Hierarchical Event Counter for Flash Memory Subgroups
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Solution Overview
Problem
Embedded systems, such as memory systems, face challenges in managing a large number of external objects due to limited storage capacity for event counters, leading to inefficiencies in system actions and potential data corruption from read disturbances in flash memory devices.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a subgroup linking scheme that groups objects into subgroups, using a main counter and subcounters with sizes determined by threshold values, allowing for efficient event counting and system actions without the need for extensive RAM resources, thereby reducing false positives and improving performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If event counters are allocated for each object in a large group, then event counting accuracy is improved, but storage capacity is exceeded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides a large group of objects into multiple subgroups, with each subgroup having its own event counter. This segmentation allows the system to track events for numerous objects without requiring a single large counter that would exceed storage capacity. The hierarchical structure of main counter and subcounters enables accurate event tracking while maintaining compact storage.
2Measurement precision
If the size of event counters is increased to cover all objects, then event counting range is improved, but RAM resource consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a single-dimensional counter structure to a multi-dimensional hierarchical structure with main counters and subcounters. This dimensional change allows the system to achieve a larger effective counting range without proportionally increasing the total storage requirements, as the counters operate in a hierarchical manner rather than requiring linear expansion of storage.
3Reliability
If system actions are performed frequently to monitor all objects, then system reliability is improved, but productivity decreases due to unnecessary actions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements partial monitoring by allocating event counters to subgroups rather than individually to each object. This allows the system to perform monitoring actions at an appropriate granularity level, executing system actions only when necessary for specific subgroups rather than continuously monitoring all objects, thereby reducing unnecessary actions while maintaining adequate system reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and instruction sets are provided for performing event management in an embedded system such as a memory system including a memory device and a controller. The controller divides a group of objects, among a plurality of groups of objects, into a plurality of subgroups, each subgroup including a plurality of objects. The controller counts a number of times that each of the objects is affected by external event using an event counter, updates a count value of each of the subcounters each time an object in the corresponding subgroup is affected by the external event, updates a count value of a main counter each time one of the subcounters reaches a count value equal to a first threshold value; and performing system action on the group of objects, when the count value of the main counter is equal to a second threshold value.