Host-Storage Completion Signaling with Polling-Interrupt Switching

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Solution Overview

Problem

In information processing systems with low latency storage, the interrupt system is inefficient due to longer context switching times, while polling systems can lead to increased delay times and resource consumption when long-time polling is required.

Innovation Solution

The host device initially uses a polling system to check for completion notifications from the storage device and switches to an interrupt system when a long time is needed for the process, allowing the host to perform other tasks and prevent resource wastage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If an interrupt system is used for storage access, then the host can perform other tasks during processing, but context switching time increases causing longer delay times

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehost task execution efficiencyVSAvoidcontext switching time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent dynamically switches between polling and interrupt systems based on process duration. For long-time processes, the interrupt system is used to allow host task execution. For short-time processes, the polling system is used to avoid context switching overhead. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by selecting the appropriate notification method based on real-time conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If a polling system is used for storage access, then the host can continuously check for completion, but resource consumption increases during long-time polling

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompletion notification reliabilityVSAvoidhost calculation resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the notification method from continuous polling to interrupt-based notification when long processing time is detected. This reduces host resource consumption by eliminating continuous polling loops while maintaining reliable completion notification through the interrupt mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of continuous polling, the system uses periodic interrupt-driven notification. The storage device periodically notifies the host of completion status through interrupts rather than requiring the host to continuously poll, reducing resource consumption while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Measurement precision

If the host continuously polls for completion, then completion status is reliably detected, but delay time increases when long-time polling is required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompletion status detection accuracyVSAvoidpolling delay time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically switches from polling to interrupt notification based on process duration. For long-time processes, interrupts provide immediate completion notification without the delay of continuous polling, while maintaining accurate completion status detection through the interrupt mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS10277258B2Information processing device and host device

Publication Date: 2019.04.30 KIOXIA CORP

AI summary

According to one embodiment, in a case where a first command is received from a host, a storage device starts a first process. The storage device transmits a first response to the host in a case where a first condition is satisfied and transmits a second response and an interrupt signal to the host in a case where the first process is completed. The host, in a case where the first response is received, stops the polling and receives the second response based on reception of the interrupt signal.