Flash Memory Controller Status Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing data storage devices face challenges in managing status information of flash memory, leading to increased costs due to internal memory capacity requirements and potential performance degradation from long loading times.

Innovation Solution

A data storage device architecture that includes a first non-volatile memory, a device controller, and internal memories to manage logical and physical addresses, status information, and signature information, allowing for efficient data read and program operations by determining optimal read levels based on status information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If status information is managed in an internal memory of the storage device, then the capacity of the internal memory increases, but the cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinternal memory capacityVSAvoidcost
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts status information management from the internal memory of the storage device and relocates it to the host computer's memory. The device controller receives status information from the flash memory device and stores it in host memory, thereby reducing the internal memory capacity requirements of the storage device and lowering manufacturing costs while maintaining necessary status tracking capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Loss of time

If status information is managed by the non-volatile memory included in the storage device, then the loading time increases, but the performance degrades

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveloading timeVSAvoidperformance
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces the host computer's memory as an intermediary between the flash memory device and the device controller for status information management. The device controller acts as a mediator that receives status information from the flash memory, stores it in host memory, and retrieves it when needed, thereby avoiding the slow loading times associated with non-volatile memory while maintaining performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If read voltage is predetermined, then the operation is simple, but read fail occurs depending on flash memory state

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperation simplicityVSAvoidread success rate
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic read voltage adjustment based on the state of the flash memory. The device controller receives status information indicating the flash memory state and dynamically selects appropriate read voltage levels from multiple available levels. This dynamic adaptation ensures reliable data reading across different flash memory conditions while maintaining operational simplicity through automated voltage selection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution reduces temporal and physical costs while maintaining performance by efficiently managing status information and optimizing read operations in data storage devices.

Implementation Method 1

apply a voltage of the first read level to a first word line of the first non-volatile memory corresponding to the first physical address to read data

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVoltage application: Electric Field

Data Source

PatentEP3647959B1Data storage device and data storage system
Publication Date: 2025.05.21 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP3647959B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3647959B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3647959B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Described is a data storage device including a first non-volatile memory configured to store data, and a device controller configured to control the first non-volatile memory may be provided. The device controller may be configured to receive a data read command including a first logical address of the first non-volatile memory, a first physical address corresponding to the first logical address, and first status information of the first non-volatile memory corresponding to the first physical address. The data storage device may determine a first read level, using the first status information included in the data read command, and apply a voltage of the first read level to a first word line of the first non-volatile memory corresponding to the first physical address to read data.