Firmware Data Compression via Bank Headers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing memory systems face inefficiencies in storing and transmitting firmware data due to the need for preconfigured granularity alignment, which increases data size and storage requirements.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of compressed bank data that omits dummy data alignment, using a header to indicate compression status and provide bank data set information, allowing the memory system to identify and store bank data without preconfigured alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If bank data is aligned according to preconfigured granularity, then data structure compatibility is improved, but firmware data size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The firmware data is segmented into multiple bank data sets, each with its own header indicating the number of data sets and size information. This segmentation allows the system to process and store data in manageable units without requiring alignment of the entire firmware image, thereby reducing overall data size while maintaining compatibility through structured organization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of data alignment from fixed preconfigured granularity to variable alignment based on actual bank data requirements. The header information dynamically specifies the number of data sets and their sizes, allowing the system to adapt the data structure to the actual content rather than forcing content to fit a predetermined structure, thus eliminating dummy data and reducing firmware size.
2Adaptability or versatility
If dummy data is added for alignment, then data transmission compatibility is improved, but transmission size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by including alignment and composition information directly in the firmware header and bank data headers before transmission. This pre-packaging of metadata allows the receiving system to correctly interpret and process the variable-length bank data sets without requiring dummy data for alignment, thereby achieving transmission compatibility with minimal data size.
3Ease of operation
If preconfigured granularity alignment is used, then data access simplicity is improved, but memory storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer of header information that mediates between the variable-length bank data and the fixed-structure memory system. The header contains the number of data sets and size information for each bank, allowing the system to easily locate and access specific bank data without requiring the entire memory space to be aligned to preconfigured boundaries, thus simplifying access while reducing storage requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and devices for compressing firmware data are described. A memory system may access firmware data associated with the memory system that includes bank data. The memory system may determine whether the bank data in the firmware data is compressed and, in cases that the bank data is compressed, the memory system may decompress the bank data prior to storing the bank data at a controller of the memory system. In some examples, a bank header in the firmware data may include information for the memory system to decompress the bank data. For example, the bank header may indicate the size of the compressed bank data associated with each bank. Additionally, the memory system may read the compressed bank data according to the indicated size and store the bank data at the controller or at a memory device of the memory system.