Dynamic Virtual Block Allocation for NAND Flash Wear Balancing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in prolonging the service life of memory devices, such as NAND flash memory, lies in effectively managing wear leveling and allocating reserved areas to adapt to various application scenarios, as existing methods struggle to balance the wear values between system and user areas, leading to unbalanced lifespan and performance issues.
Innovation Solution
An operation method that dynamically adjusts the allocation of virtual blocks between the system and user areas based on wear value comparisons, reallocating blocks when the difference exceeds a preset threshold to maintain a small gap between wear values, thereby achieving wear leveling and improving overall memory system durability and performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fixed allocation of reserved areas is used between system and user areas, then device complexity is reduced, but wear leveling performance deteriorates leading to unbalanced lifespan
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of reserved area allocation by continuously monitoring wear values of system and user areas and reallocating virtual blocks based on wear differences. This dynamic approach resolves the contradiction by adapting the allocation strategy to actual wear conditions, thereby extending service life without requiring complex manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs feedback mechanisms by monitoring wear values of different areas and using this information to adjust reserved area allocation. The wear value comparison between system and user areas provides feedback that triggers reallocation decisions, creating a closed-loop control system that automatically balances wear and extends device lifespan.
2Reliability
If dynamic reallocation of virtual blocks is performed frequently, then wear leveling performance is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to increased operation overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic wear value detection and threshold-based reallocation triggers. Instead of continuous reallocation, the system periodically monitors wear values and only initiates reallocation when the wear difference exceeds a preset threshold. This periodic action reduces unnecessary operations while maintaining effective wear leveling, thereby resolving the contradiction between wear leveling performance and write performance.
3Productivity
If reserved area allocation is optimized for random write performance, then productivity is improved, but wear distribution uniformity deteriorates leading to reduced reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the allocation parameter (reserved area size) dynamically based on wear value differences. When wear distribution becomes unbalanced, the system adjusts the reserved area allocation to promote more uniform wear distribution. This parameter change strategy allows the system to maintain good random write performance while ensuring wear uniformity, resolving the contradiction between productivity and reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
Examples of the present disclosure provide a memory system and operation method thereof, a memory device and operation method thereof. In one example, the operation method for the memory system includes: obtaining a wear value of a system area and a wear value of a user area within a first period of time; and determining whether to reallocate virtual blocks in a first reserved area of the system area and a second reserved area of the user area based on a result of comparison between the wear value of the system area and the wear value of the user area. Other examples are shown and described.