Memory Controller Data Restoration Mapping

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional technologies for backing up data in volatile memory, such as DRAM, do not allow for the restoration of data into arbitrary regions of the volatile memory after a power loss or system crash, limiting the flexibility and effectiveness of data recovery.

Innovation Solution

A memory device comprising a volatile memory, a first nonvolatile memory, a second nonvolatile memory, and a controller that stores management data indicating the relationship between program identifiers and volatile memory regions, enabling the saving and restoration of data into specific regions of the volatile memory after power recovery.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If data is backed up to nonvolatile memory using conventional technology, then data loss is prevented, but data cannot be restored to arbitrary regions of volatile memory

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata loss preventionVSAvoidrestoration flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by saving management data to the nonvolatile memory before power loss occurs. This management data contains the mapping relationships between program identifiers and volatile memory regions. When power is restored, this pre-saved information enables the controller to quickly identify where data should be restored without requiring complex real-time analysis, thus achieving both reliability and restoration flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces management data as an intermediary element that mediates between the backup data in nonvolatile memory and the target volatile memory regions. This management data acts as a bridge, containing the necessary mapping information to connect program identifiers with their corresponding memory regions, enabling flexible restoration to arbitrary regions while maintaining data integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If memory regions are reallocated after power loss, then system adaptability is improved, but data restoration becomes complex without region mapping information

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvememory region reallocationVSAvoiddata restoration complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from the saved management data to guide the data restoration process. The controller reads the program identifier and corresponding volatile memory region information from the nonvolatile memory, uses this feedback to determine the correct target region for restoration, and then performs the data transfer. This feedback mechanism simplifies the restoration complexity even when memory regions have been reallocated.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If all volatile memory data is backed up, then data integrity is ensured, but backup time and energy consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata integrityVSAvoidbackup time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential management data (program identifier and volatile memory region mapping) from the complete data set and saves it to nonvolatile memory. This extraction approach ensures that the critical information needed for data integrity and restoration is preserved without requiring backup of the entire volatile memory contents, thereby reducing backup time and energy consumption while maintaining data integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of performing a complete backup of all volatile memory data, the system performs a partial backup of only the management data that contains the mapping relationships. This partial action is sufficient to enable data restoration and integrity verification, avoiding the time and energy costs of backing up the entire data set while still ensuring data integrity through the preserved mapping information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS9946610B2Memory device and method for saving and restoring data using nonvolatile memory

Publication Date: 2018.04.17 KIOXIA CORP

AI summary

According to one embodiment, a memory device saves data of a volatile memory to a first nonvolatile memory in response to an event of power loss. After recovery of power, based on management data indicating a relationship between an identifier of each of programs executed by a host system and address data of each of a plurality of regions of the volatile memory being used respectively by the programs, the memory device identifies a region of the first nonvolatile memory where the data of the region of the volatile memory being used by a first program of the programs before the power loss has been saved. The memory device restores the data stored in the identified region into a first region of the volatile memory newly allocated to the first program by the host system.