Flash ROM Write Management for Image Forming Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current image forming apparatuses face limitations in writing apparatus data into nonvolatile memory due to frequent changes, leading to incorrect data writes and premature flash ROM wear, as they rely on volatile memory for temporary storage before transferring to nonvolatile memory, which can result in excessive writing operations.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus that utilizes a volatile memory for initial data changes, retains recent changes at predetermined intervals, and employs a nonvolatile memory writing unit to write data into a primary and temporary area, avoiding writes if data is not retained within the interval, allowing simultaneous and independent writing processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If apparatus data is frequently written into flash ROM every time it changes, then data retention reliability is improved, but the flash ROM reaches its rewrite limit before the product lifecycle ends
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic batch writing instead of continuous writing. Change data is accumulated in volatile memory during predetermined time periods and then written to flash ROM as a batch operation at the end of each period. This periodic action significantly reduces the total number of write operations to flash ROM while ensuring data is eventually retained, thus extending flash ROM lifespan while maintaining data retention reliability.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If apparatus data is written into volatile memory and then batched for nonvolatile memory writing, then flash ROM wear is reduced, but data may be lost if power is interrupted before writing completes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses volatile memory as an intermediary buffer between apparatus data changes and flash ROM writing. Change data is first written to volatile memory (which has fast write speed and no wear limits), then transferred to flash ROM in batches. This intermediary approach decouples the frequent data changes from the limited-write flash ROM, reducing wear while maintaining data safety through the buffering mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The system prepares for potential power interruptions by maintaining change data in volatile memory during predetermined time periods. The batch writing mechanism ensures that accumulated changes are flushed to flash ROM at scheduled intervals, providing a cushion against data loss. The system design anticipates and prepares for power failure scenarios by having a structured process to complete writing operations.
3Productivity
If change data is written into flash ROM at predetermined time periods, then the number of write operations is reduced, but writing may be interrupted if another change occurs during the writing process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the nonvolatile memory into multiple independent planes (first plane, second plane, third plane). When change data is being written to one plane, other planes remain available for additional writing operations. This segmentation allows parallel or sequential writing of multiple data sets without interruption, as the system can switch between planes or continue writing to available planes, thus maintaining writing efficiency and data accuracy even during frequent changes.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an image forming apparatus, including a nonvolatile memory writing unit configured to write into the nonvolatile memory, at every predetermined time period in which change data is written into the volatile memory within that predetermined time period, the change data written into the volatile memory, a temporary area writing unit configured to write new change data into a temporary area while a primary area writing unit is writing any change data into the primary area, and a primary area transfer unit configured to transfer any change data written into the temporary area by the temporary area writing unit to the primary area when the primary area writing unit completes writing the change data into the primary area.