Memory Controller ECC RAID Parity Matrix
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current memory systems lack effective data protection and recovery schemes that can handle errors and failures in memory devices, leading to potential single points of failure and data loss.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a memory controller system that utilizes a combination of error correction codes (ECC) and Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) schemes, along with parity bits generated using a parity matrix, to provide robust error correction and detection capabilities, ensuring data integrity and recovery even if a memory die is damaged.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a combination of ECC and RAID schemes is implemented, then data reliability and error correction capability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines ECC and RAID schemes into a unified data protection system where error correction codes operate at the bit level while RAID operates at the block level, creating a hierarchical protection mechanism that addresses multiple failure modes simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments data into multiple blocks distributed across different memory dies, with each block protected by both ECC codes and RAID parity information, allowing independent error handling at different granularity levels
2Reliability
If multiple memory devices are used in a RAID configuration, then data recovery capability is improved, but loss of time increases due to reading from multiple devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-calculates and stores parity information across multiple memory devices during normal operation, so that when a failure occurs, the recovery process can immediately retrieve data from surviving devices without performing complex real-time calculations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates redundant copies of data and parity information across multiple memory devices, allowing any single device failure to be compensated by retrieving data from alternative locations without requiring time-consuming reconstruction
Data Source
AI summary
A redundant array of independent disks (RAID) protection can be provided along with other types of error correction code (ECC) schemes that correct either errors in data prior to the data being input to the RAID process or residual errors from the RAID process. The ECC schemes can utilize parity bits generated using a parity matrix whose bit patterns have an amount of bits that can be used to identify a location of the memory system from which data corresponding to the respective bit pattern is read.