes the following steps:

[0035] S31: In response to the total number of read times of all storage units being greater than a second preset threshold, determine whether there is a storage unit whose total number of read times is greater than its corresponding first preset threshold.

[0036] The second preset threshold is a total read count set for all storage cells. When the total read count for all storage cells is greater than the second preset threshold, it indicates that a storage cell may have been read more frequently, and there is a high probability that data loss has occurred in that storage cell. If it is less than the second preset threshold, it indicates that the probability of a storage cell being read more frequently is lower, and there is a low probability that data loss has occurred in that storage cell. Therefore, a simple judgment is first performed based on the total read count. If the total read count for all storage cells is determined to be greater than the second preset threshold, step S32 is executed for further judgment. If it is not, the next command is awaited. This improves efficiency and avoids wasting judgment resources.

[0037] S32: Perform data reliability processing on the storage units whose read count results are greater than the corresponding first preset threshold.

[0038] In further judgment, the reading number result is judged again by the first preset threshold corresponding to the storage block, and reliability processing is performed on the storage unit whose reading number is greater than the first preset threshold.

[0039] This method is generally suitable for situations where data reads are relatively evenly distributed, where the read counts of each storage unit are similar. If the read counts of some storage units differ significantly from those of other storage units, this method is not suitable for obtaining read counts and determining reliability.

[0040] In the technical solution of the present application, the read count result can directly represent the read count, or it can indicate whether the read count of a storage block is greater than its corresponding read count threshold. When the read count result directly represents the read count, it indicates that the comparison and judgment of the read count is performed by the control unit. When the read count result indicates whether the read count of a storage block is greater than its corresponding read count threshold, it indicates that the comparison and judgment of the read count is performed by the storage array.

[0041] When the read count result is data that directly represents the number of times, the read count threshold corresponding to the storage block is the first preset threshold. After obtaining the read count, the control unit can perform a comparison and judgment of the read count in the control unit. The read count result can be increased by one each time a read is performed, or a corresponding risk coefficient can be added according to the reading method. For example, repeated reading and random reading have corresponding risk coefficients of one and two. A repeated read adds one, and a random read adds two. Alternatively, the number can be increased according to the read address. For example, in the storage array, if some word lines have poor read interference, the read count of the storage cell is increased by two when the word line is read, and the read count of the storage cell is increased by one when other normal word lines are read.

[0042] When the read count result indicates whether the number of reads of the storage block is greater than its corresponding read count threshold, for example, the read count result can be 0 or 1, where 0 indicates that the number of reads of the storage block is less than its corresponding read count threshold, and 1 indicates that the number of reads of the storage block is greater than or equal to its corresponding read count threshold. In this case, the first preset threshold is 0. If the read result is 0, data reliability processing is not performed. If the read result is 1, data reliability processing is performed.

[0043] If the read count result indicates whether the number of reads of the storage block is greater than its corresponding read count threshold, the storage array needs to obtain the read count threshold for comparison and determination of the storage unit read count. Therefore, in one embodiment, before the control unit sends a read count acquisition command to the storage array, the control unit sends the read count threshold to the storage array, so that the storage array obtains the read count result based on the read count threshold. The read count threshold can be stored in the counting module.

[0044] In addition, the storage of the number of reads in the counting module can be stored in the form of a read count table. One arrangement of the read count table can be, for example, that the number of reads for each storage unit occupies 4 bytes, that is, the 0th to 3rd bytes are the number of reads for storage unit 0, the 4th to 7th bytes are the number of reads for storage unit 1, and so on. Alternatively, a bit indicates whether a storage unit exceeds its corresponding read count threshold, 1 indicates exceeded, and 0 indicates not exceeded. For example, 8 storage units can be marked with one byte, and the 0th byte represents whether the number of reads for storage units 0-7 exceeds the read count threshold, where Bit0 corresponds to storage unit 0, Bit1 corresponds to storage unit 1, and so on. The second byte represents storage units 8-16, and its Bit0 represents storage unit 8, and so on.

[0045] In the above embodiment of the present application, after obtaining the reading number result, the control unit performs data reliability processing according to the reading number result, thereby improving the performance of the storage device.

[0046] In one embodiment, in response to the storage device being powered off, the control unit controls the storage array to send the first data in the counting module to the storage unit. The control unit may first read the first data from the counting module and then store it in the storage unit, or may at least instruct the first data in the counting module to be directly stored in the storage unit.

[0047] In another embodiment, in response to the storage device being powered on, the control unit controls the storage array to send the first data stored in the storage unit to the counting module. Before powering on, the read count threshold may be pre-stored in the storage unit so that it is retrieved from the storage unit upon powering on.

