Flash Memory Sub-Page Access for Efficient Data Updates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flash memory devices, such as NAND Flash, face inefficiencies in data updating and access due to the need to retrieve and rewrite entire pages when updating data, which can lead to increased power consumption and reduced performance.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a data-storage device with a flash memory system that includes multiple sub-pages and spare areas within each page, allowing for direct access and writing to sub-pages, reducing the need to integrate and rewrite entire pages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the flash memory retrieves and rewrites entire pages when updating data, then data integrity is maintained, but power consumption increases and performance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides a page into multiple sub-pages, allowing the system to update only the specific sub-page containing the modified data rather than retrieving and rewriting the entire page. This segmentation enables partial page updates, reducing power consumption while maintaining data integrity for the updated portions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements different access and update mechanisms for different portions of a page by introducing sub-pages. Each sub-page can be independently updated based on local needs, applying the local quality principle to optimize power consumption by avoiding unnecessary updates to unchanged data regions.
2Reliability
If the flash memory retrieves and rewrites entire pages when updating data, then data completeness is ensured, but access time increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting pages into sub-pages, the system can perform updates on a finer granularity level. When data needs updating, only the specific sub-page is retrieved and rewritten rather than the entire page, significantly reducing access time while ensuring completeness of the updated data through the spare area verification process.
3Reliability
If the flash memory updates data by retrieving and integrating entire pages, then data accuracy is maintained, but operational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces operational complexity by segmenting pages into sub-pages with dedicated spare areas. This structure simplifies the update process to operate at the sub-page level rather than requiring entire page retrieval and integration, making the complexity management more tractable while maintaining data accuracy through the spare area checksum verification.
4Device complexity
If the flash memory uses traditional page-based updates, then storage simplicity is maintained, but update efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enhances update efficiency while maintaining storage simplicity by dividing pages into sub-pages. This segmentation allows direct writing to specific sub-pages without requiring entire page retrieval and integration, significantly improving update efficiency. The storage structure remains simple through the organized sub-page and spare area framework.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimension of organization by dividing pages into multiple sub-pages with associated spare areas. This dimensional change from page-level to sub-page-level organization enables more efficient updates while maintaining the overall simplicity of the storage structure through systematic arrangement.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a data-storage device including a flash memory and a controller. The flash memory includes a plurality of blocks, and each of the blocks has a plurality of pages, wherein each of the pages has a plurality of sub-pages and a plurality of spare areas, each of the spare areas is arranged to store a spare data sector, and the spare data sector respectively corresponds to the sub-pages. The controller is arranged to access the sub-pages according to the spare data sector.