Memory Die Metadata Multiplexing Without Interface Expansion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing memory devices face challenges in efficiently communicating metadata without increasing the size of the interface or decreasing transmission bandwidth, particularly when multiple memory dies are involved.
Innovation Solution
A memory device communicates metadata from multiple memory dies over shared metadata pins, aggregating metadata at a logic component before transmission, and includes cyclic redundancy check (CRC) bits to enhance reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If each memory die has a dedicated metadata pin, then metadata communication reliability is improved, but interface size increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple memory dies share common metadata pins through a time-division multiplexing scheme. The controller sequentially accesses metadata pins for different memory dies in a predetermined sequence, combining what would otherwise require separate dedicated pins into a shared resource. This reduces the total number of pins required while maintaining the ability to communicate metadata reliably with each memory die.
Solution Approach 2:
The metadata pins are designed to serve multiple memory dies universally. Each metadata pin can be assigned to different memory dies at different time periods during operation. This multi-functional design allows the same physical pin to perform the metadata communication function for multiple different memory dies, eliminating the need for dedicated pins for each die.
2Device complexity
If metadata is transmitted over data pins, then interface size is maintained, but transmission bandwidth decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The communication function is segmented into separate dedicated paths: data pins for data transmission and metadata pins for metadata transmission. By segmenting the communication responsibilities, the system can maintain full bandwidth on data pins while using separate pins for metadata, avoiding the bandwidth conflict that would occur if metadata were multiplexed onto data pins.
3Speed
If metadata from multiple memory dies is transmitted simultaneously over separate pins, then transmission speed is improved, but interface size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller performs periodic sequential access to metadata pins for different memory dies in a predetermined sequence. Instead of simultaneous transmission, the system uses periodic time-division multiplexing where each memory die's metadata is transmitted in its designated time slot. This maintains transmission speed through efficient sequential processing while significantly reducing the number of required interface pins.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and devices for metadata communication by a memory device are described. The memory device may receive first data from a first memory die of the memory device and second data from a second memory die of the memory device. The memory device may receive first metadata for the first data from the first memory die and second metadata for the second data from the second memory die. The memory device may combine the first metadata from the first memory die and the second metadata from the second memory die into a set of metadata. And the memory device may transmit the set of metadata to a host device via a pin, such as a metadata pin, allocated for a set of memory dies that includes at least the first memory die and the second memory die.