[0048] Referring to Figure 4, Figure 4 is a flow chart of a fourth embodiment of the data management method of the present application. The method is applied to a storage device comprising a control unit and at least one storage array, each storage array comprising at least one storage cell and a counting module, the storage cell comprising a non-volatile storage circuit, the counting module comprising a storage circuit and a logic circuit, the logic circuit being configured to obtain the number of reads of the storage cell, and the storage circuit being configured to store the number of reads. The method comprises the following steps:

[0049] S41: The storage array receives a read count acquisition command sent by the control unit.

[0050] S42: The storage array obtains a read count result from the counting module based on the read count acquisition command, and sends the read count result to the control unit.

[0051] The storage array obtains a read count acquisition command, obtains a read count result from the counting module according to the acquisition command, and sends the result to the control unit.

[0052] The Read Count Get command can retrieve the read count for a single storage unit or for all storage units. The Read Count Get command can be sent after each data read or at intervals depending on the actual situation. Sending the Read Count Get command after each data read can send the command to the corresponding storage array based on the data read address. Sending the command at intervals can set the target storage array and interval as needed.

[0053] In one embodiment, in response to the control unit performing data reliability processing on the storage unit based on the read count result, the storage array clears the read count of the storage unit in the counting module to zero, so that the storage unit restarts counting its read count after completing the data reliability processing.

[0054] The following is a specific embodiment to illustrate the technical solution of the present application in more detail.

[0055] The storage device includes a main controller and NAND Flash. The NAND Flash consists of multiple NAND Flash particles, each of which contains multiple storage blocks. Each particle is designed with a counting module. This counting module consists of a storage circuit and a logic circuit. The storage circuit in the counting module can be either non-volatile or volatile. The main controller can also be equipped with a counting management module to interact and manage the counting modules in the particles.

[0056] When the master controller issues a data read command, the NAND Flash decodes the command to the corresponding read location and then reads the data at the corresponding address. The counting module of the particle to which the address belongs increases the number of reads accordingly.

[0057] The master controller sends commands to the NAND Flash to obtain the read count. Therefore, commands with various functions can be set to implement interaction with the Flash. For example, CMD1 sets a threshold for the counting module; CMD2 reads the threshold set for the counting module; CMD3 obtains the read count result of the corresponding particle after a read command; CMD4 reads the read count table stored in the particle's non-volatile storage circuit; CMD5 writes the read count table to the particle's non-volatile storage circuit; CMD6 reads the read count results of all storage particles; CMD7 stores the read count table in the particle's volatile storage circuit to the particle's non-volatile storage circuit; and CMD8 stores the read count table in the particle's non-volatile storage circuit to the particle's volatile storage circuit.

[0058] For example, you can use CMD1 to set a memory block read count threshold, T1, and then use CMD3 to retrieve the read count result for the memory block at the corresponding address (indicating whether T1 has been exceeded). To transfer the read count table from the master controller to the NAND flash's counter module, use CMD5. Sending a CMD and the corresponding address to the NAND flash transfers the read count table as data to the counter module. One arrangement of the read count table might be, for example, that each memory block's read count occupies 4 bytes, with bytes 0-3 representing the read count for memory block 0, bytes 4-7 representing the read count for memory block 1, and so on. Alternatively, a single bit could indicate whether a memory block has exceeded its corresponding read count threshold, with 1 indicating it has exceeded and 0 indicating it has not. For example, a single byte could be used to indicate eight memory blocks. Byte 0 indicates whether the read count for memory blocks 0-7 has exceeded the read count threshold, with Bit 0 corresponding to memory block 0 and Bit 1 corresponding to memory block 1, and so on. The second byte represents memory blocks 8-16, with Bit 0 representing memory block 8, and so on.

[0059] The above interactive commands can reuse existing NAND Flash methods such as Set Feature / Set Parameter. CMD can indicate a single command or multiple commands.

[0060] As shown in FIG5 , FIG5 is a structural diagram of the first embodiment of the storage device of the present application.

[0061] The electronic device includes a control unit 110 and at least one storage array 120 .

[0062] Each memory array 120 includes at least one memory cell 121 and a counting module 122. The memory cell 121 includes a nonvolatile memory circuit. The counting module 122 includes a storage circuit and a logic circuit. The logic circuit is used to obtain the number of times the memory cell 121 has been read, and the storage circuit is used to store the number of times the memory cell 121 has been read.

[0063] The control unit 110 controls the operation of the storage device and may also be referred to as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The control unit 110 may be an integrated circuit chip having the ability to process signal sequences. The control unit 110 may also be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal sequence processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic device, a discrete gate or transistor logic device, or a discrete hardware component. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0064] The control unit 110 is connected to the storage array 120 to implement the method provided by any embodiment and possible combination of the data management method of the present application.

