LDPC Encoder Pipelining for Storage Throughput
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional storage systems face throughput limitations in error correction encoding, particularly with low-density parity check (LDPC) encoding, due to the need for multiple encoders and complex firmware management, which increases costs and power consumption while complicating RAID algorithms.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a single encoder architecture with parallel and pipelined processing stages, dividing the encoding process into information pass and corner inversion stages, allowing these stages to operate independently and reduce latency, thereby increasing throughput without the need for multiple encoders.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple encoders are used to increase encoding throughput, then productivity is improved, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The encoding process is divided into multiple independent stages (e.g., information bit processing stage and parity bit processing stage), each stage handling specific operations. This segmentation allows the encoding function to be distributed across multiple stages within a single encoder, increasing throughput without requiring multiple complete encoder units, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a temporal dimension through pipelined processing, where different stages of encoding operate on different data blocks simultaneously at different time steps. This dimensional transformation allows a single encoder to achieve the throughput of multiple encoders by utilizing time-division multiplexing across processing stages, thereby improving productivity without increasing the number of physical encoder units.
2Productivity
If multiple encoders are deployed to increase write throughput, then productivity is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the encoding process into distinct stages that can be executed sequentially within a single encoder, the patent eliminates the need for multiple parallel encoder units. This reduces the total power consumption while maintaining high write throughput, as only one encoder unit needs to operate at full capacity across different time stages rather than multiple encoders operating simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The encoder operates in periodic cycles where different stages are activated at different time intervals. The information bit processing stage and parity bit processing stage are executed in alternating periods, allowing the single encoder to achieve high throughput through time-multiplexed operation rather than requiring multiple encoders running continuously, thereby reducing overall power consumption.
3Productivity
If complex firmware management is implemented to coordinate multiple encoders, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the control logic for multiple encoding stages into a unified firmware management system that coordinates operations within a single encoder. This consolidated control approach simplifies firmware complexity compared to managing multiple independent encoders, as the firmware only needs to orchestrate sequential stage transitions rather than coordinating multiple parallel encoder units, thereby improving throughput without proportionally increasing firmware complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A storage system has a controller with an encoder. The encoder is configured to perform first and second stages of an encoding process in parallel on pipelined data blocks. In this way, while the first stage of the encoding process is being performed on a first data block, the second stage of the encoding process is performed on a second data block.