Downgrade Memory Management Using Bad Sector Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Downgrade memory with non-accessible sectors is typically discarded, resulting in wasted accessible space and increased production costs, as existing methods fail to effectively utilize these defective memories.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that mark and manage bad sectors in downgrade memory using specific commands, allowing accessible sectors to be identified and utilized, thereby enabling the memory to be accessed by a host and reducing waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If downgrade memory with non-accessible sectors is discarded, then product quality is ensured, but accessible memory space is wasted and production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The memory device is segmented into multiple blocks, with specific blocks marked as special blocks containing non-accessible sectors. This segmentation allows the system to identify and isolate defective areas while preserving and making accessible the remaining good sectors through the block management mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
Different blocks are assigned different accessibility qualities based on their sector status. Special blocks with non-accessible sectors are marked differently from normal blocks, allowing the system to apply local quality management where only affected sectors are restricted while other sectors remain fully accessible.
2Reliability
If downgrade memory is discarded, then defective blocks are eliminated, but production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of having defective sectors in memory devices into a beneficial outcome by implementing a block management system that marks and manages special blocks. This allows downgrade memory to be reused and sold as usable memory, transforming what would be waste into a valuable resource.
3Quantity of substance
If all sectors in a block are made accessible, then memory capacity is maximized, but data security and reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary marking of blocks containing non-accessible sectors before they are made accessible. By pre-identifying and marking special blocks, the system ensures that defective sectors are isolated and managed appropriately, allowing safe access to remaining good sectors while preventing data corruption from defective areas.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for accessing a downgrade memory and a downgrade memory apparatus are provided. The downgrade memory apparatus comprises at least one management unit and a controller. The management unit comprises a plurality of blocks, each block having a plurality of pages, and each page having a plurality of sectors, the downgrade memory having a plurality of non-accessible sectors. The controller is configured to parse a write command corresponding to a special block, to select at least one accessible sector according to a status information of the special block and to program the write command to the special block, wherein the status information indicates at least one non-accessible sector in the special block. Thereby the method and the apparatus of downgrade memory may as well omit the non-accessible sectors as enhance the usage memory capacity in accordance with the status information.