[0065] In summary, the present application is applied to a storage device, which includes a control unit and at least one storage array, each storage array including at least one storage unit and a counting module. The storage unit includes a non-volatile storage circuit. The counting module includes a storage circuit and a logic circuit, the logic circuit is used to obtain the number of reads of the storage unit, and the storage circuit is used to save the number of reads. The control unit sends a read count acquisition command to the storage array, and receives the read count result obtained from the counting module sent by the storage array, and the statistics of the read count are handed over to the counting module in the storage array for completion. The control unit can obtain the read count result through the command, thereby reducing the occupation of the memory resources used by the control unit for the read count statistics and improving the data reading performance of the storage device.

[0066] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed methods and devices can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For example, the division of the modules or units is merely a logical functional division. In actual implementation, other division methods may be used, such as combining or integrating multiple units or components into another system, or ignoring or not implementing certain features.

[0067] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate, and the components shown as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of this embodiment.

[0068] In addition, each functional unit in each embodiment of the present application may be integrated into a processing unit, each unit may exist physically separately, or two or more units may be integrated into a single unit. The above-mentioned integrated units may be implemented in the form of hardware or software functional units.

[0069] If the integrated units in the above other embodiments are implemented in the form of software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present application is essentially or the part that contributes to the prior art or all or part of the technical solution can be embodied in the form of a software product, and the computer software product is stored in a storage medium, including a number of instructions for enabling a computer device (which can be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) or a processor to execute all or part of the steps of the method described in each embodiment of the present application. The aforementioned storage medium includes: various media that can store program codes, such as a USB flash drive, a mobile hard disk, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a magnetic disk or an optical disk.

[0070] The above description is merely an embodiment of the present application and does not limit the patent scope of the present application. Any equivalent structure or equivalent process transformation made using the contents of the present application specification and drawings, or directly or indirectly applied in other related technical fields, are also included in the patent protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A data management method, characterized in that: Applied to a storage device, the storage device includes a control unit and at least one storage array, each of the storage arrays includes at least one storage unit and a counting module, the storage unit includes a non-volatile storage circuit, the counting module includes a storage circuit and a logic circuit, the logic circuit is used to obtain the number of times the storage unit is read, and the storage circuit is used to save the number of times the storage unit is read, the method includes: The control unit sends a read count acquisition command to the storage array; The control unit receives the reading number result sent by the storage array, and the reading number result is obtained by the storage array from the counting module based on the reading number acquisition command.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The read count result includes a read count result of the storage unit. After the control unit receives the read count result sent by the storage array, the control unit includes: In response to the reading number result of the storage unit being greater than a first preset threshold, data reliability processing is performed on the storage unit.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The read count result includes the total read count results of all the storage units. After the control unit receives the read count result sent by the storage array, it includes: In response to the total number of read times of all the storage units being greater than a second preset threshold, determining whether there is a storage unit whose number of read times is greater than its corresponding first preset threshold; If so, data reliability processing is performed on the storage unit whose reading times result is greater than the corresponding first preset threshold.

4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that: Before the control unit sends a read count acquisition command to the storage array, the control unit includes: The control unit sends a read count threshold to the storage array, so that the storage array obtains the read count result based on the read count threshold.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that The reading times threshold is stored in the counting module.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The method further comprises: In response to the storage device being powered off, the control unit controls the storage array to send the first data in the counting module to the storage unit.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that The method further comprises: In response to the storage device being powered on, the control unit controls the storage array to send the first data stored in the storage unit to the counting module.

8. A data management method, characterized in that: Applied to a storage device, the storage device includes a control unit and at least one storage array, each of the storage arrays includes at least one storage unit and a counting module, the storage unit includes a non-volatile storage circuit, the counting module includes a storage circuit and a logic circuit, the logic circuit is used to obtain the number of times the storage unit is read, and the storage circuit is used to save the number of times the storage unit is read, the method includes: The storage array receives a read count acquisition command sent by the control unit; The storage array obtains a reading number result from the counting module based on the reading number acquisition command, and sends the reading number result to the control unit.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that The method further comprises: In response to the control unit performing data reliability processing on the storage unit based on the reading number result, the storage array clears the reading number of the storage unit in the counting module.

10. A storage device, characterized in that: It comprises a control unit and at least one storage array, each of the storage arrays comprises at least one storage unit and a counting module, the storage unit comprises a non-volatile storage circuit, the counting module comprises a storage circuit and a logic circuit, the logic circuit is used to obtain the number of read times of the storage unit, the storage circuit is used to save the number of read times of the storage unit, and the control unit is connected to the storage array to implement the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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