Logical to Physical Table Sector Pattern Management
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current logical to physical (L2P) table implementations in solid state drives (SSDs) face challenges in efficiently managing sector patterns and minimizing memory usage, particularly during sector unmapping operations, which can lead to increased memory requirements and hardware costs.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves a method for managing L2P tables by grouping sectors into indirection units, allowing for flexible pattern changes and efficient data retrieval, where unmapped sectors' bits are reused to store pattern buffer locations, and enabling the storage of multiple sector patterns without significant hardware upgrades, thereby optimizing memory usage and supporting various customer requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If L2P table size is increased to support multiple sector patterns, then sector pattern functionality is improved, but memory consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The L2P table is designed to serve multiple functions: it maintains logical-to-physical mapping information and simultaneously stores sector pattern information. By making the L2P table multi-functional, the patent avoids the need for separate dedicated memory structures for pattern storage, thereby supporting multiple sector patterns without proportionally increasing memory consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent recovers and reuses bits in the L2P table that would otherwise be unused or redundant. Specifically, certain bits in the L2P entries are repurposed to store sector pattern information, effectively discarding the idea of wasted space and recovering usable storage capacity within the existing L2P structure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate hardware is added to process multiple sector patterns, then sector pattern support is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The controller is designed to perform multiple functions using the same hardware resources. It既可以 execute logical-to-physical address translation又可以 manage sector pattern operations without requiring dedicated hardware circuits for each function. This multi-functional controller design avoids increasing device complexity while supporting multiple sector patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the sector pattern management functionality into the existing L2P table management infrastructure. Instead of creating separate hardware modules for pattern handling, the control logic for both address mapping and pattern management is combined within the same controller unit, reducing overall hardware complexity.
3Quantity of substance
If L2P table is optimized to avoid memory consumption, then memory usage is reduced, but sector pattern functionality is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter representation within the L2P table entries. By altering how certain bits are interpreted and utilized (changing from purely address mapping parameters to include pattern identification parameters), the system enables sector pattern functionality without increasing the overall size of the L2P table, thus maintaining optimized memory usage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent recovers unused or redundant bits within the L2P table structure to store sector pattern information. Instead of discarding these bits as wasted space, they are recovered and repurposed for pattern storage, enabling enhanced functionality without additional memory allocation.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure describes logical to physical tables that are configured to provide multiple sector support and provide for help in processing of data when a sector is mapped or unmapped. In the cases where sectors are unmapped, the present disclosure provides mechanisms to concurrently support multiple unique unmapped data patterns depending upon the specific type of unmapped sector.