Memory System Buffer Management via Preliminary LUT Updates
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Solution Overview
Problem
In memory systems, particularly solid state drives (SSDs), the buffer lifetime is prolonged due to the need to manage storage positions of user data, leading to increased buffer sizes, which is undesirable for efficiency and cost considerations.
Innovation Solution
The memory system updates management information and deallocates buffer areas before completing the write process to the non-volatile memory, allowing for reduced buffer sizes by performing parallel processing of data transmission and management updates, thereby shortening the buffer lifetime.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If management information is updated after user data writing is completed, then data integrity is ensured, but buffer lifetime increases and buffer size becomes larger
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by updating the management information (LUT) before the user data writing to non-volatile memory is completed. Specifically, the controller updates the logical-to-physical address mapping in the LUT while the data is still being written through the buffer, rather than waiting for the write operation to finish. This allows the buffer to be deallocated earlier, shortening buffer lifetime without compromising data integrity, because the management information is already updated and can be recovered if power is lost during the write process
2Ease of manufacture
If buffer lifetime is shortened to reduce buffer size, then manufacturing cost decreases, but it becomes difficult to ensure proper management of user data storage positions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing the LUT update operation before the data write to non-volatile memory is completed. This allows the buffer to be freed up earlier, reducing the required buffer size and manufacturing cost, while still maintaining data management reliability because the management information is updated in advance and can be recovered if needed
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by maintaining the LUT as a separate management structure that stores the mapping between logical and physical addresses. This copied management information can be updated independently and used for data recovery, allowing the system to manage data reliably with a smaller buffer
3Use of energy by moving object
If buffer size is reduced, then power consumption decreases, but buffer lifetime must be extended which reduces processing efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by updating the LUT before data writing is complete, which allows earlier buffer deallocation. This reduces the time the buffer is occupied, improving processing efficiency, while also reducing buffer size requirements and associated power consumption
Data Source
AI summary
When receiving a write command from a host, a memory system according to one embodiment updates first correspondence information indicating the correspondence relationship between a logical address corresponding to user data and a position in a first memory and transmits the user data which has been stored in a second memory to the first memory. When the transmission is completed, the memory system writes the user data to the first memory. When the update and the transmission are completed, the memory system releases a memory area which stores the user data such that the memory area can be used as a memory area for other data.