Flash Memory Page-Level Erasure for Wear Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The frequent erasing of physical units in flash memory storage systems shortens the lifespan of flash memory storage apparatuses due to the limited number of erasure cycles each block can withstand, especially when used as master hard drives for computer systems that repeatedly write and update small quantities of data.
Innovation Solution
A data writing method that groups physical blocks into units, separates them into data and free areas, and configures logical units for mapping, allowing for efficient data merging and reduced erasure by using a third physical unit for sequential writing and merging data from multiple logical units, thereby minimizing the number of erasures required.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If physical units are frequently erased to write small quantities of data repeatedly, then data writing flexibility is improved, but the lifespan of flash memory is shortened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments physical units into multiple physical pages, allowing selective erasure at the page level rather than erasing entire physical units. This segmentation enables the system to erase only the necessary portions of memory, reducing the total number of erasure operations on each physical unit and thereby extending flash memory lifespan while maintaining writing flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new management dimension by implementing a page-level erasure mechanism within physical units, adding granularity to the existing block-level erasure model. This dimensional change allows the system to manage erasure operations more efficiently, performing partial erasures when needed and reducing unnecessary full-unit erasures, thus resolving the contradiction between writing flexibility and memory lifespan.
2Productivity
If physical units are alternatively used for storing data through frequent erasing, then data update capability is improved, but the number of erasure cycles increases
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing physical units into multiple physical pages, the patent enables selective erasure of only the pages that need to be updated. This segmentation reduces the total number of erasure cycles required for data updates, as the system can erase individual pages rather than entire physical units, thereby improving data update capability while reducing wear on the flash memory.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the erasure operation parameter from block-level to page-level granularity. This parameter change allows the system to perform more targeted and efficient erasure operations, reducing the overall number of erasure cycles needed to achieve the same data update capability, thus improving reliability while maintaining productivity.
3Speed
If data is written into physical units directly without merging, then writing speed is improved, but storage space utilization deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a merging mechanism where multiple physical pages within a physical unit can be combined and managed together. This merging approach allows the system to maintain fast writing speeds by writing to individual pages while also optimizing storage utilization by consolidating and managing pages as a group, resolving the contradiction between writing speed and storage space utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a multi-functional management system that can operate at both the individual page level for fast writing and the physical unit level for optimized storage utilization. This universal approach allows the same system to perform both functions efficiently, maintaining high writing speeds while improving storage space utilization through coordinated page management.
Data Source
AI summary
A data writing method and a memory controller and a memory storage apparatus using the same are provided. The data writing method includes grouping a plurality of physical blocks into a plurality of physical units, grouping the physical units into at least a data area and a free area, and configuring a plurality of logical units for mapping to the physical units of the data area. The data writing method also includes getting a physical unit from the free area, writing data in at least one of the logical units into the gotten physical unit, and writing an end mark into the gotten physical unit, and in the gotten physical unit, the end mark follows the data belonging to the at least one logical unit. Thereby, the storage space of each physical unit can be effectively used, and the lifespan of the memory storage apparatus can be prolonged.