Log Structured Reserved Zone for Wear Management in Non-Volatile Memory
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Solution Overview
Problem
Non-volatile solid state memory devices face limitations due to a finite number of program-erase cycles, leading to wear and potential data integrity issues, necessitating a reserved zone for system data to manage wear evenly across memory blocks.
Innovation Solution
A log structured reserved zone is implemented in non-volatile solid state memory, where system data is stored in multiple frames with unique identifiers, and once the last frame is programmed, data is stored back to the first frame, ensuring even wear distribution and data integrity through a log structure that increments frame locations sequentially.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a reserved zone is implemented to manage wear evenly, then device reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The memory device is segmented into user data areas and a reserved zone with multiple frames dedicated to system data. This segmentation isolates wear management operations to specific frames, allowing even wear distribution across the reserved zone while maintaining simplicity in the overall device architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-establishes a reserved zone with multiple frames before normal operation begins. This preliminary structure is prepared in advance to handle wear management, eliminating the need for complex dynamic wear balancing algorithms during operation and thus improving reliability without significantly increasing device complexity.
2Stability of the object's composition
If log structure is used to cycle through frames, then wear distribution is improved, but data structure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The log structure implements periodic action by cycling through frames in a sequential manner (frame 0, frame 1, frame 2, ..., frame N-1, then back to frame 0). This periodic cycling ensures that each frame receives system data updates at regular intervals, distributing wear evenly across all frames in the reserved zone while maintaining a simple, predictable data structure.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If multiple frames are reserved for system data, then operational life is extended, but memory capacity for user data decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by reserving only a small portion of the total memory capacity for the reserved zone with multiple frames for system data. This partial reservation is sufficient to extend operational life through wear distribution without significantly reducing the user data capacity. The majority of memory remains available for user data while the small reserved portion provides the wear management benefit.
Data Source
AI summary
A circuit may be configured to store data to a reserved zone of a non-volatile solid state memory (NVSSM) in a log structured manner and to use information stored in the reserved zone to restore data as needed. In some embodiments, a reserved area of a NVSSM may include die from one or more non-volatile memory modules, which can be divided into blocks and the blocks can be combined to form frames. In some examples, the frames may contain frame headers that can contain a unique identifier which can indicate which frame is to be used to restore data structures, such as during power up or for other restore events.