Memory Controller Burst Write Aggregation for Faster Map Caching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing memory controllers and storage devices face challenges in improving map caching performance and operation speed, particularly in volatile memory devices, due to inefficiencies in managing cache and buffer memory operations.
Innovation Solution
A memory controller is introduced with an error correction circuit and data aggregator for volatile memory devices, utilizing a cache memory with dedicated areas for different types of meta data and a buffer memory to store meta data, enhancing caching efficiency and operation speed by merging and caching write transactions in a burst operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If write transactions are merged and cached in burst operations, then cache hit rate is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cache memory is divided into multiple dedicated areas, with each area specifically designed to cache a particular type of metadata (e.g., L2P map data, VPT data, other metadata). This segmentation allows for more efficient caching by directing different metadata types to appropriate cache areas, thereby improving cache hit rates without significantly increasing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The memory controller performs preliminary actions by merging multiple write transactions into burst operations before caching. This preliminary merging reduces the number of individual cache operations needed, improving cache efficiency and hit rates while the structured approach keeps complexity manageable.
2Productivity
If dedicated cache areas are allocated for different metadata types, then map caching performance is improved, but memory resource usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
Different areas of the cache memory are assigned specific qualities or functions based on the type of metadata they cache. For example, the first dedicated area is optimized for L2P map data while the second area is optimized for VPT data. This local specialization improves caching performance for each metadata type without requiring a uniformly large cache structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The cache memory structure serves multiple functions by accommodating different types of metadata in dedicated areas. This multi-functionality allows the same cache resource to handle various metadata types efficiently, improving overall map caching performance without proportionally increasing memory resource usage.
3Speed
If burst operations are used to merge write transactions, then operation speed is improved, but ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The memory controller automatically performs the merging of write transactions into burst operations without requiring manual intervention. The controller self-manages the transaction merging process, optimizing operation speed while abstracting the complexity from the user or external systems.
Data Source
AI summary
The present technology relates to an electronic device. According to the present technology, a storage device having an improved operation speed may include a nonvolatile memory device, a main memory configured to temporarily store data related to controlling the nonvolatile memory device, and a memory controller configured to control the nonvolatile memory device and the main memory under control of an external host. The main memory may aggregate and process a number of write transactions having continuous addresses, among write transactions received from the memory controller, equal to a burst length unit of the main memory.