Flash File System Direct Access Eliminates Block Interface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current NAND flash driving methods using the Block Interface Driver layer and File System Driver layer with FAT file systems result in complex file management, leading to performance issues due to discontinuous file clusters causing disk fragmentation, and inflexible data transfer that does not adapt to the physical device's features.
Innovation Solution
A flash file system architecture that includes an application programming interface module, physical driver module, file data table, and virtual disk driver module, allowing direct data access to flash without a block interface, enabling efficient file operations by querying the file data table for starting positions and performing byte-unit data access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If FAT file system with block interface is used, then file management capabilities are provided, but system complexity increases and performance decreases due to disk fragmentation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the block interface driver layer from the traditional storage architecture, directly connecting the file system to the physical flash memory. This removes the unnecessary abstraction layer that caused complexity while maintaining file management capabilities through a simplified direct access mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal direct access interface that handles both file management operations and physical flash operations through a single integrated mechanism, eliminating the need for separate block interface conversion and reducing overall system complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If FAT file system with block interface is used, then compatibility is improved, but data transfer flexibility is reduced due to block interface conversion requirements
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of converting data from physical blocks to file system blocks through a block interface layer, the patent inverts the approach by allowing direct access from the file system to physical flash memory addresses, eliminating the conversion step and improving data transfer flexibility.
3Adaptability or versatility
If block interface driver layer is used, then compatibility with physical devices is improved, but read/write performance decreases due to additional conversion operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the block interface driver layer that performs unnecessary data conversion operations, allowing direct read/write access to flash memory from the file system, thereby improving read/write performance while maintaining compatibility through the simplified architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention discloses a flash file system and drive method thereof, characterized in that, after reception of an access function, it verifies the parameters in the access function and analyzes the file name of the file to be accessed included therein, then queries the starting position of the file to be accessed, and finally controls a physical driver module to access data from the flash according to the starting position and such parameters. The flash file system according to the present invention does not require FAT (File Allocation Table) file system and block interface, thereby simplifying the complexity of file system and enhancing system performance.